Wausau City Hall
CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – The double standards surrounding Wausau Ethics Committee is breathtaking.
They are currently deciding if they’ll launch a full investigation into Mayor Doug Diny for removing an unsecured ballot drop box. And you can see this like a parade coming down Main Street – they will.
So who is on the Ethics Committee? Well, there are three members who have known conflicts of interest. The committee chair Kay Palmer signed a letter to the U.S. Attorney calling for a voting rights investigation into the mayor months ago. To her credit she has recused herself, although there was no indication that she was going to do so until the letter became public. There’s Doug Hosler, a political donor to former Mayor Katie Rosenberg. And he received a curious fundraising phone call from Attorney General Josh Kaul, who has his own investigation into Doug Diny. That fundraising call – irony of ironies – came the very day that the Wausau Ethics Committee was taking up the case. And there is Jesse Kearns, who ran against Doug Diny for a seat on the city council.
Members of the Ethics Committee are appointed by the Mayor, and are subject to approval by the City Council. Now comes news that the current mayor gets to appoint an alternate to the board. Doug Diny’s choice: Dylan Anderson. He was immediately described as a ‘political operative’ in the media. His crime: He works in one of Congressman Tom Tiffany’s field offices. If you have a problem getting a passport, or need help with a federal permit, Anderson is the person who helps you.
The City Council tabled Anderson’s nomination last night, even though the mayor has been found guilty of nothing and retains the full powers of his office. There are no ethics in Wausau. As you may have figured out by now, only the Mayor’s opponents may sit in judgement of him. Anyone else is obviously unqualified.
Chris Conley
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