Supervisor Joe Rice on Holloway
Milwaukee County Board Supervisor Joe Rice was interviewed by Charlie Sykes this morning.
He expressed optimism that either the needed majority of the Finance Committee or two-thirds of the full board may be willing to pass some amount of additional funding for the prosecution of County Board Chairman Lee Holloway.
Yesterday, I listed four things that need to happen in order for this to proceed. Two of them, additional media attention and the continued work of a bipartisan coalition are happening.
The other two things I said needed to happen, were:
- County Executive Scott Walker needs to be more vocal in expressing his feelings on all of this. I've made no secret of my belief that Scott, who has established a well-earned reputation as a reformer, needs to expend some political capital on the Holloway situation. For the last several years, Scott was the face of the efforts to reform Milwaukee County government. He had no problems ripping what he saw as the previous ethical lapses of board members. His heretofore passive approach toward Holloway has been odd, and it has been noticeable. Frankly, I believe he could almost single-handedly provide enough momentum to see this through if he was so motivated. His office number is 414-278-4211.
- People need to let their Supervisors know their feelings on this matter. Any Milwaukee County resident can call the main switchboard at 414-278-4222 and after giving the receptionist your address you will be directed to your supervisor's office. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you. Feel free to pass the link to this post to any Milwaukee County taxpayer you know.
I understand that. See my point, above, about Walker.
Now, Charlie also made another strong point and one that I echo.
People have 'sat back' long enough. Passivity in the investigation and prosecution of Milwaukee County ethics laws throughout the 90s is what brought us to this point. Passivity empowers the ethically challenged to get away with more.
If money is not appropriated to continue the prosecution, a majority of the board should immediately vote to remove Holloway as chairman. If Holloway or his supporters sue over the maneuverver (given the Attorney General's muddying of the waters) so be it. It is worth it.
Finally, supervisors who vote to cut off funding for the prosecution this week and/or again in May better dust off their resumes.
However, if people keep calling their supervisors and they heed your calls, we may not have to come to that.
16 Comments:
Dude - is this the same Scott walker who raked in $25 k from Bear Stearns in Chicago, who oversaw a coiunty sweetheart deal w/ that company, one for which all the paperwork disappeared, all shortly before Scott's Bear Stearns buddy was indicted in federal court?
This is the proven reformer? The fact that you guys paint Holloway as a terrorist and have nothing to say about Walker says alot about what this is all really about.
Those statements regarding Bear Stears and Walker, though oft repeated ARE NOT factual. You make it seem like any money Walker ever raised out of state came from Bear Stearns. Moreover, calling Hutgen a Walker buddy is quite the stretch. How much had he given Walker? His wife? Funny, I never saw him at the Walker cook outs or cookie tastings?
Can't muddy the waters here. Holloway's the one rightly up on ethics charges here. Let's see the case through to the end. Due process, right?
You need to decide whether this is about the law and good government or just a war on one guy.
Your suggestiuon that Walker should not be investigated or talked about but rather crowned a proven reformer is just spin. How in the world do you knwo the facts without an investigation? That mess raised real questions -- and none of you clowns squawked.
Stick with Hollway, dude...this is about him. Stop trying to direct attention somewhere else.
AI am not misdirecting anything, Holloway should answer any legitimate questions -- and so should any other official when questions come up.
Treating people the same is a key principle in a system of justice. The fact that there appears to be a speciail set of standrads that apply to Holloway and not to, say Scott Walker, makes this thing look like an erffort to destroy the guy rather than a legit prosecution. its that simple.
Why isn't anyone going after the Board members. Rich Nyklewicz is on the Fiance and Audit Committee and should be pushing this but isn't. What about Gerry Broderick and Peggy West?
Maybe some of the board is actually concerned about throwing more tax money away? Isn't that what they are supposed to be concerned about?
That last comment is the funniest thing I've ever heard. Either you are an idiot or a shill for one of them because if some of them were worried about our tax dollars this would be one of the last things that would come up as waste compared to what they spend money on.
like parks, the courts and social services??!?!?!?!?!
like a fish hatchery?!?!?!?!?
Yeah, Fraley. Why not slap Nyklewicz around a bit. His committee is the one that held up the funds.
A little too cozy with him or someone from his office?
I thought I was in Walker's pocket? Or was that Mark Green? Oh that's right, I'm a shill for Broderick, Nyklewicz and West...
I have been very clear here. Whomever votes against funding this investigation is in the wrong. West already did once, she has a shot at partial redemption Thursday.
Everyone who chickened out on removing Holloway earlier this spring is also in the wrong, but even if he were no longer chair, the ethics case against him should proceed.
You have some problem with fish so we need to throw unending money at the war on Holloway?
More seriously, do you folks really think that the ethics board should get whatever money they ask for without and oversight, explanation, or questions about the appropriate amount? How about some accountability?
Every day I wonder if the people of this community will ever come together and make this place prosper, and every day I see signs that the answer is probably no!
We trade accusations. We call each other names. We appear willing to do almost anything except sit down and try to work out a solution. I think Chairman Holloway has some serious questions that he needs to answer. I would like to hear what he has to say about the charges. I would like for him to have his day in court. He should be leading the charge to fund the Ethics board, so he can clear his name and silence his critics. If we allow "ethics" to be taken out of the equation, then we cannot complain when the pendulum swings the other way and control switches to the other side.
I am constantly amazed how people who accuse other people of spin are spinning so hard they must be getting dizzy. If you want to connect Scott Walker to scandal lay out some real facts. Stop with these stupid vague references whose only truth lies in the minds of people who repeat crap often enough and somehow think that means its true. The Holloway facts are clear, precise and cannot be disputed. With the type of logic and analysis provided by the "dude" man its no wonder a Lee Holloway can exist and thrive in Milwaukee county government.
Calling Walker a reformer is laughable.
Is borrowing money to pay for existing debt reform? Is letting the county infrastructure crumble reform? Is underfunding the pension liability by $23 million reform?
Drop the partisan facade and look at the facts. Conservatives should be running away from this guy as fast as they can but instead they're embracing his borrow and spend policies.
Conservative (or reformer) my eye !
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