Ethical questions on Walker's Harley ride continue to grow; freebies worth $19,000

The ethical questions surrounding Scott Walker's motorcycle trip, paid for by the taxpayers and replete with free goodies for reporters, have finally surfaced in his hometown newspaper.

"Ethical questions arise over Walker's tour to promote county," the Journal Sentinel headline at the top of the Metro section reads. (Too bad it's the Saturday paper, but better than nothing, which is what we've had for the past week.)

The value of free tickets handed out by Walker on the trip, which hit all media markets that cover the state, was more than $19,000, the JS reported. Story

And, except for the Green Bay Press Gazette, which broke the story on the freebies, it appears no other reporter or media outlet turned down the tickets for everything from the Lake Express high-speed ferry to a race at Milwaukee Mile, the zoo, festivals, a PGA golf tournament, and more. The package offered to the Press Gazette was worth more than $500 alone.

Walker said earlier this week that it had all been worth it, because he saw a family from Rockford, Ill. at the zoo and a TV station from Wausau came to Milwaukee to do a feature on the Mitchell Park Domes. A pretty small return for Milwaukee tourism, compared to the political lift Walker got from the trip (before it turned sour.)

Walker insists the trip was about promoting Milwaukee tourism, not his candidacy for governor. But for the first time, the JS says, he "concedes (the trip) helped boost his name recognition in key media markets as he campaigns for the 2006 Republican gubernatorial nomination."

Well, duh. That's what the trip is all about. It could just be coincidence that the first time he did it was last year, when he was already an unofficial candidate for governor. But I don't think so.

It's unfortunate that most of the publicity and ethical questions seem to be about the free tickets. What about the fact that the whole trip was put together by county staff, or that the county (read taxpayers) picked up the $2600 cost of the trip, promoted it on county websites, and that several top county staffers traveled with Walker while drawing their county salaries.

To me, that's worse than the freebies. Walker has blatantly used his office to promote his candidacy.

County Supervisors Gerry Broderick and John Weishan filed an open records request Friday with Walker's office, asking for a full accounting of the trip.

Don't be surprised if there are more twists to the story as more details become public.

Rep. Mark Green, Walker's primary opponent, has declined to comment on the ethical mess, as has Gov. Jim Doyle. Both are content to let Walker try to talk his way out of this himself, as the story continues to circulate and grow.

Earlier Xoff post on the subject.