DELICIOUS IRONY

I must admit I have a hard time understanding exactly what to make of a news story making the rounds today (of all days) about voter fraud in Wisconsin.  On the one hand, it seems to demonstrate the real possibility another Republican political operative is either an idiot or a criminal, or both.  On the other hand, it seems to demonstrate the lengths Republicans will go to prove one of their controversial policies is really necessary.  What am I talking about?

As most Wisconsinites know, the Wisconsin state legislature just yesterday passed a bill which, among other restrictions on the right to vote, makes it necessary for potential voters to provide a photo ID at the poll.  Since Governor Walker supported the bill and promised to sign it into law, it seems destined to become law – unless the law is blocked by a legal challenge which establishes one or more provision in the bill unconstitutionally restricts the right to vote (a prospect that is not all that far fetched given news reports which characterize the law as one of, if not the most, restrictive in the nation).

Republican backers of the bill say it is necessary to stem what they claim is widespread voter fraud.  Democrats allege Republicans passed the law to suppress voting from groups that have traditionally voted more Democrat than Republican (for example, the poor, students, and the elderly) rather than out of a desire to fix any real problem with voter fraud.  The story published today in the La Crosse Tribune provides fodder for both groups.

Marcie Malszycki, 30, an aide to state Rep. Warren Petryk, R-Eleva (one of the legislative sponsors of the voter ID bill), is center stage in this controversy.  She is under investigation for fraudulently voting (for Republican candidates according to her Facebook page) in Onalaska, WI (the locality from which the blog West Coast Wisconsin originates) in the 2008 and 2010 November elections.  While it is understandable a Republican state representative’s staffer would be proud about voting, and especially proud of voting Republican, it becomes a bit less a source of pride when one hears about the possibility that on both occasions, she was living in Madison while working for her boss (the aforesaid Republican legislator) at the state Capitol – which is also in Madison.

Tim Gruenke, the La Crosse County District Attorney, has referred an investigation into whether these actions by Ms. Malszycki constitute the crime of voter fraud Republicans (like Malzzycki's boss) are so concerned about to Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne to determine whether criminal charges should be filed.  So, it seems Republicans may be correct that voter fraud is (at least occasionally) a real problem.  Unfortunately, it looks like the problem may not be who the Republicans thought it would be.