No Quarter
Conservative state lawmaker borrows liberally from congressmen's words
Joel Kleefisch
No Quarter Blog
Latest entries from columnist Daniel Bice's No Quarter blog.
State Rep. Joel Kleefisch really likes the so-called Working Families Flexibility Act passed by the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year.
Really, really likes the legislation and the press release associated with it — down to the very word.
The measure would permit employers to provide worker's comp time in lieu of paid overtime if the two sides agree to such an arrangement in advance. The worker would be able to accrue up to 160 hours of comp time a year.
Not only did Kleefisch decide to introduce very similar legislation, which he is calling the Flexibility for Working Families Bill, in Wisconsin.
But he also decided to swipe quotes from three congressmen sponsoring the federal measure and to claim them as his own in a formal email to all members of the state Assembly and Senate.
Compare for yourself.
In a May 8 press release touting House passage of the federal proposal, there appears this quote:
"In order to have a healthy economy, we need to remove barriers that deny parents flexibility that fosters success at home and work," said Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-Mich.). "By giving working families and employers the voluntary flexibility to rearrange work schedules, we are letting them do what is best for their family. We're giving them the freedom to take a sick child to the doctor, spend time with family, or collect overtime wages."
Now take a look at Kleefisch's Dec. 5 email to his 131 colleagues explaining the need for his proposal, providing a Legislative Reference Bureau analysis and seeking co-sponsors:
"In order to have a healthy economy we need to remove barriers that deny parents flexibility which fosters success at home and at work. By giving working families and employers the voluntary flexibility to rearrange work schedules, we are letting them do what is best for their family. We are giving them the freedom to take a sick child to the doctor, spend time with family or collect overtime wages."
Exactly the same — sans attribution — give or take an Oxford comma and a contraction.
But that's not the only time the political conservative appears to have borrowed liberally.
Kleefisch, who is married to Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, also cobbled together quotes from Republican Reps. John Kline of Minnesota and Martha Roby of Alabama.
In the federal press release, Kline said, "Workers in the private-sector deserve the same choice and flexibility enjoyed for decades in the public-sector. This legislation won't solve all the challenges Americans face, but it will help make life a little easier for those struggling to balance the demands of family and work. I urge our Senate colleagues to join this effort and help send this commonsense proposal to the president's desk."
Roby added, "Our message to the American people is this: We want to get Washington out of the way of how you use your time. Talk to just about any working mom and dad and they'll tell you they need more time. They need just one more hour in the day to be able to take care of responsibilities and make life work."
In his email to Wisconsin lawmakers, Kleefisch combined the two quotes without attributing them.
But first, the Oconomowoc Republican deleted Kline's reference to the bill landing on the president's desk and Roby's statement about the need for Washington to get out of the way — sentiments that weren't particularly relevant to Wisconsin legislation.
So this is what appeared as Kleefisch's justification for his bill:
"Workers in the private sector deserve the same choice and flexibility enjoyed for decades in the public sector. This legislation won't solve all the challenges working families face, but it will help make life a little easier for those struggling to balance the demands of family and work. Talk to just about any working mom or dad and they will tell you they need more time. They need just one more hour in the day to be able to take care of responsibilities and make life work."
The similarities were noticed by a Republican lawmaker, who asked not to be named because he works with Kleefisch, and the liberal group One Wisconsin Now.
"Looks to me like good ol' Joel is a taker instead of a maker," said Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now.
Ashlee Moore, a staffer for Kleefisch, took responsibility for putting together the email. Moore said she had no idea how the quotes from the federal lawmaker ended up in her lengthy note to Kleefisch's colleagues.
"It wasn't intentionally done," Moore said.
OK, that may be a little hard to believe, given the edits and lack of attribution.
But Moore then wrote back to say everything is OK.
"These statements should have been attributed to their respective authors," Moore wrote via email. "However, we have since gotten permission from both Congressman Roby, as well as Congressman Walberg to use these quotes in this fashion."
Kline, the third House member, is chairman of the Education and Workforce Commitee.
Ross was not satisfied with the note from the legislative aide.
"Rep. Kleefisch plagiarized and he got caught," Ross said. "It would be nice instead of this 'malarkey' (credit: Joe Biden), Rep. Kleefisch would, using his own words, apologize and take responsibility for this violation of the trust of his colleagues and the public."
But the list is not exhaustive.
Missing are three ex-Milwaukee County aides: Tim Russell, who held several county and campaign posts under Walker: Darlene Wink, his onetime constituent services director; and ex-deputy chief of staff Kelly Rindfleisch.
All three pleaded guilty to criminal charges — some large, some small — as part of the first John Doe investigation of Walker's county staff. Russell is serving time at the Winnebago Correctional Center, while Wink and Rindfleisch, who is appealing her conviction, remain under community supervision.
Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@journalsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.
Really, really likes the legislation and the press release associated with it — down to the very word.
