[img_assist|nid=141740|title=|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=300|height=243]Scott Walker's defense in the John Doe investigation is simple: He's going to claim ignorance. That he was like Mr. Magoo and walked through illegal activity without seeing any of it.
Here's the thing, though, Walker has already played that card many, many times in the past:
- Last week it was revealed that the wife of the Dane County GOP Chair, got an 81K a year job, even though she didn't have a four-year college degree. Walker's response: He knew nothing.
- Last month it was revealed that Walker Aide Tim Russell had been fired from WHEDA, for stealing tax payer dollars. Walker's response? He didn't know. Which is of course absurd, considering that Walker and Russell were close friends before and after he worked for WHEDA.
- In April of 2011, Walker testified before Congress and was grilled about accepting a bribery offer of being flown out to a vacation in California from someone he thought to be David Koch. Walker responded that he didn't consider it a bribe offer because, "I don't even know where Cali is."
- In early 2011, it was revealed that Walker's administration had given the son of a powerful GOP lobbyist an 81K a year executive job, even though the 20-something kid was a college drop-out, had two driving arrests and had little experience. Walker's response: He knew nothing.
- In 2006, when Walker was running for governor, he hired Bruce Pfaff to be his campaign manager. This is the same Bruce Pfaff that did campaign work on the taxpayer's dime as an aide to Scott Jensen. When the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel asked Walker why he would hire a criminal, Walker responded that he did not know Pfaff had worked for Jensen. Of course, this was absurd, because Pfaff worked for Jensen while Jensen was the Speaker of the Assembly and while Walker was also in the assembly. Walker not only knew Pfaff during that time, but knew him well.
- In 2004, Walker was up to his neck in the Bear Stearns scandal in Milwaukee County. (The one where Bear Stearn's Nick Hurtgen poured thousands into Walker's campaign and then was awarded a bond contract even though Bear Stearn's wasn't the lowest bidder.) Walker's response: I know nothing! (And all the documents related to the deal were conveniantly destroyed.)
- In 2002, during the caucus scandal, the same Scott Walker that had served as chair of the Campaigns and Elections Committee claimed he knew nothing of the illegal campaign activity occurring in the capitol.
That's alot of not knowing. I have a feeling that John Doe investigators aren't buying Walker's standard excuse this time around.