http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-usreport-us-wisconstre73a42l-20110411,0,1912070.story
Tad ironic isnt it?
Railroad executive charged with campaign law violations
By Daniel Bice of the Journal Sentinel
Updated: April 11, 2011 12:42 p.m. |(326) COMMENTS
A major donor to Gov. Scott Walker was charged Monday with funneling more than $60,000 in illegal campaign contributions through his railroad employees during the last election.
William Gardner, president and chief executive officer of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co., has agreed to plead guilty to two felony counts - one for exceeding the campaign contribution limits and a second for giving company and personal funds to others so they could make political donations. Individuals can give no more than $10,000 to gubernatorial candidates.
Under the deal, prosecutors are asking that Gardner be sentenced to two years’ probation.
“Because he was cooperative and accepted responsibility at the outset - providing much of the evidence against himself - we are not recommending jail time,” said Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Landgraf, who investigates election and campaign matters.
Although Milwaukee prosecutors handled the case, the charges were filed in Washington County, where Gardner lives. Each of the two felony counts carries a maximum penalty of 3 ½ years of combined prison and ex
And I had such high regard for Gardner and all that he has accomplished…
A more thorough report can be found here:
http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/119595644.html
Are the prison guards union members?
Ed
Is Gardner ‘tone-deaf’ ? Do he, Warren Buffett, and Buffett’s underling David Sokol (buying Lubrizol shares pre-acquisition) all have dysfunctional noses ? i.e., they don’t realize that these transactions won’t pass the ‘smell test’ ? That might get them past any requirement of intent/ scienter (“evil purpose”), but geez - it sure causes me to doubt their good judgment and mental and management capabilities: “What on earth were they thinking ?” That they could get away with it ??? All of these shenanigans are fairly common and the stuff of pulp fiction and bad movies - don’t they read/ watch them either ? What did they think would happen when it became public ? Did they really think it never would ? Sheesh. [sigh]
Only good thing is that Gardner appears to have stepped up to the plate and “accepted responsibility” without a fight, and I commend him for that. now - what about his employees who were “just following orders” ?
- Paul North.
Yet to be determined/reported is what Gardner was hoping to get from Walker for himself and/or the railroad in return for the donations.
My guess is that Mr. Gardne’rs main problem was most likely, he wasfound to be contributing to a Republican in a ‘Democratic’ Wisconsin, and worse than that- The Republican WON! [#oops]
One has to wonder? Had Mr. Gardner, been a Democrat contributing to a Democrat; would this have even broken water? [X-)][X-)][X-)]
Carrying on in and illegal operation is neither Republican nor Democrat…in this instance it happens to be a Republican party concern. But illegal is illegal no matter what.
Yes, indeed!
It’s ridiculous to always claim everything is partisan. Perhaps you didn’t read either article? Gardner pleaded guilty, so his party allegiance has nothing to do with it. And this wasn’t the first time for Gardner.
Blago says… just another day in Illinois…### Seriously, given Wisconsin govenor Walkers stance, in general, towards passenger trains and the need the cut the budget in his state, perhaps Mr. Gardner felt threatened that state funding to the Wisconsin Southern would be cut without some extra incentives. Does anybody have a ballpark figure of how much money the state of Wisconsin provides to the railroad on an anual basis? I’m assuming that it would be low interest loans of some kind.### Thanks,### CC
The route selected for the now-rejected fed money for HrSR from Madison to Milwaukee used some of WSOR’s RoW. Perhaps Gardner didn’t want passenger trains on his track?
Campaign finance law is definitely not one of my areas of expertise. Still, I have to wonder whether Mr. Gardner threw himself upon the altar of the law a little too soon. Recall that, a year or so ago, the US Supreme Court struck down a Federal law limiting corporate and union campaign contributions on the grounds that it violated the First Amendment of the US Constitution. This means that similar state laws would also be unconstitutional, since states can’t take away rights guaranteed by the US Constitution. The piece I don’t know is how similar the Wisconsin law is to the Federal law that bit the dust.
Unless things have changed drastically since the Wisconsin & Southern was featured in one of the PBS “Trackside” episodes, the State of Wisconsin owns all of the track and right-of-way, and major decisions on how the line will be operated must be approved by state regulators. Perhaps Gardner was just insuring that the skids were kept greased when he had to seek approval to change something.
As for the question, “what was he thinking,” probably that it’s not a crime if you don’t get caught.
If you read the Milwaukee Journal’s story linked by Zardoz you would have seen the mention that in the previous Governor’s election he donated illegally to both candidates, Republican and Democrat.
Thats correct and if you knew anything about the Wisconsin and Sourthern Railway (read it’s website for example). it relies heavily on State grants to expand operations / fix track. Not surprising he would contribute back to whom he percieved as the winner of the election…the State is his Sugar Daddy.
I’ll go to that trial to argue this.
If William Gardner is sentenced to prison, who will take over as president of the WSOR. Would it be up for sale? and if it did go up for sale, would you like to see CN buy the railroad???
You didn’t read anything-he’s not going to jail. He’s getting two years’ probation and the railroad isn’t for sale. Where do you come up with stuff like you wrote?
If I were the Wisconsin Southern,I wouldnt be showing up at train shows selling WSOR memorabilia right now. With this state in a fume over union rights and such,it seems to me the WSOR President let everyone down.What I dont understand why Gardner gave idiot governor money,when WSOR KNEW he was going to eliminate the HSR.The HSR WAS to be operated on WSOR trackage from Watertown to Madison.