Black Friday is a big day for the American economy, with businesses starting off the holiday shopping season with big deals. And in Wisconsin, another bargain is on offer: Signing petitions to recall Gov. Scott Walker!
On Wednesday, the state Democratic Party announced that volunteers would be collecting signatures near shopping centers during Black Friday, in their effort to recall Walker.
“Volunteers in every corner of the state have been working very long hours over the past week to get the signatures needed to take Wisconsin back from the corporations and cronies Scott Walker serves, and this weekend, they’ll continue that grassroots effort,” state Dem chair Mike Tate said in a statement on Wednesday. “While this means that some of them will miss out on time they’d normally spend with their families, they know the work they’re doing will ultimately benefit their families and the state far more.”
Republicans responded with their own press release on Wednesday.
“Wisconsin Democrats continue to show their complete and utter lack of shame as they take their baseless recall effort to the doorstep of private businesses, harassing their customers to engage in what is nothing more than a selfish power play to suit the ends of liberal special interests,” said the statement from party spokesman Ben Sparks. “I doubt these businesses wish their stores to be associated with what is purely a partisan ploy, and these selfish acts on the part of the liberal activists will no doubt adversely affect these businesses.”
Sparks added: “Should petition gatherers not leave the premises upon request, we encourage businesses to contact their local law enforcement.”
Officials at the recall umbrella group United Wisconsin told the Associated Press that volunteers will be collecting signatures on public spaces near malls and other shops — which if held to, would seem to put them in the clear against any complaints to law enforcement.
However, the local CBS affiliate in Madison reports some few minor kinks have occurred, as when some petition collectors found their way onto private property and were asked to leave the premises of a local Best Buy:
“We have a no solicitation policy that essentially dictates that we don’t have a policy one way or another on solicitation of whatever the organization may be. But it’s not allowed on private property here,” said Best Buy manager Ryan Sterm.
Sterm said Best Buy officials asked the volunteers to leave and they did so without any argument.
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
Facebook Conversations
Questions about commenting with non-Facebook accounts like Yahoo, or other concerns? Click here to read the TPM Commenting FAQ.