Posted on 02/23/2011 8:14:10 AM PST by SE Mom
Not since those Montreal comedians got through to Sarah Palin has a stunt like this worked, but a reporter from the Buffalo Beast, posing as David Koch, appears to have managed to get Scott Walker on the line.
The alt-weekly's site is down, but you can hear the recording at Mother Jones.
But they didn't actually get much from Walker, other than his assent to bizarre "Koch" statements. He does give a glimpse of his -- utterly reasonable -- strategy, including courting an independent-minded Senate Democrat who he describes as "pretty reasonable, but he's not one of us." He also tips his hand to an attempt to lure Democrats back to the state for a meeting that, even if they fled again, would allow Republicans to pass his bill.
"I'm not negotiating," he said.
He also clearly believes that time is on his side, and that Democrats are desperate to get out of the fix.
Walker said his administration is looking into the question of whether legislators can be charged with a felony if unions are paying them "to keep them from doing their job."
The call is worth a listen though, for the candid glimpse it offers at the suddenly-prominent Walker. It's also typical in that it reflects politicians willingness to give large amounts of time to rich guys whose obvious weirdness and terrible ideas are to be tolerated for the cash they put up.
One other interesting bit: Walker says he talks to Ohio's John Kasich "every day."
That is not the story line they are peddling at the Washington Post and Milwaukee Sentinel Journal. Have time, go visit and fight for Walker.
Phillip Klein from AmSpec has a good take on this. He thinks Walker came off well.
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/02/23/prank-call-reveals-that-scott
Sorry to say, but it is on the tape. After seeing your post I had to find out for myself so I read the transcript and listened to the tape. They are talking over each other at the moment it is said, but it is there. I can’t believe Walker fell for this.
I will go back and listen- I thought it was -oh yeah- in reference to something previous.
Conclusion: Yahoo! is a typical leftist rag.
One of the notorious Koch brothers, the right equivalnet of Geoge Soros in their little libtarded minds?
Children make prank calls, so this DOES follow.
Which brings us right back to the original problem: Why did Walker take a call from someone pretending to be Koch and brief him on plans to deal with the AWOL Democrats?
How would you react if someone pranked Obama and managed to speak with him by pretending to be George Soros?
Koch is already being accused of bankrolling the Tea Party. Don't you see the perception problem?
.
It depends on the particular state involved and the actual state statutes that cover recording, monitoring, or even transferring the recording of a phone conversation.
Some states allow the recording or recording of phone calls without permission of both parties - caller and party called - as long is it is not to a practicing attorney, a practicing physician, or a practicing clergyman (or in their offices).
Look for “strict scrutiny” in the state statutes.
Remember (some of) the (many) Monica phone tapes that were not made from a 1-party state - and were made across state lines.
It is infinitely wise to pop open the involved state statues - as I can think of one attorney that was sentenced to years in the state prison for slipping a tape recorder under his wife’s bed in his own home.
I have a good deal experience in this area and how a citizen can sue another private citizen - or the media - or a government employee that violates state criminal statutes.
“60 Minutes” on CBS-TV has made a habit of violating privacy laws for decades.
I cannot cite specific names, court filings, cases, or settlements for obvious reasons.
The (alleged) media has no waiver if it used fraud to wilfully and unlawfully violate a state privacy statute. We are talking mucho criminal felony prison time here.
If Governor Walker has a current license to practice law in Wisconsin the bar may be set mucho lower.
“Present” Barack Hussein Obama II and Michelle Robinson Obama no longer have current licenses to practice law in Illinois - or in any other state.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
I will not state that Michelle Robinson Obama surrendered her Illinois state law license to avoid criminal prosecution for insurance fraud.
I also will not state that “Present” Barack Hussein Obama II surrendered his Illinois state law license to avoid criminal prosecution for unlawfully committing criminal perjury and criminal fraud for lying on his application to the Illinois State Bar Association - by stating that he never used drugs and never had used aliases - other names and surnames.
My big Colt .44-40 is my gavel.....
.
OTOH Walker has said that Wisconsin is open for business. If a CEO of one of the largest companies anywhere called, wouldn’t you think about the chance to get to known him/her and see if there is the opportunity to have business moved to Wisconsin? I am willing to bet that Walker occasionally discusses the business climate and even union legal and business aspects with CEOs. I don’t find this to be an inconceivable call.
OTOH Walker has said that Wisconsin is open for business. If a CEO of one of the largest companies anywhere called, wouldn’t you think about the chance to get to known him/her and see if there is the opportunity to have business moved to Wisconsin? I am willing to bet that Walker occasionally discusses the business climate and even union legal and business aspects with CEOs. I don’t find this to be an inconceivable call.
Is it illegal to bankroll the tea party? If not, why use the word "accused"? Do you think he doesn't give money to support the tea party efforts, or if he does, do you think it's wrong to get funding from people who have money?
I'm not sure what your complaint is. Are you saying that republicans shouldn't speak to people who donate money?
Do you think he wouldn't have taken a reporter's call, and answered the same questions?
I would expect that if I was a major donor to a political campaign, that I could get access to the politicians I was donating money to. Given that big donors get invited to parties where politicians show up and speak to them all the time, and nobody makes a fuss about it except liberals when it's a conservative, is there really a problem with politicians giving access to people who care enough about issues to spend their own money fighting it?
Looks like MoveOn wants to get into the fray: http://pol.moveon.org/callforaction/
You misunderstand. I'm not saying that any of those things are illegal.
My point is about perception. Walker is already being painted as "in the pockets of the rich". Taking an unsolicited call from one of "the rich" and discussing legislative strategy simply reinforces that meme.
Do I have a problem with it? No. But, there are lots of people that will, and not all of them are leftists that would oppose Walker no matter what he did.
Looks like MoveOn wants to get into the fray: http://pol.moveon.org/callforaction/
Walker talked with “Koch” as if he was a weird estranged uncle. No “how are the kids,” or “how’s the weather at...”
If anything, this shows there is total separation between Walker and the boogeyman Koch. It sure doesn’t sound like they know each other.
Seriously, how else can you explain his lack of suspicion at the oddness at the other end of the line?
So, can anyone mimic Soros sufficiently to “prank” the other side?
Maybe we should up the fines for prank phone calls to the death penalty - as a deterrent.... :)
From what I hear, he’s being much too irenic and reasonable.
We’re not dealing with getting everyone together for the
family reunion. We’re facing what a Belmont Club commenter
(I forget who,just at the moment) termed “TWANLOC” those
who are no longer our citizens”
But I don’t see much of an offensive here either. I hope
I’m wrong.
I was thinking the same thing. This tells me Walker and his staffers rarely talk to Mr. Koch.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.