Wisconsin Rep. Joel Kleefisch has been caught on video committing voter fraud, voting in someone else's name. In the video below, you see Kleefisch recording votes for absent members on their machines during Tuesday's session.
Notice how he glares down the videographer after noticing he was caught. What a creep!
According to Assembly Rules, "only the members present in the assembly chamber may vote."
WTMJ asked Kleefisch whether he broke a rule, and he responded, "It depends upon how you interpret the rule."
Kleefisch is referring to the Assembly's definition of the chamber which states, "Assembly chamber: The entire area west of the easternmost doors of the assembly, including the visitor's galleries, lobbies, offices of the speaker, majority leader, and minority leader, and hallways."
If you interpret the rule as applying to only the chamber room, Kleefisch would admit he was in violation of Assembly rules. If you interpret the rule as applying to the Assembly's definition of chamber, then Kleefisch says he was within the rules.
However, Kleefisch is trying to distract us from the core issue with his behavior. The issue isn't whether or not someone is in the chamber. The issue is that Kleefisch is voting in someone else's name. That's voter fraud!
Kleefisch was so worried about voter fraud that he voted for the Voter Suppression Law last year. Apparently, Kleefisch feels voter fraud applies to everyone but him. However, the comparison is somewhat mute. We all know the Voter Suppression Law wasn't passed to prevent voter fraud, because it doesn't stop any case of voter fraud Wisconsin has seen, but it does prevent many poor, elderly and minorities from voting. In fact, the Advancement Project sued Wisconsin today over the discriminating law. Kleefisch doesn't give a crap about voter fraud, and he has no problem committing it himself.
Psychologists have a name for this type of behavior, projection. If there's anyone who's been messing around with votes and elections it's been the Republicans, and since they do it, they assume other people must be, too.
Governor Scott Walker used to think this behavior was unacceptable when he worked in the Assembly. Walker wanted to change the rule so that only actively participating members may vote. "Change the rule to apply to people we are talking about who aren't in the chamber and aren't aware of what is going on," Walker once said.
What does Walker think of his Lt. Governor's husband voting in someone else's name?
You'd think an important part of his defense or anyone's defense when they do this would be that they truly know where the other person is located. Where's Kleefisch's explanation of that? If you know they're in their offices and not in the chamber, if you know they're at lunch across the street... where's the bright line on this rule?
ReplyDeleteAccording to the videographer's comments on YouTube, the members were missing for hours. So, they probably weren't in the bathroom and possibly not even in the Capitol.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that this is indefensible. I can't place my friend's vote when he/she can't make it to the polling place on election day, and I shouldn't be able to. Our legislators also shouldn't be able to vote for their friends. Their votes hold significantly more power, and they're supposed to be discussing and debating these decisions.
If you're not in the room actively participating in discussion and debate, how do you know that some bill hasn't changed or some critical information was unveiled that might change your decision?
I expect my representatives to be present and able to vote with their own finger. That's what we pay for.