The measure would permit employers to provide worker's comp time in lieu of paid overtime if the two sides agree to such an arrangement in advance. The worker would be able to accrue up to 160 hours of comp time a year.
Not only did Kleefisch decide to introduce very similar legislation, which he is calling the Flexibility for Working Families Bill, in Wisconsin.
But he also decided to swipe quotes from three congressmen sponsoring the federal measure and to claim them as his own in a formal email to all members of the state Assembly and Senate.
Compare for yourself.
In a May 8 press release touting House passage of the federal proposal, there appears this quote:
"In order to have a healthy economy, we need to remove barriers that deny parents flexibility that fosters success at home and work," said Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-Mich.). "By giving working families and employers the voluntary flexibility to rearrange work schedules, we are letting them do what is best for their family. We're giving them the freedom to take a sick child to the doctor, spend time with family, or collect overtime wages."
Now take a look at Kleefisch's Dec. 5 email to his 131 colleagues explaining the need for his proposal, providing a Legislative Reference Bureau analysis and seeking co-sponsors:
"In order to have a healthy economy we need to remove barriers that deny parents flexibility which fosters success at home and at work. By giving working families and employers the voluntary flexibility to rearrange work schedules, we are letting them do what is best for their family. We are giving them the freedom to take a sick child to the doctor, spend time with family or collect overtime wages."
Exactly the same — sans attribution — give or take an Oxford comma and a contraction.
But that's not the only time the political conservative appears to have borrowed liberally.
Kleefisch, who is married to Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, also cobbled together quotes from Republican Reps. John Kline of Minnesota and Martha Roby of Alabama.
In the federal press release, Kline said, "Workers in the private-sector deserve the same choice and flexibility enjoyed for decades in the public-sector. This legislation won't solve all the challenges Americans face, but it will help make life a little easier for those struggling to balance the demands of family and work. I urge our Senate colleagues to join this effort and help send this commonsense proposal to the president's desk."
Roby added, "Our message to the American people is this: We want to get Washington out of the way of how you use your time. Talk to just about any working mom and dad and they'll tell you they need more time. They need just one more hour in the day to be able to take care of responsibilities and make life work."
In his email to Wisconsin lawmakers, Kleefisch combined the two quotes without attributing them.
But first, the Oconomowoc Republican deleted Kline's reference to the bill landing on the president's desk and Roby's statement about the need for Washington to get out of the way — sentiments that weren't particularly relevant to Wisconsin legislation.
So this is what appeared as Kleefisch's justification for his bill:
"Workers in the private sector deserve the same choice and flexibility enjoyed for decades in the public sector. This legislation won't solve all the challenges working families face, but it will help make life a little easier for those struggling to balance the demands of family and work. Talk to just about any working mom or dad and they will tell you they need more time. They need just one more hour in the day to be able to take care of responsibilities and make life work."
The similarities were noticed by a Republican lawmaker, who asked not to be named because he works with Kleefisch, and the liberal group One Wisconsin Now.
"Looks to me like good ol' Joel is a taker instead of a maker," said Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now.
Ashlee Moore, a staffer for Kleefisch, took responsibility for putting together the email. Moore said she had no idea how the quotes from the federal lawmaker ended up in her lengthy note to Kleefisch's colleagues.
"It wasn't intentionally done," Moore said.
OK, that may be a little hard to believe, given the edits and lack of attribution.
But Moore then wrote back to say everything is OK.
"These statements should have been attributed to their respective authors," Moore wrote via email. "However, we have since gotten permission from both Congressman Roby, as well as Congressman Walberg to use these quotes in this fashion."
Kline, the third House member, is chairman of the Education and Workforce Commitee.
Ross was not satisfied with the note from the legislative aide.
"Rep. Kleefisch plagiarized and he got caught," Ross said. "It would be nice instead of this 'malarkey' (credit: Joe Biden), Rep. Kleefisch would, using his own words, apologize and take responsibility for this violation of the trust of his colleagues and the public."
Gone and all but forgotten
Gov. Scott Walker names just about every possible political ally and friend in the detailed five-page acknowledgments section of his new book, "Unintimidated: A Governor's Story and A Nation's Challenge." He thanks legislators, one-time county staffers, police officers, past and current campaign workers, fellow church members, personal friends, his co-author and agent and many others.But the list is not exhaustive.
Missing are three ex-Milwaukee County aides: Tim Russell, who held several county and campaign posts under Walker: Darlene Wink, his onetime constituent services director; and ex-deputy chief of staff Kelly Rindfleisch.
All three pleaded guilty to criminal charges — some large, some small — as part of the first John Doe investigation of Walker's county staff. Russell is serving time at the Winnebago Correctional Center, while Wink and Rindfleisch, who is appealing her conviction, remain under community supervision.
Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 224-2135 or dbice@journalsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.
Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/news/google/conservative-state-lawmaker-borrows-liberally-from-congressmens-words-b99163194z1-235963711.html#ixzz2nfKjwV00
Follow us: @JournalSentinel on Twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment