JSOnline 7/15: Dem poll: Darling, Pasch in dead heat in Senate recall

I seem to recall reading that Darling has been raking in money, putting up billboards and secretly pushing tobacco for kids, etc.  Can't fool all the people all the time ... I guess! Click title for story!

July 15, 2011 

Madison -- Sen. Alberta Darling is in a dead heat with her Democratic challenger in next month's recall election, according to a new poll released by the Democratic party.
Darling (R-River Hills) slightly trailed her challenger Rep. Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay), who had 47% of likely voters to Darling 46%, a difference that was within the poll's margin of error.
The poll done for Democrats by the Mellman Group showed that Pasch has closed the gap between her and Darling from another survey done in May that showed Darling with a 9 percentage point lead.
The poll surveyed 350 likely voters and was done on July 13 and 14. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
The recall was sought against Darling and five other Republican senators for their votes supporting Gov. Scott Walker's legislation eliminating most collective bargaining for public workers. The election will be held on Aug. 9.

Darling and Olsen Campaigns are Smoking ... do you recall

Wisconsin Senate recall candidate David VanderLeest dismisses legal problems

 From the Post Crescent - 7/8

Police and court records show David VanderLeest, 34, of Green Bay has been arrested on at least four occasions dating back to 2006, mostly for offenses that include disagreements with his ex-wife, Rachel Gerritsen, 42. ...

VanderLeest, who also organized petition efforts to recall Hansen, will face the Green Bay Democrat for the 30th Senate seat on July 19. It's the first of nine elections this summer across Wisconsin that could change the balance of power in state government.

Not the "least" of his problems?

NPR - 6/19 - Public Union Strife Redefining Wisconsin's Identity

Professor Kathy Walsh has been on the air before in other interviews talking about her research and face to face interviews with people in their communities (and coffee shops).  The kind of information she passes along helps us all keep things in perspective!  This morning I went looking for more interviews ... I know they are there perhaps on WPR not just NPR.  The title will take you to the audio and story but you can listen here.

From 4/30/2011 - 4min: Wisconsin's Political Split Hardens Into Great Divide

...University of Wisconsin-Madison political scientist Kathy Cramer Walsh says voters here have always had their disagreements, "but Wisconsinites, in general, are good at sort of smoothing over differences and getting along. And right now we're not getting along, and it's blown out into the open. I'd say it's pretty different. It feels un-Wisconsin-like to me."...

6/17 Sam Mayfield - Star Reporter of Capitol Police Citizen Management

Sam Mayfield continues to report on events at Madison State Capitol.  This report is from last nights rally and protests ... with a few other people commenting about what people in Wisconsin can do now and in the future to get Wisconsin back on track.

Either before or after posting this she evidently proceeded to court to deal her previous arrest by Officer Corcoran.

Upd2- WisEye - JFC - Voter ID - Rep Roys speaks out 5/3/2011 Video

See another complete video from better angle ... all of it ... there are several choice moments!
WisEye.org (for seeing 5/6 Friday broadcast)

8:45am | Assembly Committee on Election and Campaign Reform (5/3)
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JFC - On another note, the JFC will next be in on Monday for an exec on the voter ID bil. They won't be voting on the budget again until next Thursday.  From WisPolitics.com
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Representative Roys wants the Republicans to use a really big needle on themselves!

Voter ID - AB7 Amendments - Unfinished advances

Voter ID Hearing 4/27 Capitol - AB 7 - Common Cause

The REAL ID Act of 2005, Pub.L. 109-13, 119 Stat. 302, enacted May 11, 2005, was an Act of Congress that modified U.S. federal law pertaining to security, authentication, and issuance procedures standards for the state driver's licenses and identification (ID) cards, as well as various immigration issues pertaining to terrorism.

Implementation via rule writing (Federal level) has been postponed since so many "states" are against it - but as soon as we get Voter ID setup Wisconsin will be one step closer!

From the article (all kind of ironic)-

Section 202(c)(3) of the Real ID Act^[19] requires the states to "verify, with the issuing agency, the issuance, validity, and completeness of each document" that is required to be presented by a driver's license applicant to prove their identity, birth date, legal status in the U.S., social security number and the address of their principal residence. The same section states that the only foreign document acceptable is a foreign passport.

The DHS final rule^[12] regarding implementation of the Real ID Act driver's license provisions relaxes, and in some instances waives altogether, these verification requirements of the Real ID Act. Thus the DHS rule concedes that there is no practical mechanism to verify with the issuers the validity of documents proving the applicant's primary address (such as a mortgage statement or a utility bill) and leaves the implementation of this verification requirement to discretion of the states (page 5297 of the DHS final rule in the Federal Register).^[12] However, the DHS rule, Section 37.11(c), mandates that the Real ID license applicants be required to present at least two documents documenting the address of their primary residence.

Upd - Collective Bargaining and Recalls and Budgets

Unfortunately the Republican game plan seems to be on track!  If the courts (whichever) give them a favorable ruling they are even further along.  Favorable means the "Open Meetings" laws were not violated. Governor Walker will have successfully destroyed public unions and further lowered the wage, benefits and protections that any individual in any job may be able to obtain in Wisconsin.

When GAB was accorded its plan not to hold any recall elections until July the State Senate became the only place that the new Budget could be stopped or altered.  If recalls had been executed sooner putting the "Collective Bargaining" argument back in the new budget might have been problematic. If the Democrats had regained control of the Senate, changed the make up of the JFC and consequently had leverage on the Budget we might actually have seen a stalemate (euphemism for bipartisanship).  Now with the JFC barreling along like a "high speed train" to complete its work and get the budget done ASAP before June 30th (and recalls) the FAB14 may only have one recourse.

The Fitzgeralds have the cards to help Governor Walker have his way.  Are the threats of "recalls" sufficient to cause some State Senators to either want to slow things down or put them more in a frame of mind of "going down with the ship" - after all Walker will always give me a job!  Some State Senators should keep their bags packed - this should be pretty clear to anyone watching the scene.

A recent AP story in WSJ may help anyone wanting to relive the past several months!

GOP leaders: If there's no ruling by June, union vote could come in committee 

Update: It never happens by accident.  Who was leaking to whom or who was pressuring whom or what was being traded??   The Fitzgeralds were talking to AP knowing that this was coming down - that's what I think?