Guns Protecting Us From Adultery

Is there anything guns can't do? Now they can help prevent adultery:

A former Appleton firefighter accused of shooting his estranged wife to death claims he was trying to stop her from committing the felony crime of adultery.

Scott Schmidt's attorney plans to argue that Schmidt thought force was necessary to prevent Kelly Wing Schmidt from meeting another man at a hotel and committing the felony because prosecutors don't take adultery seriously, according to a notice of intent filed in Outagamie County Court.Schmidt, 39, will go to trial in March on charges including first-degree intentional homicide and attempted homicide.

[...]

Because adultery cases are rarely prosecuted, Schmidt had the unreasonable belief that he had no other viable options "except for suffering in silence as the victim of a felony as perpetrated against him in the form of adultery," according to the court documents, filed Feb. 12 by attorney Greg Petit.

I think we can expect that a certain couple of squawkers will be changing their stances regarding gun control laws pretty soon.

Sykes Gets His Facts Wrong: The Prosecution Rests

In today's letters to the editor section of the local daily paper (emphasis mine):

Sykes got his facts wrong

Charlie Sykes, like many of his contemporaries in the talk radio business, has again ignored facts to promote his views.

During his broadcast Sept. 10, Sykes was discussing the tragic death of UWM student Nathan Potter, allegedly shot and killed by Seandell Jackson. He pointed out that Jackson was arrested in Sheboygan for carrying a concealed weapon and received a three-day jail sentence, which is true.

But he described that concealed weapon as an "illegal handgun" and implied that if Sheboygan knew what it was doing, Jackson would have gotten a longer sentence and might not have been free to commit the homicide.

The "concealed weapon" was a pocket folding knife, not a handgun, and I doubt that Jackson would have even been arrested in Milwaukee County, much less charged, convicted and sentenced to jail.

I guess the truth doesn't make for good talk show garbage. But we should all be used to that by now.

Joe DeCecco
District attorney
Sheboygan County

Well said, sir, well said.

There's Something Fischy In Franklin

Franklin Mayor Tom Taylor, channeling his inner Scott Jensen, has been charged for using city employees to do work for his campaign while on the taxpayers' dime. For details, I would refer the gentle reader to Janet Evans and Greg Kowalski who are covering the developing story.

But this post is not about Taylor and any crimes he may or may not have committed. It is about Kevin Fischer and his response to the story.

Fischer comes out defending Taylor's behavior, but that should not come as a surprise to anyone, considering his own ethically-challenged behavior regarding work. What really caught my eye was this (emphasis mine):

I spoke with Assistant DA Bruce Landgraf a few weeks ago. We agreed that I wouldn’t publicize our conversation, but I gathered from our chat that no charges would be filed because of the nature and source of the complaint: Basil Ryan was setting the stage for an embarrassing defeat, and that is, indeed, what happened. Ryan was trounced by Taylor. I guess my read of the tea leaves about the complaint was wrong.

I am curious about this conversation. I would like to know in what capacity Fischer approached ADA Landgraf.

If he came as a blogger, or citizen journalist, why would the ADA talk so openly about an ongoing investigation, especially one that might lead, as this one did, to criminal charges being filed? I do not find that explanation as being plausible.

The same holds true if Fischer approached the ADA has a private citizen who happens to be chummy with the accused.

Another possibility was that Fischer was called in for questioning. Did he give Taylor bad advice? Was Fischer aware of these alleged improprieties when they occurred?

Yet another possibility is that Fischer approached the ADA in his official capacity as being an aide to State Senator Mary Lazich. I find this doubtful as well. This isn't the type of thing a state politician would get involved with or want to have their named tied to. Unless, of course, Fischer did this without the blessing of his boss, which would mean that Fischer was misrepresenting himself, which of course would be normal for him.

Or perhaps he got the brush off from the ADA, and he is trying to ease the pain of his bruised and fragile ego. This is also a very plausible scenario.

It would be very interesting to know how this alleged conversation between old Kev and the ADA took place, and under what pretense. Of course, I doubt Fischer will ever be forthcoming and honest about that whole thing.

After all, look again at the emphasized section from his post. "We agreed that I wouldn't publicize our conversation..." Isn't that exactly what he is doing by writing about it?

It's scary to think that this guy has any kind of role in the makings of the laws and policies of this great state. And that we, as taxpayers, have to pay for it.

"Award-Winning Veteran Broadcaster" Bamboozled By Email

Kevin Fischer's bio at the top of his blog reads (emphasis mine):

Kevin Fischer is an award-winning veteran broadcaster who has been seen and heard on Milwaukee TV and radio stations for nearly three decades. Kevin, who is a legislative aide to state Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin), can be seen offering his views on the news on the public affairs program, “INTERchange,” on Milwaukee Public Television Channel 10. He lives with his wife, Jennifer, in Franklin.

That would make one think that Mr. Fischer knows a thing or two about reporting news. Even little things, like fact checking.

Then again, one would be wrong.

Fischer has a post warning motorists of a new crime wave hitting Milwaukee, in which would-be carjackers put a piece of paper on the back window of a car. The unsuspecting driver doesn't notice the paper, for some reason, until he or she is about to back up. When they go to investigate the paper, the thieves strike!

