Monday, November 09, 2009

Did Reformers Get Help From Above?

Mike Wittenwyler is an exceptionally bright guy. I'd have no trouble saying Mike is smarter than me, but it would be most unfair to damn him with such faint praise.

Several publications have recognized him as a "top lawyer" and "rising star" in his area of expertise, which is political law. He teaches the subject at UW Law School. The highest of the high and mighty in this state turn to him for counsel. In campaign finance and election law matters, his clients include the Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists, Wisconsin Bankers Association, Wisconsin Builders Association, Wisconsin Education Association Council, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, Wisconsin Realtors Association and Wisconsin Right to Life.

When Mike Wittenwyler talks, powerful people listen. Which makes something he said last December all the more memorable and intriguing. He told a Wisconsin State Journal reporter, "If anyone is able to get public financing through this Legislature I would call them Moses."

This is not a man prone to idle gossip or flights of fancy, mind you. So when legislation establishing publicly financed state Supreme Court elections got through both houses of the Legislature last week, inquiring minds had to be wondering. . . . Did he know something? Was this a Nostradamus moment? Was the Impartial Justice bill heaven sent? Did legislative backers and the likes of the Democracy Campaign, Common Cause and the League of Women Voters have a secret weapon?

Someone should be asking Mike Wittenwyler why those waters parted last Thursday. Seems like it might be one of the greatest stories ever told.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You want proof that McCabe is an egomaniac? This post is Exhibit #1.

Case CLOSED!

Anonymous said...

You want proof of mindless, groundless hatred of campaign finance reformers? That comment is exhibit #1.

Anonymous said...

Why do you make the assumption that Ego Mike is responsible for passage of the bill? It likely would have been passed earlier but for the Boy Wonder...

Anonymous said...

No, made no such assumption. Neither did he if you read what he wrote. Was just poking fun at some FOP (Friend of Power) who foolishly made a statement that came off sounding arrogant and ended up being embarrassingly wrong.

You really have some anger issues you need to get a grip on. It's blinding you and causing you to read stuff into what people say that isn't even there. Which makes you look like a fool.

What did he do to you to cause you to be so irrationally bitter..steal your lunch money? Take your spot on varsity? Sleep with your wife? Naw, anyone who has ever actually met Mike knows that's not it. So he just doesn't share your world view? That's enough to bring out the jerk in you?

OK, return fire in form of childish insult in 3,2,1....

Anonymous said...

Well said. LOL. Whoever it is, it is obvious it's the same person who has left identical comments on many, many past posts on this blog. Even though this is all anonymous, the lack of originality is like the mark of Zorro.