A journey into the depths of conservative deception and failures on the Ice Planet Wisconsin...by John Peterson
ALEC is not only the heart and soul of the Republican Party,
keeping them alive for its own quest for power, it is now claiming god like status: It’s
above the law.
ALEC is claiming that its documents aren't subject to
state records laws because they
were stamped with a disclaimer claiming they
were exempt and because they were distributed through Internet file sharing
sites called “drop boxes.”
Open records advocates insist that whether a record is on
paper or in some electronic form doesn’t make it less open to the public, and
that ALEC can’t exempt itself from the law.
Knowing ALEC legislation is used and passed by Republican lawmakers,
it's mind boggling to think our government is being shaped by an
"exempt" shadow government.
Add to that this down-the-rabbit-hole concept by state AG, J.B. Van
Hollen in defending against a lawsuit to turn over ALEC legislative
documentation:
WSJ: Van Hollen said Tuesday that he believes in the open records
law, but that doesn't mean legislators can be forced into court to make them
comply with the statute.
That crazy twist in logic is Van Hollen’s defense against a
lawsuit requesting ALEC material from another ALEC foot soldier Republican Sen.
Leah Vukmir:
Van Hollen’s state Department of Justice filed a motion in
Dane County Circuit Court last week claiming that state Sen. Leah Vukmir,
R-Wauwatosa, is immune from lawsuits — including a pending open records suit —
while she is in office.
Any perceived impartiality just went out the window with
that statement.
The state constitution says lawmakers aren't subject to
lawsuits “during the session of the Legislature.” The advocates say that means
just during a “floor session” when lawmakers are debating and voting. “It’s
hard to believe that the legislative intent (of the constitutional provision)
was to say the Legislature should never be subject to civil litigation,” said
Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council.
But constitutional purists, who believe the framers words put hard
limits on government power, always find ways to expand power...using
those same words:
“The framers of the Constitution
inserted this provision — common among state constitutions — to give
temporary protection to lawmakers from civil suits while they are doing
the people’s work,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “Whether the
framers’ decision to provide this unique protection to legislators was a
proper balancing of interests is a debatable question. What is not
debatable is my responsibility to defend its application when it is
invoked.”
Sen. Vukmir scurried away like your typical Republican rat for cover,
completely unable to defend her own actions. Perhaps her constituents
can ask her what she’s trying to hide. Could it be an ALEC agenda that’s
not quite in sync with the priorities of Wisconsin voters?
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