Since the conversation began surrounding a possible recall of Gov. Scott Walker, leading Republicans have told Frederica and I that they fully expected Democrats to get the signatures needed to put the governor back on the ballot in 2012. This was not the Democrats crowing about what they could do, this was numerous Republicans saying what they expected the Democrats would do.
From the get-go though, the logistics of that premise, collecting 540,208 in 60 days, seemed daunting. UW-Milwaukee Political Science Prof. Mordecai Lee shared those thoughts with us on Here and Now just a couple weeks ago.
“Well, right now the conventional wisdom, the morning line, is that they’re not going to get a problem getting the half-million signatures. Everybody on both sides seems to think that that’s going to be like falling off a log. I must be the only one who thinks that getting that many signatures is not for sure. In fact, I’m skeptical they’re going to be able to get it. I remember when I was in the state legislature. All I needed was 800 signatures. It was a lot of work to get 800 signatures. After all, one has to think about getting the signatures in a physical sense. This isn’t about emails, this isn’t about faxing things. This is literally somebody signs a hard copy of something, and then it gets returned to the headquarters. This is a big task. I don’t think it’s for sure they’re going to get it… I’m trying to picture volunteers going door to door on a Saturday or Sunday on a fall Wisconsin day and I think getting 540,000 signatures is going to be tough.”
Today brings news that the group seeking to recall the governor is already 55 percent of the way to its goal in the first 12 days of the recall.
The news release from United Wisconsin states it has collected more than 300,000 signatures already and includes the following details:
“Wisconsinites were signing the recall petition at the rate of 1,040 per hour. In the first 96 hours of the recall effort, begun by United Wisconsin on November 15, more than 105,000 signatures were collected from all 72 counties in Wisconsin.
Statistics on the first 12 days of recall Walker signature collection:
• 10,033 residents from Columbia County signed recall petitions
• 4,713 Pierce County residents have signed so far
• 3,698 residents in Oneida County have signed
• 16,845 Eau Claire County and Chippewa County residents have signed
• 8,540 residents from Portage County have signed”
The reaction from Republican leaders, according to an email obtained by Politico in Washington:
“Tea Party Express chair Amy Kremer warned supporters in a blast email Monday that the “recall is rolling.”
“They are well on their way. I think we were wishful that they would fall short, but it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that they will likely get there without much of a problem.”
The deadline to turn in the recall signatures of Gov. Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch is Jan. 17.
DNR AND DEER MANAGEMENT
The Department of Natural Resources has to be willing to make tough changes in how it manages the state’s deer herd if that’s what’s recommended by the Texas scientist studying the problem. That was the message from DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp to the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram where she spoke with the paper’s editorial board.
Dr. James Kroll, otherwise known as Dr. Deer, was hired by Gov. Walker to provide an independent study of how Wisconsin treats its hunters and its deer population. His final report is due to the state in June. He spoke with Here and Now by phone last week from Texas where he was hunting.
To see that interview, click here.
For her part, Stepp told the paper about Kroll’s upcoming review, “It’s always hard to take criticism. … I’ve told my staff just to treat (Kroll) like a consultant.”
The paper also spoke to her about mining legislation and various other issues before the DNR.
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