Click here for the full document from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).
Click here for the full article from the CATO Institute
Click here for the full article from the CATO Institute
Click here for the full article from the Heritage Foundation
Click on the full article from the Heritage Foundation here
“As you may have noticed, PolitiFact tried to take the MacIver News Service to task over our reporting of a recent meeting of the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board (GAB). Specifically, they rated as “Mostly False” our report on the recall signature submission, review, challenge and certification processes as outlined at a GAB hearing earlier this week. Despite PolitiFact’s subjective analysis, I stand by our story.
“Go ahead, watch the video and decide for yourself. As you will clearly see, the Mickey Mouse/Hitler signature acceptance question was posed by a member of the GAB and answered by GAB staff at their hearing on December 13th. The GAB staff clearly states that as long as signatures are accompanied by the proper date and a plausible Wisconsin address, they are deemed acceptable, pending the outcome of any possible challenge. All we did was record the sequence and broadcast it to the world.
“The GAB explained that unless a successful challenge is mounted, all signatures, including those such as those of Mickey Mouse or Hitler, which are accompanied by an accurate date and a plausible Wisconsin address, WOULD be accepted if admitted by the recallers.
“I find it disappointing that the paper would specifically criticize our reporting, even though the AP and scores of other media outlets ran a similar story. Yet they ignored the underlying fundamental question; how can the GAB, the government agency entrusted to protect the sanctity of Wisconsin elections, not automatically strike obviously fraudulent signatures like Adolph Hitler or Mickey Mouse? It defies common sense–and judging by the intense reaction our story has generated, it has touched a nerve. Many Wisconsinites are asking if one of their most fundamental rights, their ability to cast a vote just like every other citizen in an orderly election free of manipulation, is in jeopardy.
“One organization has already promoted the notion it is ok to sign a petition more than once. WISN Channel 12 TV in Milwaukee broadcast an interview with a gentleman who said he signed “probably eighty times.” The GAB has said Adolph Hitler with a plausible Wisconsin address will be presumed valid.
“This would be truly comical if it weren’t so important.
“I stand by our reporting and our story. While the paper and the GAB may choose to ignore the problem, the MacIver News Service will continue to pursue the issue election fraud and report what we find.”
Brett Healy, President
The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy
See the original text story, here.
Watch the original video:
Read the PolitiFact opinion piece, here.
MacIver News Service | December 16, 2011
GAB's Buerger
[Madison, Wisc...] The same employee who admitted the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board would deem all recall signatures valid, even if they were signed Mickey Mouse or Adolf Hitler, has engaged in online activity that could lead some to question his impartiality.
David Buerger, an elections specialist with the GAB used his Twitter account to praise a blog posting wherein Republican State Senator Mary Lazich was called “Crazy Mary.”
“OMG! Headline winner…” Buerger tweeted last month, and then included a link to the blog post.
Just this week Buerger linked to a story about the two-year long investigation by the Democratic District Attorney in Milwaukee that may or may not involve the activities of Scott Walker’s Milwaukee County Executive staff.
“Ruh-roh… John Doe investigation on the move: ”
Last night, the Maciver Institute, whose twitter handle is @MacIverWisc, retweeted Buerger’s questionable missives. This brought an immediate reaction from the elections specialist.
Buerger, who uses the Twitter handle @buergd, later blocked the MacIver Institute fro accessing his twitter feed. He does note in his twitter profile that, “My opinions are my own (not G.A.B. official).”
When concerns were raised over the screening process of the 50 temporary workers the intends to hire to process the recall petitions, it was Buerger who assured GAB Board members that temporary workers would be vetted by GAB staff to make sure concealed zealots would not be hired.
Buerger can be seen in this video report MacIver News filed earlier this week after the GAB’s most recent hearing:
Click here for the full polling results from Gallup
Click here for the full article from The Economist
For Immediate Release – December 7, 2011 Contact: Brian Fraley 262-225-3546
Statement of Brett Healy, President of the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy:
“This poorly-worded excerpt of the 14-page letter from the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office has led to some confusion and inaccurate reporting that an employee of the MacIver Institute said and did things that he did not.
“I do note that when Bill Osmulski, a representative of the MacIver Institute, called to enquire about the status of the Media Trackers complaint, he was told that Mr. Sikma refused cooperation. Osmulski said he would look into the matter. The next day I was given the name of Colin Roth, the witness, without the need for, John Doe process.”
“While all three statements, taken separately may be true, there is no correlation between our reporter’s inquiry into the status of the investigation into Wisconsin Jobs Now and Media Trackers’ subsequent cooperation with the DA.
“Bill Osmulski did not supply the District Attorney’s office with any information about the Media Trackers report, nor was he requested to do so, nor did he instruct anyone from Media Trackers or elsewhere on how to proceed with their independent reporting or their possible cooperation with the District Attorney’s investigation.
“While we are proud of our reporting of the connections between Sandy Pasch, Citizen Action of Wisconsin and Wisconsin Jobs Now, we find Mr. Landgraf’s mention in this letter of the independent inquiry of our reporter downright odd. Was the MacIver News Service the only outlet to contact the DA’s office in the days immediately following the publication of Media Trackers’ original report?
“At best the wording of his letter was cumbersome and sloppy. At worst it was written with the purposeful intent to lead the readers of the letter (including journalists and the general public) into believing that Mr. Osmulski consulted and coordinated with Mr. Sikma and then provided the DA with the name of Media Trackers’ source.
“We can see how the wording of the Landgraf letter could lead some to question the vigor and professionalism of the entire investigation conducted by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office.
“We are calling on Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgraf to issue a clarification forthwith and respectfully request that media outlets who reported incorrect information based on Landgraf’s letter issue a correction.”
The Badger State earned a failing grade when it came to the science standards that students are supposed to held to, posting a 0/10 score and a “F” grade. This was the lowest recorded score in the entire study.
