Mining cost shifted to Wisconsinites, thanks to our Republican guardians of taxpayer money.

There is a direct cause and effect that can no longer be “debated.” We don’t need to dance around the subject anymore. The press can ask very specific questions about the mining industries campaign contributions and the level of their taxpayer handout. Why play stupid? jsonline-Patrick Marley:

To oversee a proposed iron mine in northern Wisconsin, the state has spent nearly $260,000 that it will not recover from the mining firm — an arrangement drawing questions and criticism from opponents. That figure will continue to grow because of how the Department of Natural Resources is interpreting a law … Gogebic Taconite, was getting special treatment because it gave $700,000 to a group that helped Republicans survive recall elections in 2011 and 2012. The legislation lowered how much mining companies have to pay the state for the environmental review of their plans, a process that takes years. To cover those costs, the DNR used taxpayer money and revenue from funds that are made up of landfill tipping fees and hunting and fishing license fees.

Gee, it must be our partisan imaginations running away on us. It looks like a pay-to-play kinda thing. But if Tom Tiffany’s comment is any indication, we should have known this would happen:

Sen. Tom Tiffany, lobbyist?

Sen. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst), a sponsor of the mining legislation, said costs the state is absorbing are in line with what he expected.

"As a taxpayer and someone that buys hunting and fishing licenses, it's truly unfair," said George Meyer, executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation and a former DNR secretary.

How did this happen? Well…I can’t be sure…just speculating…don’t quote me on this but…:

Those records showed Gogebic gave $700,000 to the club around the time of the recalls. Walker has said he did not know about that contribution at the time. The Wisconsin Club for Growth spent more than $900,000 on the 2012 race that saw Republican Rick Gudex of Fond du Lac defeat then-Sen. Jessica King (D-Oshkosh). That win gave Republicans the 18-15 majority they needed to pass the mining bill in early 2013.

Ya think? Oh, how much did Walker save taxpayers? Duped again.

Gogebic Taconite's Bill Williams says mining opponents are intimidating him and others at public one-on-ones with cameras. And that compares with Camo Armed Guards?

Remember when tea party crazies showed up holding stacks of papers instructing them on how to disrupt town hall meetings protesting health care reform? Nothing weird about that. 

But when mining opponents show up for similar meetings with Gogebic Taconite officials, well that's a different story.  

WPR: The head of the company that wants to build an open pit iron ore mine in Ashland and Iron counties says people opposed to the mine are getting more aggressive.

Gogebic Taconite President Bill Williams told a mining industry group in Duluth a lot of them have now become bananas: ‘Build absolutely nothing anytime near anyone’. That is a problem we’re all facing and the mining industry has gotten a bad name for this. (Protesters) started following us to these things and setting up gauntlets and cameras to film and interview people afterwards. It became intimidating and people didn’t really want this and so they would start backing out.” 

Bananas? That is so...adult? Audio....

Republican State Sen. Dale Schultz won't run. Can't identify with his party anymore.

Sad to say my favorite Senate Republican at the Capitol is not seeking reelection. It's goodbye for now from Dale Schultz, who is hinting at a comeback somewhere else:

State Senator Dale Schultz says he's walking away after a lengthy career, choosing to retire after spending the last few of his years in political turmoil. He laments the state of his party, and admits to still feeling "uncomfortable" with his vote last session on voter ID.

"While I certainly believe we need to safeguard the integrity of the ballot box, I think we have crossed the line on a couple of occasions," said Sen. Schultz. "And it’s been a very uncomfortable situation for me having to vote along with the caucus because I've tried to be a good Republican."

Here's the story from Channel3000/WISC:



WKOW's Greg Neumann featured the pre-recorded interview with Schultz on the same day as Schultz's announced retirement. Wanna know why I like him, because he makes more sense and articulates his positions so much better than what we're getting from most Democrats:

Schultz: "Before I talk about what I think is warranted or what I'd like, I want to tell you about what my constituents think..."

Walker Authority in bed with polluting "job creating" Mining Company.

Wisconsin Republicans really know how to pick em. No blowback, no questions, no nothing. 

jsonline: Gogebic Taconite President Bill Williams has been implicated in a legal proceeding in Spain, where Williams formerly worked, in which managers of a large copper mine are accused of violating environmental laws in their handling of groundwater from the mining site.

Gogebic is proposing to construct a $1.5 billion iron ore mine in Ashland and Iron counties. Earlier this month, the Seville Ministry of Justice rejected an appeal from the managers of Cobre Las Cruces, an open pit mine in southern Spain that environmentalists said had been violating environmental laws. 

With the rejection of their appeal, the managers of the mine face possible criminal charges over the way they removed groundwater that exposed local ground water supplies to elevated levels of arsenic, according to the Spanish ministry.

Walker and Gogebic Taconite intimidation bully Geologist out of Job due to fear of Speaking out.

So this is what top down, rightwing authoritarianism looks like. It’s all Scott Walker.

The myth that conservatives are prevented from speaking out in public just blew up today, when we found out it’s just the other way around. As usual, it’s opposite day every day in Republican world.

Here's the horror story, and again, another attack on science:

Cap Times-Steve Elbow: A geologist with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey who found himself in the middle of a controversy over a proposed open-pit mine in the north woods says he's resigning after enduring weeks of on-the-job pressure over a rock containing asbestos-like material found at the mine site. 

Jason Huberty says the pressure of working in a politically charged atmosphere has taken a toll on his health and emotional state.

“I really feel like I can’t speak freely without losing my job,” says the 37-year-old iron ore specialist.

Like the Walker Blacklist, the fact that a person participates in the political process, in opposition to the controlling authority, is enough to discredit your life work:

Huberty, a frequent protester at the state Capitol who testified against legislation enabling the proposed mine in 2012, has been singled out by mining company Gogebic Taconite as a potentially biased employee who calls into question the survey's objectivity. Documents obtained from UW Extension, which runs the survey, also indicate concern over Huberty from members of the state Legislature.

Huberty says he’s been called to several meetings with officials from UW Extension regarding his involvement with protests against the administration of Gov. Scott Walker at the Capitol.

James Robertson, director of the survey, tells Huberty that his political activities have become “a growing concern. This concern has to do with the potential impact your general political activity and protesting at the Capitol might have on the survey’s reputation, even if that activity has nothing to do with geologic issues,” Robertson writes.