JS Online: No degree, little experience pay off big (Gov. Scott Walker Wisconsin)

[Destino]

Just in his mid-20s, Brian Deschane has no college degree, very little management experience and two drunken-driving convictions.

Yet he has landed an $81,500-per-year job in Gov. Scott Walker's administration overseeing environmental and regulatory matters and dozens of employees at the Department of Commerce. Even though Walker says the state is broke and public employees are overpaid, Deschane already has earned a promotion and a 26% pay raise in just two months with the state.

How did Deschane score his plum assignment with the Walker team?

It's all in the family.

His father is Jerry Deschane, executive vice president and longtime lobbyist for the Madison-based Wisconsin Builders Association, which bet big on Walker during last year's governor's race.

The group's political action committee gave $29,000 to Walker and his running mate, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, last year, making it one of the top five PAC donors to the governor's successful campaign. Even more impressive, members of the trade group funneled more than $92,000 through its conduit to Walker's campaign over the past two years.

Total donations: $121,652.

http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/noquarter/119159584.html

[The Evil Genius]

http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/noquarter/119159584.html

Ok, that's frightening.

I think the Kochs/Walker are trying to take that state back to the 1950s and 1960s.

Too much Mad Men for them.

[Bang]

What's the problem?

It's good fiscal responsibility, after all he's just one uneducated reprobate collecting a mere 81,500 bucks.

Weigh that against all those money grubbers trying to feed their families, and it's a huge savings.

~Bang

[Corcaigh]

If the story is true, you would think that in a bureaucracy like the state government there must be a smoking gun for someone like this to get appointed. The HR departments need a whistle-blowing ability to eliminate this kind of theft.

[Barney B]

"Hey, Dad, you know how you've been nagging me to go out and get a job or something? Well, I've got a plan, can I borrow 121,000 bucks?"

[The Evil Genius]

If the story is true, you would think that in a bureaucracy like the state government there must be a smoking gun for someone like this to get appointed. The HR departments need a whistle-blowing ability to eliminate this kind of theft.

I am sure he is a political appointee.

In many states, they usually don't need anyone's approval other than the Governor.

edit...it gets better.

Hulsey noted that the recently approved law that made collective bargaining changes converts 37 top agency attorneys, communications officials and legislative liaisons from civil service positions to jobs appointed by the governor.

I guess Walker has 36 other relatives of big donors to repay.

http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/noquarter/119159584.html

[Predicto]

Political employees often suck eggs. I'm not sure this is that different than other political appointments people could find in all 50 states.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

If the story is true, you would think that in a bureaucracy like the state government there must be a smoking gun for someone like this to get appointed. The HR departments need a whistle-blowing ability to eliminate this kind of theft.

There's a difference between political appointees and "government jobs."

[Predicto]

If the story is true, you would think that in a bureaucracy like the state government there must be a smoking gun for someone like this to get appointed. The HR departments need a whistle-blowing ability to eliminate this kind of theft.

HR didn't hire this guy.

[Popeman38]

Political employees often suck eggs. I'm not sure this is that different than other political appointments people could find in all 50 states.

Ding ding ding

[Jeeb]

Political employees often suck eggs. I'm not sure this is that different than other political appointments people could find in all 50 states.

Not a good excuse if you are trying to characterize public employees as lazy and overpaid. A college drop out with two drunk driving arrests gets an $81K a year job while other people in the state who have Masters degrees are being told to take a hit on their $50K salaries.

[Predicto]

Not a good excuse if you are trying to characterize public employees as lazy and overpaid. A college drop out with two drunk driving arrests gets an $81K a year job while other people in the state who have Masters degrees are being told to take a hit on their $50K salaries.

I guess that is true.

Nevertheless, while I think Scott Walker is horrible in many, many ways, I still think that you don't prove it by showing that he made a single lame political appointment. All politicians do that from time to time. Now when you do it so much that it becomes the norm (George W. Bush's Liberty University Justice Department springs to mind) then it becomes a real problem.

But this one case by Scott Walker doesn't show me much.

[The Evil Genius]

I guess that is true.

Nevertheless, while I think Scott Walker is horrible in many, many ways, I still think that you don't prove it by showing that he made a single lame political appointment. All politicians do that from time to time. Now when you do it so much that it becomes the norm (George W. Bush's Liberty University Justice Department springs to mind) then it becomes a real problem.

But this one case by Scott Walker doesn't show me much.

Then how about a union busting law that included language that converted "37 top agency attorneys, communications officials and legislative liaisons from civil service positions to jobs appointed by the governor"?

To me, this douche is prime example #1 of the "do what I say and not what I do" crowd that is status quo in the Koch brothers annexation of state governments.

[youngestson]

Shocking!

You mean Walker is a lying hypocritical gas bag who knows nothing of the fiscal restraint of which he so loudly preaches?

[The Sisko]

Now when was the last time I've seen cronyism like this? Hmmm, let me think. Oh, I know!....

