Mary Bottari's News Articles

Since May 2010, the Milwaukee County District Attorney has been conducting a secret "John Doe" criminal investigation involving Scott Walker's former staff and associates during the time that Walker served as the Milwaukee County Executive and was running for governor. The wide-ranging investigation has included allegations of illegal campaign work on the public payroll, embezzlement of funds from a veterans' charity, and even child enticement. So far, it has netted 15 felony indictments and, at this moment, three people are awaiting trial.

One spring day in Wisconsin last year, as a bustling crowd of Madison teachers got ready to march on the Capitol to protest Governor Scott Walker's bill to dismantle public sector unions, the march was led by an unusual team -- a group of African Americans wearing dark shades, snazzy berets, blue uniforms, and taps on their shoes. They were the International Longshore and Warehouse Union's drill team, all the way from California showing their support for Wisconsin's working families. The tradition dates back to the union's founding in the 1930s.

In the 14 years that Paul Ryan has been a Congressman from Southeastern Wisconsin, he has never had a challenger of any stature or a race of any significance. Janesville, his hometown and the heart of the district, has no TV stations and only a handful of small, scrappy newspapers. What an opportunity for a man of the people to take the highroad!

I was reading Alexander Cockburn early this morning when I heard he had died.

As a kid growing up in the suburban wasteland of New Jersey, Cockburn's columns in the Nation introduced me to issues, wars, and corrupt politicians around the world I had never heard of.