Self-Policing Bureaucrats Undermine Open Records Laws
by Kyle OlsonPublic sector unions moved rapidly this year to teach Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker a lesson for his “attack” on collective bargaining. Massive protests gained national attention for weeks. Out-of-state notables like AFL-CIO president Rich Trumka and filmmaker Michael Moore grandstanded.
Teachers called in sick, abusing policies without being held accountable. State employees, organized by AFSCME and the American Federation of Teachers, were also activated to create a maximum amount of noise.
One AFT-Wisconsin leader, Department of Workforce Development employee William Franks, has been particularly vocal in his advocacy for a public employee strike. From The Progressive:
“You’ve got to make hay when sun shines, and we soon will be paying the price for not making hay. We blinked,” says Bill Franks, a senior steward for AFT-Wisconsin. “It was a lost opportunity. We had to shut this motherfucker down.” (AFT-Wisconsin was formerly the American Federation of Teachers of Wisconsin, but it has broadened its membership to include other professionals).
Franks believes that when organized labor had 100,000 people marching in the streets, it should have called for some direct action and possibly a general strike. “You can’t put 100,000 people in jail,” he says. “When you have those numbers, the math is all of a sudden on your side.”
Given Franks’ clarity on the issue – and the fact that his union has his taxpayer-funded email address on its website (where he is a steward) – Education Action Group submitted an Open Records request for Franks’ communications involving the words “strike, Maddow, Madison, Walker” and “AFT.”
All the communications can be found here.
One in particular jumped out at us.
The legal counsel for Franks’ department forwarded our email request to Franks. The attorney asked Franks to forward him all emails related to our request – in essence asking the accused to provide evidence for the prosecution. This action undermines the intent of the Open Records law. Does anyone honestly expect state employees to voluntarily turn over their embarrassing or questionable emails?
Bernstein also wrote to Franks, “…If you have personal email that contains those specified words in the request, please send copies of those to me, so we can discuss this further.”
What a joke. It sounds like one bureaucrat trying to protect another.
With our email in hand, obtained from the department attorney, Franks proceeded to sent it to several union activists.
That prompted AFT-Wisconsin “chief steward” Anthony Reeves to pen a threatening letter to Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, demanding she “refer this matter to the Internal Revenue Service.”
He doesn’t like the fact that citizens can request the communications of government employees under the Open Records law and he wants the IRS to harass Education Action Group.
I guess this is what happens when you question bureaucrats’ communications: they can choose what to release and try to sic the IRS on you!
Whatever became of true public servants? And what happened to the reasonable expectation that government is accountable to taxpayers?
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23 Comments
Marbury , Barron and SlaughterHouse happened.
Pleeease… the commieCRATS are in charge now. Surely you don't expect them to be subtle, do ya?
They have been waiting for this time for years, and they're tired of hiding their agenda. Besides, what
will it matter, if they take the USA down the tubes. No one cares about law anymore, since Holder is in
charge!
WHAT A COUNTRY!!!
.
How do you expect all these public servants to have the same story if the don't get to collaborate on what truth they are going to give today? Transparency in government? What is transparent is they are all liars, thieves and thugs. We've got to get these type people out of power. If we can't do it the right way there is another but that will be really ugly, locked, loaded and ready to roll!
The only thing a "Public Servant" serves are themselves……
Money and power, or both. Whatever it takes they will do eventually.
Pathetic profession.
Seeing this toxic Administration breaking all of our laws, re-distributing 4 Trillion of our Tax Dollars, and Holder, our Dept of Justice Attorney for the United States allows it!? then it's simply time for we the Majority to tighten up our voting procedures with Photo ID, and purging the rolls of fraudulant names, etc. and have a solid American election! and drum these anti-Americans out of office and press charges for High Crimes against a Nation!
The concept of Public servants is no longer applicable.
Once a country turns to Socialism, the political class rules. The Marketplace caters to the political class and anyone in their way is crushed. The need for them to serve the constitutional intent does not exist. In short, they are in survival mode due to the over spending and the over commitments that the governments have made to their own employees and the groups that are supporting those employees.
We really have left the concept of a self governing society at the door, with the intent that the market place be responsible for punishing those that do not play fair. We now expect the government to punish the people and reduce risks in our lives such that we do not have any accidents or troubles.
Can anyone say STRIKES, UNREST and CONFUSION?
Oh, wait, this is all the cause of the constitution…. maybe if it really gets bad we should call to have a NEW Constitution that will FIX EVERYTHING… isn't that right you little socialist nut cases?
