Thanks to a reader in Wisconsin for sending me this link to a press release from the Recall Jim Holperin Committee and video posted at the website of conservative talk show host Charlie Sykes, regarding intimidation efforts directed against Republicans seeking signatures on recall petitions against one of Wisconsin Democratic State Senators who fled to Illinois:
[Committee] Leader Kim Simac and volunteers for the Recall Jim Holperin Committee will hold a press conference tomorrow at 12:00 pm at the Lincoln County Courthouse.
This is the location of the conflict between Recall Petition Signers and Union Protesters last Thursday, March 10, 2011.
The petition rally was originally scheduled at a local Merrill restaurant but was relocated after the proprietors received many phone calls and felt they needed to back out. The committee then set up in front of the Lincoln County Courthouse to offer citizens an opportunity to sign their names to the petition. Over 1,000 calls had been sent out the previous day notifying area residents of the petition rally.
Upon arrival, members of the recall committee were encircled by union protesters carrying signs and a leader with a mega phone who began chanting and ranting loudly. They packed in tightly around the petition collection table so as to prevent those attempting to sign from doing so. At one point, a pro union protester, pretending to be interested in signing the petition, wrote profanity across a partially collected petition form, than began ripping up the completed petitions that were in close proximity.
The policemen who were there, and who were standing in close proximity to these events as they unfolded, did nothing to assist those collecting the petitions as they were being destroyed, despite such an action being a Felony under Wisconsin law. Police also did nothing to clear the walk way for citizens that wanted to sign the petitions. Recall Committee members received many phone calls the following day from Merill area citizens who stated that they showed up to sign the petition, but were too afraid to get out of their vehicles and approach the recall table.
The local police deny failing to act, and instead say they were not given enough information to make an arrest.
This report is confirmed by a story from a local television station:
Emotions ran high as ralliers took to the Lincoln County Courthouse, calling for the recall of Democratic State Senator Jim Holperin, one of the 14 senators who fled the state more than three weeks ago.
Organizers say the rally was originally scheduled at Club 64 in Merrill, but they had to change locations after business owners say they received more than 50 phone calls threatening to destroy their business and cause physical harm if the rally took place.
Protestors both for and against the recall showed up. Even though they initially kept their distance, Holperin supporters engulfed the recall effort, and that’s when the situation turned tense.
“They circled around us, and they’re bullying us. They have a loud horn and they’re trying to intimidate people that would like to come and sign the petition,” said Kim Simac, recall leader, “I do think that this is an intimidation ploy.”
Simac says protestors even got involved with their petitions.
“We had a lady come up and write profanity and rip some of them right on our table…. so I guess that’s what democracy looks like to them.”
Update 3-16-2011: Wisconsin County Chair: Unions don’t care “as long as they got theirs”
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Related Posts:
Video: Wisconsin Protesters Surround Bus With Republican Senators, Bang on Windows and Doors
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Great Morning – MoveOn Confirms Paltry Protest Numbers And Village Voice Messes Up
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Comments
Yeah, but they did it with good intentions and had love and compassion in their hearts, so no biggie. We need to refocus our attention on those dangerous, hateful, teabaggers. Did you know they sometimes call Obama a socialist? I know!
I want to know why in God's name the police weren't enforcing the law there.
(Okay, that was a rhetorical question. We all know he answer…)
Chalk up another profile in courage for the [Anything But] Democratic Party. Democracy is for democrats, outsiders need not apply.
"What? Sumtin' happened here? I didn't see nuttin'."
Public sector unions turn cops into wise guys.
Are any of you surprised by the actions of the
PEUs in Wisconsin? After all, look who they built a statue of and put in their State Capitol; La Follette.
But this is only going to get worse; today the unions marched on Annapolis. Tomorrow, a town near you. The left finally has the president of their dreams, a fellow traveler in the goal of a socialist (albeit Marxist) utopia, a la Saul Alinsky and Cloward and Piven.
Why do you think Francis Fox Piven has been so outspoken lately? Why is the Socialist Party of America organizing meetings with union big wigs? Why is the CPUSA coming out in "solidarity" with the radicals in Wisconsin.
Listen, Cowboy Curtis, it's the Tea Partiers who are the violent ones. To paraphrase Chico Marx, who are you gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?
Yep.. just as the leftists are upping the ante in the intimidation department Obama starts talking gun control.
When the history of the 2nd Civil War is written this will all seem so obvious.
Recall the damned police. Would anyone in Madison notice a difference if they were gone? Seriously.
Same thing with university campus newspapers. It's always the left who steal and destroy an entire run of a university daily when they find something in it that offends their tender sensibilities. It's always the left. They are so completely anti-democracy.
Walker needs to insist that the police do their job, and if they refuse, he needs fire them, and call out the National Guard and arrest these petty little tyrants.
When the losers (remember last November?) start behaving this way they are undermining our civil society. The losers should organize and vote like we did post November 2008, not physically intimidate the winners. I'm appalled.
Geez… Did you see the palm trees in this video?
America is on the verge of losing Freedom if they are not stopped right here, right now.
Why isn't there an investigation of the terroristic threats to the restaurant? The threats to destroy property and do harm to the owners are felonies under WI law (and probably violate federal laws too if the threats are intended to intimidate political actions).
If you think this is bad I really fear the day that BO is defeated at the ballot box or we attempt to defeat him at the ballot box….there will be a constitutional crisis – maybe the Mayans were right.
Is this a civil suit in the making?
It's called “Together We Thrive”. Tuscon, Madison and America!
Few people remember this, and the actual photos have probably been lost along with the original website, but similar tactics were used in the '90s against petitions gathered for a state measure establishing marriage as one man-one woman in Massachusetts. Gay activists were stationed at the desks of all petitioners to taunt, harass, and intimidate people who would approach the desk to sign.