You know it's real. Fischer tells us so:

A Milwaukee Police officer is circulating an e-mail to alert citizens of a new tactic being used by carjackers. The e-mail has been verified to be legitimate.

Obviously, since Fischer said it's true, it's true. And Snopes.com, who claims it's a false email, with an almost verbatim copy of Fischer's email, said it's been going around for four years.

Who ya gonna believe. People that investigated it or Fischer?

Dumb Ass Comments Of The Week

Even as James T. Harris got his post right, he has a comment by a James Pawlak which qualifies as the dumb ass comment of the week:

Curious that the Milwaukee media has not reported on the name of the bar from which this "gentleman" went to his death OR the description of the offenders (Latinos?) OR called on the City Aldermen to shut down that Bar as they did for one where there was a justifiable killing of thugs by armed security guards.

And to make sure he clinched this dubious honor, he also leaves an equally repulsive comment on the site of Dad29, who had posted on the same subject:

Of course the Milwaukee Urinal will not publish the name of the bar (Did it fly a rainbow banner at half-staff) or the description of the Latino killers and, if they are taken, the fact of their citizenship status.

Mr. Pawlak, it doesn't matter where he was before he was robbed and murdered, nor does it matter what his sexual orientation might have been. The ethnicity of the killers also does not matter. What matters is that a person was senselessly murdered.

To indicate otherwise does not help the matter at all, nor does it do anything to prevent further similar tragedies. It only serves to make you look like a dumb ass.

Jensen Convictions Overturned, McBride Calls for Slap on the Wrist

So now that former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen's three felony convictions have been overturned on appeal, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen is calling for Jensen's case to be resolved without another trial. Predictably, Jessica Bucher is on board with Van Hollen's recommendation, going so far as to say that if allowed to plead to a series of misdemeanors "He'll be punished far more severely that way than any of the other legislators over the years who did the same thing and skated."

Now someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but Jensen won't be punished "far more severely" than Chuck Chvala and Brian Burke, both of whom did the right thing by accepting responsibility for their roles in the same criminal behavior Jensen engaged in and accepting the punishments meted out. Apparently, Jess Bucher seems to think Jensen should be held to a lesser standard, making me wonder why that could be. However, I'm sure it has nothing to do with Jensen's political affiliation, because that'd expose Jess Bucher as nothing more than a conservative shill...oh wait, too late.

She Teaches What?

This is a question from the Other Side of McBride, based on this:

Now I know that she is just writing on a blog. And I know she's probably writing bits and pieces between the times she spends with her daughter, or looking at the television, or scheming ways for her husband and herself to keep their name in the limelight (you know, like lawyering up for the Sheboygan One). But still, you would think she had a little more self-respect and would attempt to at least make some sense.

Read the rest of it here. His post is in regards to a post by McBride, critiquing a story in this morning MSJ about two police officers being shot on Milwaukee's south side.

In McBride's same post, she writes the following:

He also told WTMJ: "How do we deal with the drugs that are on the streets, and the violence that is associated with the drugs? And you have to ask yourself in the light of last night's shooting, where did the 15-year-old get this gun? That's a legitimate question and I know people don't want to ask it."

Answer: Don't release so-called "non-violent" drug offenders - AKA the Kathleen Falk/Journal Sentinel editorial board plan - into the community through diversionary programs. Remember that Falk wanted to release such inmates (read drug dealers, often with violent records) from state prisons. Hopefully, Barrett will use his soap box to oppose such plans next time they arise.

Her answer raises another question or two. Does she realize that her solution would cost a lot and would have to be paid for by taxpayers dollars? And will she keep this in mind next time she starts to complain about tax hikes?

Whose side are they on?

One more reason to be thankful that Glenn Frankovis did not make the cut as a finalist for Milwaukee police chief:

A Sunday Journal Sentinel story told of a Milwaukee cop who "was accused in a three-year span at least 10 times of beating suspects, planting drugs or both," yet has been promoted to sergeant.

Frankovis, a former Milwaukee police captain who had major attitude problems and run-ins with the current chief before retiring (and suing the city) had this reaction to the JS article, in a post entitled "Whose side are they on":

... What I do know is that these so-called investigative reporters, liberal judges and defense attorneys never seem to be able to find the real victims of crime who are being held hostage in their own neighborhoods by the very thugs these guardians of the public give so much credibility to. As a result, they choose to malign law enforcement officers who are trying to make neighborhoods safe from the likes of those who would shoot guns indiscriminately and kill innocent people merely because they want to settle a score or maintain their drug territory...

... A young, energetic Police Officer (now Sergeant) takes his job seriously and does what I have heard demanded of the Police Department numerous times at various neighbohood (sic) meetings (attended by black, white and Asian people and their aldermen in most cases) and he ends up on the FRONT PAGE of the Journal Sentinel with an article which questions his credibility but seemingly gives all credibility to the thugs.

Apparently, Frankovis -- who was the "energetic" officer's supervisor at the time of some of the incidents -- thinks the public is demanding that police officers beat suspects, and this young, energetic cop is just doing what they want.