I love you guys, so fuzzy, lovable and full of real meaning and kindness… yes, the way is to have a new constitution that gives people REAL rights… like food, shelter, health care, Flat Screen TVs, Jordan Shoes, Diamond Necklaces, etc. etc. etc.
Publius
"Whatever became of true public servants? And what happened to the reasonable expectation that government is accountable to taxpayers"
We are now their subjects, no longer "citizens"…
The State and Federal Government can be sued for many millions of dollars…. along with AFT-Wisconsin.
The only way to beat them is to put them in the poor house for good.
Look, when firefighters won't respond to a house fire, snow plow drivers won't plow roads and people die as a result, and first responders stand around watching people drown, it's time to dissolve ALL public unions. That is inexcusable not just morally but for public employees who are refusing to help the very people who pay their salaries and benefits. End public unions.
These aholes were protesting the other day near here on this bridge that goes over a major highway here. ALWAYS clogs up traffic and just pisses countless people off. In fact, half of the drivers that pass by flip them the bird.
He's right, you can't put 100,000 people in jail. You can him and the other pot-stirrers into jail though and leave them in cuffs while they're in there so they can't raise any more ruckus there. You can fire and refuse to pay any of the other strikers though.
Two years ago today's reality would have made one heck of a fiction novel. Toaday it needs to be written as a non fiction book to chronicle events for those folks who get their news from the LSM. How does this end? I am glad more Americans are waking up by the day. It's the economy stupid shall be Zeros undoing.
WE THE PEOPLE RULE…YOU THE BUREAUCRAPS DON'T…
Well, the truth is, there has never been any such thing as a 'true' public servent.
In Fyodor Dostoevsky's classic 'Notes from the Underground' the opening paragraphs from a former government servant.
"…I used to be in the government service, but am no longer. I was a spiteful official. I was rude and took pleasure in being so. I did not take bribes, you see, so I was bound to find a recompense in that, at least….
When petitioners used to come for information to the table at which I sat, I used to grind my teeth at them, and felt intense enjoyment when I succeeded in making anybody unhappy. I almost did succeed. For the most part they were all timid people–of course, they were petitioners. But of the uppish ones there was one officer in particular I could not endure. He simply would not be humble, and clanked his sword in a disgusting way. I carried on a feud with him for eighteen months over that sword. At last I got the better of him. He left off clanking it. That happened in my youth, though."
The world hasn't changed
The writing is on the wall,the communist have taken control of the White House and now their minions can use the IRS to shut down any dissent through fear and intimidation,a simple look back on the tactics used by communist when taking over a government are the same,they have used the same tactics throughout history,China is a great example,go back and see what happened just prior to that country going communist,we see the same tactics are being used here in the USA,next step is the confiscation of all weapons through the UN eventually.
I think the term transparent is just miused.
They don't mean it refer to accountability, as in "I can see right through your tricks," but yet more diaphanous as in an invisable cloaking device thrown overtop of government so light passes through and you cannot see it.
I guess it all boils down to whatever the meaning of is is.
"If there's anything a public servant hates to do, it's something for the public." — Will Rogers.
Pointing out the obvious; we would be suing ourselves. Much better to go for criminal prosecution.
Technically they could arrest everyone and hold them till they can be seen by a judge and charged. All they have to do is ship everyone to an enclosed sports areana and then post guards at the opening till the next morning where they can all be arraigned.
It wasn't a union war on Walker. It was a union war on all of those in Wisconsin that would like a decent school system. Too bad the people of Wisconsin don't seem to be getting that.
This is How the Government Collects Debts On June 8, 2011, in Government Rants, by Eric Odom
http://activistsandairplanes.com/2011/06/08/this-...
"The marvel of all history is the patience with which men and women submit to burdens unnecessarily laid upon them by their governments." George Washington
The Citizens of that State are the ones to blame for their own problems.
The Voter in Federal Elections is responsible for things on a National Level.
Government will not stop messing up the lives of Citizens until Government is out of Money.
You could, I suppose, do that. But, it's not effectual. Just lock up the pot-stirrers and charge them with everything under the sun, from spitting on the sidewalk to cursing in public, to attempted incitement of a mob, and anything else. Then while you're doing that, you delve into their finances with a fine-toothed comb, then a finer-toothed comb, and so on. You question everyone that they associate with and you get search warrants to search their homes and put 'subversive materials' as the items to be seized. If you find any illegal drugs, you charge them with that too.
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