COMIC RELIEF: Gov. Scott Walker, criminal mastermind?

Yesterday liberal journalists flooded the zone with allegations, contained in old but recently unveiled court filings, that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is some sort of criminal mastermind.

“Wisconsin’s Walker implicated in ‘criminal scheme,'” blarred MSNBC –“the sort of news that puts his career in jeopardy.” “Prosecutors: Gov. Walker part of criminal scheme,” reported the Washington Post, citing “previously secret court documents released Thursday.” The Huffington Post emphasized allegations that “Walker was at the center of a nationwide ‘criminal scheme’ to illegally coordinate with outside conservative groups.” Similarly, NBC focused on allegations that Walker “was part of a ‘wide-ranging scheme’ that illegally coordinated fundraising . . . .”

Google “Scott  Walker criminal” for other examples.

(Don’t these reports actually underestimate the peril posed by the evil genius currently in control of our 30th State, who, if not stopped by the media elite, may soon capture the presidency? Doesn’t Gov. Walker’s bear an uncanny resemblance to Lex Luthor (another presidential aspirant)? For example, here’s Wisconsin’s cheese-eating supervillain yesterday at the American Legion’s Badger Boys State and Badger Girls State. Here he is commandeering a cheese factory. Here he is in his “Dr. Evil” pose. Here he is pointing a weapon at his enemies, with a diabolical grin. And here he is with fellow members of the Injustice League of America.)

But in covering this legal story, the liberal media outlets noted above (and others) forgot to cover one thing: the law. Specifically, two court decisions (one by a state judge, and another by a federal judge) holding that everything it is alleged Governor Walker “conspired” to do (working with like-minded individuals on issues related to the reform of Wisconsin government) is perfectly legal under Wisconsin law and, independently, is constitutionally protected under the First Amendment.

Into the breach have stepped mere bloggers who actually know something about the law.

Cornell law professor William Jacobson covered the most glaring omissions in a Legal Insurrection post (relying in part on Wisconsin columnist Christian Schneider).

University of Wisconsin law professor Ann Althouse weighed in to supply context omitted by the mainstream media, here and here.

Harvard lawyer John Hinderaker further debunked the liberal media spin being used to target Gov. Walker. In a Powerline post quoting from the recent federal court order shutting down the partisan, unconstitutional investigation into Walker and his allies, Hinderaker concluded:  “the current frenzy merely demonstrates the laziness and bias of reporters who don’t understand the events they write about.”

And though he did not obtain a law degree from Harvard (merely Yale), University of Tennessee law professor Glenn Reynolds ably assisted in publicizing the shortcomings of the liberal media coverage, through posts on his “Instapundit” blog (here and here).

But one needn’t have a law degree or even a blog to convey the essentials of the non-story here. Governor Walker did it in just four tweets:

The accusation of any wrongdoing written in the complaint by the office of a partisan Dem DA by me or by my campaign is categorically false.

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) June 19, 2014

In fact two judges, in both state and federal courts, have ruled that no laws were broken.

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) June 19, 2014

Judge: “I conclude the subpoenas do not show probable cause that the moving parties committed any violations of the campaign finance laws.”

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) June 20, 2014

Federal Judge late Thursday: prosecutors are now seeking “refuge in the Court of Public Opinion, having lost in this Court on the law.”

— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) June 20, 2014

And here’s Gov. Walker’s succinct defense (just two minutes) in an interview on “Fox and Friends” this morning (full video, and transcript, here):

The contrast between the reality of this non-story, and the imagination of the liberal media, is clear.

 

Update: A solid dose of reality is offered liberal journalists at The Federalist: “A Basic Primer on the Scott Walker Case for Ignorant Reporters” (h/t Legal Insurrection). For other helpful background pieces, see Nathan Schacht at MediaTrackers.org; Leon H. Wolf at RedState.com; Philip A. Klein at the Washington Examiner; M. D. Kittle of Wisconsin Reporter; Christian Schneider in the National Review; and John Hayward at Human Events.

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