That, of course, flies in the face of what the public is demanding from its police officers in the wake of the Frank Jude case and others that have come to light.

The citizens of Milwaukee want a crackdown on crime. But they also want accountability from the police officers who are supposed to protect them.

Small wonder that Frankovis was a bad fit. He's old school in the worst possible way, as in Harold Breier School.

Who else, do you suppose, came to the defense of the "young, energetic" officer and criticized the newspaper for its coverage?

If you said ex-police reporter, ex-prosecutor's wife Jessica McBride, you win the jackpot.

UPDATE: Illusory Tenant on Frankovis v. Frankovis.

And this from Pundit Nation's Michael Mathias.

This just in: US citizen accused of crime!

The Nutosphere continues its crusade to report every crime that involves an illegal immigrant.

They've been at it for a long time, starting with a Memorial Day shooting in 2006 that was commited by someone who turned out to be here legally. It was truly an Emily Litella moment, Jessica McBride blamed the police for providing the wrong info, but she had been claiming, long before any police announcement, that the shooter must have been an illegal.

McBride challenges the news media every time an illegal is found to have committed a crime or even been accused.

Her mentor, Charlie Sykes, does the same.

It seems less about crime than about looking for one more way to fuel anti-immigrant sentiment, using fear. Mr. McBride, Paul Bucher, tried to demagog the issue to victory in his failed race for attorney general, but he couldn't even sell the idea to the conservatives voting in the GOP primary. We are not experiencing an illegal immigrant crime wave. Our guess is that illegals commit fewer violent crimes than US citizens, although we haven't seen any statistics.

Here's a modest proposal:

If the right wing thinks it is so important, and so relevant, for the media to report it every time an illegal immigrant is accused of a crime, let's be fair about it. Crime stories could all include information that identifies the suspect as (a) an illegal immigrant, (b) an alien living here legally, or (c) a US citizen.

The media doesn't single out and identify suspects by race only when they are black. Why should it single out illegal immigrants, unless it is to promote another agenda?

Judging a cop by his cover

Welcome once again to McBride World, where candidates for police chief are evaluated by how tough they look.

If that's the criterion, the Fire and Police Commission should look at the mug shot of the guy charged in the triple murder in Connecticut.

McBride wrong? Surely you jest

Ken Mobile says McBride gets it wrong when she beats up a Milwaukee alderman over his quote on housing sex offenders.

McBride gets it wrong? C'mon, Mobile! Who's gonna believe that?

Simple answers for tough questions

In McBride World, life is simple and easy answers abound.

What to do about sex offenders when they are released back into society?

The solution? Mostly, lock them up longer. Supervise them better. Continue to make sure they don't work around kids or associate with kids in a setting where they would have frequent, close contact with them...

Still, if sex offenders have trouble finding somewhere to live, there is an easy fix for it. Don't molest kids, and you won't have the trouble.

Gee, why didn't any criminologists think of that?

It's sort of like her solution to poverty and unemployment: Everyone should get a job; the want ads are full of them.

Whallah! Causes of crime identified

At last, we know what causes Milwaukee's crime problem, thanks to Jessica McBride and her Waukesha Freeman column.

Everyone's talking about all of the wrong things, like jobs, poverty and guns, she says.

The McBride theory:

What should we discuss? Teenage motherhood, absentee fathers, mentorship, poor choices, moral breakdown and high school drop out rates, for starters.

So there you have it. The root causes of crime are teenage sex, deadbeat dads, and kids quitting school.

Maybe in her next column she'll discuss what to do about it. Bet not.

McBride getting soft on crime?

What happens when you write at 3:26 a.m.?

You produce something like this:

He was convicted of lying to investigators about conversations with reporters he said he couldn't remember well over something that wasn't a crime and that he didn't leak first after an investigation that started out as a partisan and media witch hunt after the administration tried to defend itself against the smears of an ideologically motivated critic.

More worrisome than her incoherent writing style is the evidence that lock-em-up McBride is getting a little soft on crime.

She wants to pardon Libby, who clearly broke the law. What's a little case of perjury among friends?

And she doesn't see why conservatives aren't defending Gen. Vang Pao, charged with masterminding a plot to violently overthrow the government of Laos. The arrest came as Vang and others were allegedly preparing to send hundreds of machine guns, ammunition, rocket-propelled grenade launchers, anti-tank rockets, Stinger shoulder-fired missiles, mines and C-4 explosives to be used against the Laotian government.

McBride says:

I am not sure what the U.S. government should do about Vang Pao. I understand that you can't have people running around engaged in shadow foreign policy...

But I will say this: Ronald Reagan's Justice Department would never have brought these charges.

Here's one reason, or a few thousand reasons, that the U.S. government may have felt the need to bring those charges:

"We are looking at conspiracy to murder thousands and thousands of people at one time," Assistant U.S. Attorney Bob Twiss said in court.

What Gen. Vang did as a U.S. ally during the Vietnam war does not justify killing Laotians now -- even if the government there happens to be communist. Apparently, even George W. Bush agrees.