Walker Voted for Train Bidding Statute He's Railing Against

[We have received the following press release from One Wisconsin Now and are pleased to publish it on their behalf.]

Madison -- Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's hollow criticism of the Talgo bidding process, which was not awarded to the company of his $13,000 donor and 2006 gubernatorial co-chair, is even more hypocritical given that Walker voted to create the no-bid statute in the 1997 state budget, according to One Wisconsin Now


"If there is a hypocrisy train running out of Milwaukee County, Scott Walker is its conductor," said Scot Ross, One Wisconsin Now Executive Director. "He manufactured baseless charges when his top donor came up short against another Milwaukee company, and he criticized the exact process he voted to create."

The bidding law Walker is criticizing was created in the 1997 biennial budget, Act 27, which passed with the support and vote of then-Rep. Scott Walker and was signed into law by then-Gov. Tommy Thompson. Throughout his legislative career, Walker voted consistently with the Republican majority in passing budget measures and opposing Democratic-offered amendments. In five budgets, Walker approved an 84 percent increase in spending, voting in favor of a total of $200 billion in state spending.

"Scott Walker's blame game needs to begin with one person, Scott Walker," said Ross. "Scott Walker doesn't want his campaign donors to have to play by the same rules Scott Walker and Tommy Thompson created for everyone else."

The statutes allowing the no-bid contracting begin with number 85.06 and are available here: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/statutes/Stat0085.pdf.

The details of Act 27, including the creation of the no-bid process on page 446, are available here: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/1997/data/acts/97Act27.pdf.

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One Wisconsin Now is a statewide communications network specializing in effective earned media and online organizing to advance progressive leadership and values.