Shepherd Express was surprised by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ comments that the decision of the Milwaukee Bucks’ new owner Marc Lasry to greet President Obama at Mitchell International Airport a few weeks ago “did not make my job easier.” Vos’ job, which he claims has become more difficult, is to determine whether it is in the state’s interest to provide some public monies for the construction of a Downtown Milwaukee basketball arena. As a state representative, Vos is being paid by the taxpayers to make decisions for the good of the state, and since monies are always limited, tough decisions have to be made constantly. That is the job that Vos and his colleagues signed up for as state legislators.
So why would Vos so blatantly try to make this particular decision a highly political Democratic vs. Republican issue, considering the most vocal proponent of using public money is the very conservative head of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce? Was it because Lasry is a billionaire and Vos was making an implicit threat that unless Lasry showed some love to him, like he has to President Obama, he can forget about any public monies? The Shepherd waited well over a week to see if the Racine County Republican district attorney would have the courage to look into Vos’ implied threat. We’re still waiting.
Again, for those unfamiliar with Speaker Vos, many of the longtime Capitol insiders view Vos as perhaps the most ethically challenged Assembly speaker since the reign of former Assembly Speaker Mark Catlin, which ended in scandal in 1957. Vos, as you might recall, changed state law when it became clear to many that his actions as a landlord in Racine County were legally questionable. Don’t change your behavior, just change the law because “you can” seems to be the Vos approach. State government policy in Vos’ eyes appears to be what is good for Robin Vos rather than what is good for the 5.7 million residents of the state.
So when Robin Vos said it would make his job more difficult, what was he really saying? Many of those who have worked in the Capitol under the Vos reign understand exactly what he was saying and that is Lasry better show some love to Vos in the same fashion he did to President Obama. For example, Lasry hosted a $40,000 per person fundraising event at his home for the president in 2012. In plain Vos English, that means Lasry better open his checkbook to Vos and his pals. Is this felony extortion or simply thuggery? Where is the district attorney when you need him?
|
|
