Karl Rove Acolyte Says Wisconsinites Misunderstand New Capitol Rules

Last Friday, the day that new Department of Administration rules for use of the Capitol building and grounds were to be enforced, the DOA decided that Wisconsinites did not understand the new rules.

New DOA Communications Director Jocelyn Webster, who wisconsinreporters.com had recently discovered to be a Karl Rove political operative in the George Bush White House said, "There's a fundamental misunderstanding of this policy if there was a belief arrests were going to stem from this policy."

Former Karl Rove operative Jocelyn Webster.  photo - L. Wells

Just how did Wisconsinites come to this "mistaken" conclusion?  How did they misunderstand that they would be arrested for engaging in any form of speech in the public Capitol building?

Much of the confusion was created at the three DOA information sessions on the new rules that were led by DOA Deputy Secretary Chris Schoenherr. Schoenherr refused to answer any questions that asked what the potential consequences would be for people who engaged in speech without a permit.

DOA Deputy Secretary Schoenherr, left, in tie.  photo-J. Pope

  
Schoenherr's stock answer to questions about potential arrests was:

1. Get a permit.
2. I can't answer hypotheticals.
3. I'm not a lawyer - so I can't answer any legal questions.

Unfortunately, the taxpayer paid DOA lawyers who crafted the new rules were unable to make the one block walk to the Capitol building to answer citizen's questions.

However, Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs did talk about the potential for arrests in the first info session on December 1, as captured by wisconsinreporters.com videographer ladyforward1.
Note: Wisconsin Eye, which is responsible for broadcasting such events, was not present for the first info session. 

"I don't think that decision needs to be to challenge us  (the Administration) on the 16th or the 19th,  whether or not we're gonna make an arrest. I told each and every one of you, you don't want it on your record. If it goes that route you don't want to be involved in that (having an arrest record).

Contrast Chief Tubbs' statement with the public relations spin from DOA spokesperson Webster.

"There's a fundamental misunderstanding of this policy if there was a belief arrests were going to stem from this policy." 

Perhaps Wisconsinites would have understood the policy if Webster had decided to explain it. Instead she spent most of the first session rolling her eyes and mocking the questions that citizens asked.

See my story on Webster's unprofessional behavior here. My previous article also discusses Ms. Webster's credibility issue due to her involvement in a major White House scandal in which she worked on partisan political issues on government time and the taxpayer's dime. Also see the article from PRWatch which describes her less than transparent work as a spokesperson for the Bush Department of Defense.

On Friday, the day the new rules were to be enforced for the first time, Ms. Webster said this about the potential for arrest of people engaged in political speech.

"It's kind of funny that anybody even thinks that they would be."

HA! HA!

We understand that Karl Rove and his operatives have no use for free speech, but we take it pretty seriously here in Wisconsin. 

Watch the 300 serious people who came out to join the anti-Walker Solidarity Sing Along and embrace the Wisconsin Constitution on Friday.

Solidarity Sing Along December 16   - photo - J. Vittie

Ms. Webster, we know you're a long way from Washington D.C., so we'll give you some more evidence about how seriously we take our freedoms in the Badger state.

Watch this Wisconsin mom, an elected Dane County Supervisor, who was arrested when her two boys held a sign in OUR Capitol Rotunda in March.

Not only do we understand that the potential to be arrested for protecting our Constitutional liberties is not humorous - we also understand something else about your department, Scott Walker's DOA.

We cannot trust you. Your department told us the Capitol was open in early March when you had locked the doors and shut the people and its elected representatives out.

Rep. Fred Clark - D - conducts business for locked out citizens at Wisconsin Capitol

You defied a judge's order to open the doors, and lined the steps with deputy Sheriffs, State Troopers, and DNR Wardens from around the state.

DOA version of an "Open" Wisconsin Capitol

You have arrested citizens for holding signs in the public Capitol Rotunda.

Another liberty bites the dust.

We understand that you have lived here for a month Ms. Webster.

We understand that you care nothing for our state, our institutions, or our Constitution.

We would also like you to understand that we will recall your boss. And when we do, you and all of his other out-of-state political operatives can scurry back to the dark corners of the political world from where you came.

Solidarity Sing Along will be in the Capitol Rotunda Monday, December 19