[Predicto]

Then how about a union busting law that included language that converted "37 top agency attorneys, communications officials and legislative liaisons from civil service positions to jobs appointed by the governor"?

To me, this douche is prime example #1 of the "do what I say and not what I do" crowd that is status quo in the Koch brothers annexation of state governments.

I agree with you in general. I'm just warning that you can find examples of lame cronyism in every state government, so don't rely on this example too much.

[Madison Redskin]

Political employees often suck eggs. I'm not sure this is that different than other political appointments people could find in all 50 states.

Well, it's certainly true that politicians of every political stripe engage in nepotism. However, the difference between Walker and many other politicians is that he campaigned on fiscal responsibility and putting an end to corruption in Dane county. It's not exactly Watergate and too much shouldn't be made of it, but he deserves to be called out for being full of ****.

And, it shouldn't be all that surprising that Walker's top aide helped get this guy with no degree a gig. Walker was a C student at Marquette who dropped out of college.

[Corcaigh]

Political employees often suck eggs. I'm not sure this is that different than other political appointments people could find in all 50 states.

Why is this level of corruption tolerated? It's like a third world mentality.

[shk75]

Walker was a C student at Marquette who dropped out of college.

How do you know this?

[Larry]

Why is this level of corruption tolerated? It's like a third world mentality.

Because the other side does it.

And because it appears that about 80% of the voters think that's a valid excuse.

[The Evil Genius]

How do you know this?

http://marquettetribune.org/2010/10/26/news/walker-wpo1-tw2-je3-one-question-controversial-claims-continue-in-walkers-campaign/

Walker attended Marquette from 1986 t0 1990, but never attained a degree (see page 5). His sophomore year, Walker ran for president of the Associated Students of Marquette University (ASMU, the former title for Marquette Student Government). He was accused of violating campaign guidelines on multiple occasions.

The Tribune reported then that he was found guilty of illegal campaigning two weeks before his candidacy became official. Later, a Walker campaign worker was seen placing brochures under doors at the YMCA. Door-to-door campaigning was strictly prohibited.

Walker initially denied this but later admitted to the violation, which resulted in lost campaign privileges at the YMCA.

and

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/99700384.html

Walker declined to release his transcripts, but his campaign said he had a grade-point average of 2.59, in the C's. He had just established status as a senior when he left after four years of mostly full-time coursework at Marquette University.Walker's supporters - and even some of his detractors - say it shouldn't matter that he didn't attain a degree.

and if you think I am being elitist...so is the general public.

Just three of the country's 50 sitting governors fell short of a college degree, a review of biographies shows. Most of the graduates have an advanced degree, typically a law degree.

[shk75]

OK I was curious because law prohibits anyone except for the student to request a copy of their transcript. I thought somehow this information had been leaked illegally but I guess he Okayed the campaign staff to release it, kind of add he would do that.

[Predicto]

Why is this level of corruption tolerated? It's like a third world mentality.

Because the other side does it.

And because it appears that about 80% of the voters think that's a valid excuse.

Actually, it's not that simple. When we elect a Governor of a state, we understand that the person is going to need to put his people in key spots to implement the new Governor's agenda. Those are the political appointees. We don't want the Legislature to be able to interfere too much with those appointments, or the Governor won't be able to do anything. Frankly, if the Legislature is controlled by the opposition party, you could pretty much guarantee that they would screw with those appointments if they could - even if the person was totally qualified. So we don't let them do that. Unless you can flat out show that the post was bought and paid for (and that's not easy), the Governor gets to have his guys in to enact the agenda that the people elected him to enact.

The consequences of appointing bad/unqualified people to political posts is political - vote the governor out at the next election.

[Larry]

Actually, it's not that simple. When we elect a Governor of a state, we understand that the person is going to need to put his people in key spots to implement the new Governor's agenda. Those are the political appointees. We don't want the Legislature to be able to interfere too much with those appointments, or the Governor won't be able to do anything. Frankly, if the Legislature is controlled by the opposition party, you could pretty much guarantee that they would screw with those appointments if they could - even if the person was totally qualified. So we don't let them do that. Unless you can flat out show that the post was bought and paid for (and that's not easy), the Governor gets to have his guys in to enact the agenda that the people elected him to enact.

The consequences of appointing bad/unqualified people to political posts is political - vote the governor out at the next election.

My point was that it's glaringly obvious that no politician is ever going to be punished at the ballot box for doing things like this.

Because too many people think that the letter after his name is more important than competence or integrity.

Frankly, neither side really expects, let alone demands, any better.

[AsburySkinsFan]

I just wish I could say that I was surprised, jobs for campaign contributions ahhhh the smell of democracy in the morning.

---------- Post added April-4th-2011 at 07:12 PM ----------

My point was that it's glaringly obvious that no politician is ever going to be punished at the ballot box for doing things like this.

Our Gov. Fletcher was, he had a similar scandal during his re-election bid that ended up outing him at the ballot box.