Scott Walker's Palace Guard - the new Wisconsin Secret Service?? - part 4

On February 29th, March 1st, 2nd and 3rd, in violation of the State Constitution and a court order, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin prevented members of the public from entering the State Capitol. The Wisconsin Constitution states that the Capitol building is to be open to the public whenever the legislature is conducting business. Never before in Wisconsin's history has access to the Capitol building been restricted.

The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) stated that the King Street entrance to the Capitol would be the only entrance - so many people waited outside for hours hoping to be allowed in to what we fondly call "the people's house". A rumor spread in the crowd that some people were being allowed into the Capitol through the underground tunnels that supply most of downtown Madison with heating and cooling. This was in violation of DOA's assertion that ONLY the King St. entrance was to be used.

So I and a few others went down to the 3rd underground level of a public parking garage (in Wisconsin it's called a parking "ramp"), to find the tunnel entrance and see whether the rumor was true.

What we observed was that members of various police forces, including St. Croix County Sheriff, Special agents from the Milwaukee County Department of Justice, and un-uniformed men who MAY have been members of the Wisconsin State Patrol (they wouldn't identify themselves or show any badge), tried to get us to leave so that they could usher VIP's into the tunnel in privacy.

Their preferred tactic was to warn us of 'what might happen' to us if we didn't leave, without stating any justification why we must go, and without identifying themselves. In this video, one man - who said he was a cop, but wouldn't show any identification - threatens me with Obstruction of Justice charges if I don't prove that I parked in the garage. Then he gets on the phone and forgets to pursue this bogus charge. In fact, the garage, though privately owned, is a public Right of Way - meaning, there could be no justification for demanding that a group of peaceful protesters leave.

The reality was, the WI Department of Administration simply doesn't want the public to know what they do.

• Category

  News & Politics

[cmrsvids]

"I'm not here to cause trouble" ... oh, please. These men treated her with complete tolerance and respect and acted professionally. If it's the "people's house", then use the front door.

[Graddyooate]

...and no. I was not there to cause trouble. I was there to get information.

[Graddyooate]

Yes, on all counts. In answer to your second question: To my knowledge, none of the Republicans, including Scott Walker, campaigned on a union-busting platform. Therefore they cannot claim a mandate to bust unions. They're clearly working to retain political power for their party, and not to balance the budget or increase jobs, which are the two issues on which people voted for them.

[Mathew tryggestad]

You are retarted. Leave people alone you dumb liberal

[Vernon Meyer]

Sorry they are acting like cops , can't you see the stupid looks on there faces.

[Ronald Alberts]

Its sad that people like Graddyooate have nothing better to do then be an irritation. She is dumb and annoying.

[racismism]

I'm so glad we are paying for little brats to go to college to learn to try and create conflict through mindless argument.

[PapaGanoush17]

Great job filming dip shit. Get a life lazy liberals so I don't have to quit paying for your laziness

[CubanExile]

stupid annoying Liberal What's the point ?? Your rude and obnoxious. You lost get over it, You sound like a spoiled rotten brat. They are being nice. Your being rude. You liberals are crazy people. Just be respectful. This is why noone support Liberals and OWS except anti god, anti family and anti life crazies like u. just get over it already . . .

[plankyob]

Thank you Graddycoate for standing up for the people's right to know. Great peaceful citizen action.

[1badger1000]

Yeah, they are longtime veterans of the Wisconsin State Patrol, probably not going to get charged with "impersonating an officer". As regards "elections have consequences", Walker got elected. He implemented his policies. Lefties freaked and now he has been re-elected in a needless recall with an even higher vote margin. I guess "this is what democracy looks like".

[recalcitrist1]

You'd have a "palace guard' too if you were getting death threats from Democratic union thugs.

[PirateProduktions]

2/2

FDR against collective bargaining for government employees. Resolution of Federation of Federal Employees Against Strikes in Federal Service August 16, 1937 (Letter to Mr. Steward, President, National Federation of Federal Employees)

presidency ucsb edu/ws/index.php?pid=15445#axz­z1JcXTVxbu

(replace spaces with DOTs {periods} in URL)

“All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service. “