Legal experts including the attorney for the defendant are confounded by Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman's memo to his court colleagues asking them to reconsider an earlier 6-0 ruling that ended the state's role to review the misconduct-in-office conviction of Kelly Rindfleisch, who was working as Scott Walker's Deputy Chief of staff when he was the MKE county executive.
JS Online Excerpt:
On Thursday, a memo was filed from Gableman asking that the high court revisit the issue when it next meets in private. He did not explain why he wants to take the issue up in his one-paragraph memo.
Gableman's sudden request for review of this "closed" case appeal should have been much bigger news than it was in Wisconsin.
With that, I see Gableman's action more like a Reince Priebus RNC dirty hi-jinks creation. Right now, Scott Walker is the Koch brothers choice and is likely the GOP's top party officials unspoken early favorite in the republican presidential primary. With news that Rindfleisch is taking her appeal to reverse the conviction all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, the last thing Priebus (and Walker) obviously want within a three to six month window after announcing his candidacy for president is the untimely rehashing of the criminal activity that took place under Walker's watch as MKE county executive.
Even though in Wisconsin, Walker's John Doe scandals have been wrongly degraded to low level "partisan politics as usual," a SCOTUS hearing - and final ruling regardless of which way they might go - will be big news, not just in Wisconsin, but in every newspaper and media outlet in every state across the nation at the worst time simply because Walker (assuming) by then is a official candidate for president.
That could very well freeze any post-announce momentum most candidates pick up and sink Walker's chances in the caucus primaries.
So it's claw-back time!
Because, IF the story unfolds nationally, I think the average American will view Kelly Rindfleisch as an employee pawn in a public office who was just doing as told by her superiors (some of those folks received immunity from prosecution) under the unspoken threat of losing her job if she doesn't. That's how I believe most Americans understand political campaigning by workers on the taxpayers dime. That is the framework of truth they don't want out in public opinion. To think she was doing political work during office hours willy-nilly all on her own (rogue-style) without direction or acknowledgment while working as Walker's deputy chief of staff is absolutely preposterous.
The same goes for Gableman's odd request. He's not doing this all on his own. Heck, he can't even explain why he's doing it.
And Priebus? He's got stars and coin rolling around in his own head as being the next big king maker since Karl Rove. So the only thing standing in Priebus' way is the possibility of an external story (the Rindfleisch SCOTUS appeal) to spur an uncontrolled media avalanche on top of his grand plan. Obviously, that scenario would be toxic to Walker's campaign.
Enter Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman with his sudden bizarre request. My guess is he was not the first Justice of choice for the gimp role. The party most likely preferred the politically indebted David Prosser, but his public re-election promise "to be a complement to Walker" tainted him for clean-up duty.
So here we are anxiously waiting for the state supreme court's reply to Gableman's request. That's where it stands right now.
The best part is either way they decide on his request, the request in of itself solidifies the continued speculation of how corrupt politicians have deeply rooted themselves in every branch of state government.
ADDITIONAL:
Blue Cheddar - Gableman hopes to reel Rindfleisch (and Scott Walker’s secrets) back to Wisconsin
WRN - Justice Asks Wisconsin Supreme Court To Reconsider Former Walker Aide Appeal
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