Media Trackers is able to confirm that 43 current employees of the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office signed the petition to recall Governor Scott Walker. A total of 70 names on iVerifytheRecall.com matched the names of current employees at the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office, but not all could be completely confirmed at the time of publication. The employees signing the Walker recall petition range in stature from a Deputy District Attorney, to at least 19 Assistant District Attorneys, and a host of support staff.
Highest ranking among the officials signing the Walker recall petition was Deputy District Attorney Lovell Johnson Jr. Johnson is one of five Deputy District Attorney’s who report directly to Democrat DA John Chisholm.
In addition to DDA Johnson Jr., Media Trackers was able to confirm that 19 Assistant District Attorney’s (data as of March 26, 2012) signed the Walker recall at the time of publication. An additional 10 ADAs appear to have signed but Media Trackers could not confirm with complete certainty. The Milwaukee County ADAs who Media Trackers was able to confirm signed the Walker recall petition include:
- Cynthia Brown
- Holly Bunch
- Ronald S. Dague
- Patricia Daugherty
- Miriam S. Falk
- Jennifer L. Hanson
- Paul Hauer
- Deann Heard
- Nicolas Heitman
- Francesco Mineo
- Jon Neuleib
- Dax C. Odom
- Irene Parthum
- Kristin Schrank
- Gale Shelton
- Randy Sitzberger
- Claire Starling
- John M. Stoiber
- Megan Williamson
Perhaps one of the most interesting employees at the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office who signed the Scott Walker recall petition is Janet Oelstrom, a secretary for the Public Integrity Unit. The Public Integrity Unit is responsible for anti-corruption probes and the now-familiar ‘John Doe’ investigations like the current two year long investigation into Republican Governor Scott Walker’s former aides. Oelstrom confirmed to Media Trackers on Friday night that she did indeed sign the Walker recall.
A total of 23 support staff for the Milwaukee District Attorney’s office were confirmed to have signed the recall petition. One recall petition was circulated by support staff employee Mary Ann Onorato and included ten Milwaukee County DA support staff employees who signed on Friday November 18, and Monday November 21. An additional 17 names matched but could not be completely confirmed at the time of publication.
Some Milwaukee County DA employees expressed their disapproval of Governor Walker on social media by joining anti-Walker Facebook groups such as ‘Scott Walker is a Douchebag’ and ‘Boycott Scott Walker Contributors.’ Others posted disparaging comments about Governor Walker on Facebook, another has the now-famous Wisconsin ‘Blue Fist’ as her Facebook profile picture, and one ADA had a picture of a ‘Recall Walker’ yard sign as a profile picture.
A support staff employee told Media Trackers that she did not know of any policy whereby Milwaukee District Attorney support staff employees were forbidden from signing the Walker recall petition.
Since the story broke on Monday, the media and liberals have attempted to pour cold water on the story. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, shamed into reporting these groundbreaking findings, attempted to deflect and distract by emphasizing a charge Media Trackers never made. Others on the Left including Democratic State Senator Chris Larson compared the story to a new brand of “McCarthyism.”
The story highlights the need for watchdogs and citizen journalism.
By Collin Roth
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