Winnebago Dems Inaugural Events

Winnebago County Dems Inaugural Events

Hello Members and Friends of the Winnebago County Democratic Party!

Below you will find an overview of events in Madison around the inauguration on Wednesday, January 3rd.

First and foremost is:

Rep Elect Gordon Hintz’s Inaugural Ceremony!
When: 2:00 PM
Where: the Capitol, Madison
Each member has been given a limited number of tickets (5). After 1:50 pm, any “open seats” in guest seating areas will be made available to the general public on a first come, first served basis. The ceremony will be televised at: http://www.legis.state.wi.us/insession/assembly/indexvideo.htm

From Gordon’s announcement:

My office is located in Room 420 North of the State Capitol and will be open throughout the day. You are encouraged to stop by and store your coat and/or other belongings when you are in the Capitol. A small reception will take place during and immediately after the ceremony.

Tours of the State Capitol will be available on January 3, starting at 9am, 10am, 11am, and during the afternoon. Tours begin at the Information Desk, which is located on the ground floor, and last approximately 45 minutes.

After Gordon’s ceremony, we will host a reception:
Winnebago County Democratic Party Inaugural Reception
When: 4:00-6:00PM
Where: the Signature Lounge at the Best Western Inn on the Park - 22 South Carroll (across from the capitol), Madison
We will host friends, supporters and great conversation over snacks. We hope to see you there!

Some other events going on in Madison that day:

Governor’s Inaugural Breakfast
When: 8:00-10:00 AM
Where: the Madison Ballroom, 1 John Nolan Dr, Madison
This is open to the public and free of charge, but you must RSVP at 608-250-5083 or http://madison.inauguration2007.com/

Governor’s Inaugural Ball
When: 8:00 PM
Where: Monona Terrace Community Center
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/07003D8F9EA99033?artistid=853208&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=107
The celebrations will feature blues legend Taj Mahal!

If you can’t make it to Madison, there will be an event in with Lt Gov Barbara Lawton in Green Bay as well:
Lieutenant Governor Lawton in Green Bay for an Community Inauguration Celebration
When: 9:30 AM Tues, Jan 2nd
Where: Boys and Girls Club, 1451 University Avenue, Green Bay, WI

Also, do not forget this month’s:
Winnebago County Democratic Party Meeting
When: 7:00 PM Wed, Jan 10th
Where: The Delta, 515 N Sawyer St, Oshkosh WI

Also, if you are thinking of ever running for office, or want to learn a lot about campaigning:
Camp Wellstone Madison
When: Jan 26-28th
Click this link for details: http://www.wellstone.org/camp/events_detail.aspx?itemID=8897&catID=3752

As always, contact me anytime with questions!

-jef-

(Another) Republican DA (and eager Van Hollan defender/supporter) on trial for felony...

I guess it isn't just Winnebago County....

Bayfield Co. DA to stand trial on felony misconduct charges

Suspended Bayfield District Attorney H. Craig Haukaas will face arraignment in January on charges of felony misconduct in office and conspiracy to entice a defendant to commit bail jumping, a state judge ruled Wednesday.

Haukaas appeared in Bayfield County Circuit Court before Douglas County Circuit Court Judge George Glonek for a motion hearing and preliminary examination to determine whether there was enough probable cause for Haukaas to stand trial.

The two counts stem from an investigation by special prosecutor Guy T. Ludvigson into allegations that Haukaas conspired in a secret deal with public defender Joe Crawford between October and November 2003 on charges against Crawford's client, Joseph Soulier.

This is the weird part...

The criminal complaint, filed on Oct. 31, alleges that Haukaas and Crawford arranged for Soulier to leave Wisconsin for three years in exchange for dropping the three misdemeanor charges. After a Nov. 4, 2003 status conference, Soulier was released on bond and was supposed to return for a Dec. 9, 2003 court appearance.

Does this really happen? It sounds like a bad movie where the lawman takes you to the edge of town with a warning not to come back...

Is that really in society's best interest?

Anyway, it turns out that Haukaas was quite the Van Hollen cheerleader. There was the $500 donation, the quote defending Van Hollen from his own mistakes in the DA's office:

“This ad by the Falk team is a desperate display of politics. It further victimizes the surviving family members, something Van Hollen was able to avoid when he got Newago to agree to plea guilty without going to trial. The Falk team should be ashamed of themselves.”
Bayfield County District Attorney Craig Haukaas

Gerald Ford, James Brown and the History of Funk...

A witty aside from a review of a recent Fishbone show...

"James Brown got to go to heaven for Christmas," declared Fishbone singer/saxophonist Angelo Moore after the very first song at Harpers Ferry on Wednesday. The veteran funk/ska/punk band owes an obvious debt to the late Godfather of Soul and paid homage by quoting his songs and mimicking his showmanship throughout the night. No mention was made of Gerald Ford, whose impact on the development of funk was less profound.

Good to hear Fishbone is back out on the trail. I was supposed to see them in 2002 (Aug 9th - the day after my birthday) in Milwaukee. I didn't make the show, wouldn't you know I received $500 in needed car replacements for my birthday that year when the radiator of my Jeep died.

Anyway, here's one of my favorite Fishbone songs - I'm sure James Brown would approve. (I won't presume to speak for Pres. Ford.)

Another reason we will miss Peg...

AG releases opinion on domestic pratner benefits in Madison...

Click here.

The Consequenses of Poorly Funded and Managed Services:

I hope the investigations are thorough and the punishments complete. All the way to the chief executive of the county. It is time for him to take responsibility for his irresponsible management.

State inspectors declared all patients at the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex to be in immediate jeopardy after discovering that a second person was starving and neglected at the facility last month, a new report shows.

The state inspection was prompted by a Journal Sentinel investigation detailing the starvation death of Cindy Anczak, 33, at the Wauwatosa complex.

When state inspectors arrived after the story appeared, they learned of a 65-year-old man who had lost 44 pounds in three months. The patient was suffering from dehydration and weakness when he was transferred to an acute medical care hospital. He also had been overmedicated.

Happy Birthday, Stan!

Marvel Comics' Stan Lee turns 84 today!

Edwards is in the Pool...

Something to look forward to tomorrow:

When Mr. Edwards announces, with a round of morning talk show interviews and a press conference in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans, he will become the third Democrat to enter the race formally.
...
Understandably, candidates are going to do what it takes to get publicity. Mr. Edwards’s aides said they chose this slow-news time of year, and the backdrop of New Orleans neighborhoods ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, in part to command the maximum amount of attention. Camera crews will be permitted to film Mr. Edwards as he helps with the cleanup efforts.

I think that Edwards has done all the right things for a Presidential run in '08. He saw the return to economic populism that was building in '04 (and was maybe just a little too far in front of it).

Note - Just as he was just a little bit in front of the 'Daily Show' movement by announcing his '04 run on the show.

But, time and circumstance has caught up with Mr. Edwards. I think his message of two Americas becoming one is exactly what we need and want to hear in '08.

By announcing in New Orleans, the heart of the Republican failure in both economic and governmental mis-management and failure shows that he was right all along. There is no better fishbowl for his message of hope amid the ruins of our economy.

Go get 'em John!

A Sad Milestone...

The latest deaths also brought the number of U.S. military members killed since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003 to at least 2,978 — five more than the number killed in the Sept. 11 attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.