"Walker needs to insist that the police do their job, and if they refuse, he needs fire them, and call out the National Guard and arrest these petty little tyrants."
Remember now,we encourage protest by the people to take back Libya and Egypt. Why should Wisconsin be exempt from the peoples wrath?
What signed petitions. None of them were signed.
The video shows no one ripping anything up.
Far as I know the guy who made the video did it himself.
Maybe they should have stepped on his head. Like the thugs in KY.
Then you could call them thugs. Then it would be on tape.
Since the police did nothing I guess nothing really happened.
Sucks to be you.
The Nazi "brown shirtts" are now proudly wearing blue shirts with the Union Label.
Davod – If you can't recognize the moral distinction between a dictator of 40+ years who is terrorist-funding wackjob who is actively murdering his own people, another dictator of 30+ years who runs a police state and who was (until recently) actively murdering his own people….and a popularly elected governor of a midwest state who proposed a bill that threatens to bring public union workers' benefits more in line with the real world, then a) I can't help you, and b) it tells all of us a lot about your moral compass. Or lack thereof. Educated in a public school, eh?
That's another reason why Americans are sick of the unions. They just took the place of the Mafia in America. Your days are numbered, you just don't know it yet. Wait till all those union members find out how much money they can save in not paying union dues the will be thanking Gov. Walker!
This is disgusting behavior that I find it hard to believe these individuals would be able to defend on a personal basis. And children are exposed to these types of thugs on a daily basis? They should get rid of them all and start with a clean slate, police included. Good decent people all over America are waking up, finally. Hilariously, the union thugs are their own worst enemies and getting this childish behavior on film just makes it that much easier to see them for what they really are: 2nd grade bullies who band together and follow orders. A pox on them all.
In light of the behavior of the police anyone who visits the state of Wisconsin as a tourist or on business is foolish. It's like going to large swaths of Mexico. Basically arbitrary and lawless. Stay away.
"Luke said…
Davod – If you can't recognize the moral distinction between a dictator of 40+ years who is terrorist-funding…. and a popularly elected governor of a midwest state…then a) I can't help you, and b) it tells all of us a lot about your moral compass. Or lack thereof. Educated in a public school, eh?"
Luke, you forget, the ratbags never let the facts get in the way of the message.
What is going to happen if 20-30,000 ratbags move on the state capitol building, kick out the legislature, and declare a peoples revolution.
What will Walker do. We already know the police forces are suspect. Will the national guard fall in to protect a democratically elected state government.
More to the point what will the Obama Administration do.
Are we going to see more of this? You bet! Why? Because the communist-backed labor movement is in serious decline in America, and has been for a long time. That means they're fighting for their very survival. (and the dues of course) With similiar long-overdue union-control laws being looked at and passed in many states, the fight in WIS. is a "must win" for the labor movement. BTW, the police officers (also union members) who were present should be charged with maleficence and fired. This is a perfect example of why emergency responders should not be part of a union.
At what point does this become an excercise of the 2nd Ammendment. My God, what has this country become?
Could there be a clearer illustration of the problem with permitting police officers, firefighters, ambulance drivers, and anyone else in positions of public trust to unionize?
Punk-ass pukes. I'd love to invite them to my table…
Davod – I don't understand your comment…please clarify…
Your first comment appears to support the protestors: "Remember now, we encourage protest by the people to take back Libya and Egypt. Why should Wisconsin be exempt from the peoples wrath?" Indicating that you think there's a parallel between the protestors in Libya and those in Wisconsin (i.e. that both protest groups are equally worth supporting)…
And in your most recent comment, you call the WIS protestors "ratbags" and wonder if Walker can rely on the police or Nat. Guard to handle a violent revolution against a democratically elected government.
I'll repeat myself: Walker should insist that the police do their jobs to keep order (but allow peaceful protest) and if they refuse (or are incapable) he should call out the Nat. Guard. Obama can't stop a state governor from using the Nat. Guard as they are a state resource, not a Federal one.
One of your idiots who are spreading this junk is on another website. I told him I bet you won't post this message.
Well look at this. Violent Teabagger arrested and we have video of him assaulting the speaker at the event.
He even made the national news. LOL
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/violent-tea-partier-arrested-democratic-rall
We will see.
One of your idiots who are spreading this junk is on another website. I told him I bet you won't post this message.
Violent tea partier arrested at Democratic rally in Houston
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/violent-tea-partier-arrested-democratic-rall
Knowing the history of James O'Keefe and republicans editing video to lie. Acorn, Shirley Sherrod, NPR.
You don't have any video of an actual assault. For all I know this could be a stunt.
Since no one was arrested I would say it was.
My video isn't a stunt. It shows the guy assaulting the speaker and it made the evening news.
He has also been charged.
We will see if you post this but I doubt it.
The way teachers do this at school is to allow "cool kids" to pick on lesser, unworthy students. When the bullied student fights back, the teacher steps in to stop the violence. Had the signature collectors done anything violent, the police would have been all over them.
My suggestions are 1) post on line the salaries and pensions (or estimated pension, based on years of service and salary collected while employed) of all current and retired public employees. That is public information. 2) Challenge all signatures on recall petitions, publish their names, and if they are current or retired public employees, link to previous web page.
I've said it before: the cops will not protect you when push comes to shove, since many are just union thugs themselves, and as they are under no real obligation to do so.
Civil society is steadily breaking down in the U.S. One good shove, and it will all crumble.
Dear Associate Clinical Professor,
Thanks for posting this without editing or critical thought.
Is this how you teach the law students in your clinics to present arguments?