Milwaukee County taxpayers will fund ad saying "Arm Yourself"

[Scuba]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/sheriff-clarkes-ads-urging-people-to-arm-themselves-will-be-paid-by-taxpayers-0l8ssbk-192606571.html?ipad=y

Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. has been showered with free media time, including four appearances on two national cable TV outlets, to espouse his support for citizens arming themselves for self-protection.

But the local radio ads that launched the whirlwind of attention for Clarke were paid spots that will be billed to taxpayers through the sheriff's county budget, Clarke said Friday.

...

"The ads will be paid for using (sheriff's) agency moneys," Sheriff's Inspector Edward Bailey wrote in response to questions from the Journal Sentinel. The department spends a portion of its operating budget "for announcements, billboards and educational campaigns that have public safety, crime reduction and traffic safety messages," Bailey wrote.

The exact amount being spent on the gun-themed ads couldn't be determined from invoices and other records provided by the Sheriff's Department. They showed Clarke's office has agreed to buy more than $17,000 in radio ads this year, including the gun-themed ads. But the stations haven't yet billed the department for those ads, said Fran McLaughlin, Clarke's spokeswoman. Those spots first aired Jan. 24 on WISN-AM (1130).

No money for schools, teachers, healthcare, roads or bridges, but money for fear. Lots of money for fear.

[dragonlady]

1. Can't wait for Clarke's term to end

His opponent in the 2014 election will be speaking at the Milwaukee Democratic Party meeting on Monday (see calendar). Milwaukee Police Lt. Chris Moews ran against Clarke in 2010 and made a pretty good showing. This time, with more name recognition and four more years for voters to understand Clarke and the other Republicans better, his chances are excellent. (For those who are not familiar with Sheriff Clarke, he runs as a Democrat despite being an obvious Republican, and the Democratic Party is not able to do more than publicly disavow him and help his opponent. That means in Milwaukee the election is all but decided in the August primary.)

[Scuba]

2. Seen this? You know he's losing support when the RW Urinal Sentinel disses him...

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/sheriff-really-isnt-that-busy-t38qug6-192614951.html

[dragonlady]

3. Thanks for finding this. The J-S also recently reported another of Clarke's problems: lying

The sheriff is enrolled in a master's degree program in California that requires him to be in residence there for 12 weeks during the 18-month program. Clarke's staff repeatedly covered up the reason for his absences until recently when he finally told the truth about it (inadvertently). http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/190043641.html

Lt. Moews had this reaction:

“If this was not improper, the Sheriff would not have lied to CNN by telling them he was in California for a ‘conference’ during his recent on-air debate with Mayor Barrett and his staff would not feel the need to hide it from the news media,” said Moews who is planning to run again next year.

“The Sheriff should be less concerned about padding his resume for his next job and more concerned about doing the job he was elected to do.” http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/189917461.html

By the way, Lt. Moews was scheduled to speak at the Democratic meeting in January but was called away that night to the scene of a homicide and could not attend because he was conducting the investigation, as the city pays him to do.

[midnight]

4. I was wondering if this man was going to re-run against him... I wish I could vote in this election.