WEST ALLIS, Wisc. – Tony Evers and his administration admitted behind closed doors that his paroles are unpopular, and as a result, they have made Wisconsin less safe. The public opposes his early release philosophy for convicted murders and rapists, and a new document made public by Sen. Van Wanggaard’s office confirms that Evers and his staff asked Parole Commission Chairman John Tate II to resign out of fear of political pushback.
“We have now seen official state documents that indicate the governor and his staff were concerned that their parole spree was receiving media attention and they’ve gone to great lengths to keep information from the public,” said Michels. “When the heat was turned up, they forced one Parole Commission Chairman to resign, and now they are slow-walking responses to open records requests.”
In May, proving that the governor is not a mere bystander in the parole process, Evers wrote a letter to his Parole Commission Chairman John Tate, II. After the public becameaware of one particularly heinous criminal who was granted parole, Evers asked that Tate reconsider his actions. The parole was rescinded, but Tate later resigned at the request of Evers and his staff.
At the August 18 of Administration Division of Hearings andAppeals meeting on the recommended rescission of the parole grant for Douglas Balsewicz, formerParole Commission Chairman John Tate II admitted the Evers Administration had grave concerns that details of the Parole Commission’s work would be made public:
At the August 18 Department of Administration Division of Hearings and Appeals meeting on the recommended rescission of the parole grant for Douglas Balsewicz, former Parole Commission Chairman John Tate II admitted the Evers Administration had grave concerns that details of the parole commission’s work would be made public:
“I was asked to resign in anticipation of the upcoming legislature going in to [sic] a special session and litigating parole cases…or litigating parole cases in the public sphere and at the end of that process rejecting my confirmation,” said Tate according to transcripts of the hearing.
Michels said the revelation shows Evers understands he can impact the parole grants and that, once exposed to the public, his parole spree would be wildly unpopular.
“The parole spree, the secrecy, all of this is wrong,” said Michels. “Tony Evers releases murderers and rapists yet withholds public information because he feared if the truth of his parole spree gets out, the good people of Wisconsin would be outraged.”
See the transcript here.
About Tim Michels:
Tim Michels is a conservative businessman and veteran running for Governor of Wisconsin. Tim is a proven leader from outside the political establishment who is poised to clean up the mess in Madison and get things headed in the right direction. After serving in the Army for 12 years, Michels worked with his brothers to run Michels Corporation, which in the last 25 years has grown from a few hundred employees to a nationally-admired, multi-faceted construction company with more than 8,000 employees.
