I AM THE FORCE

I'm very concerned about the career of one of the lawbreakers in the caucus scandal, and would like to take this opportunity to plead with his boss to allow him to keep his job. As I'm sure you've already guessed, I am talking about former Assembly Democratic Caucus Staffer George Twigg, who now works as communications director for Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.

Admittedly, the John Doe testimony of Twigg and others has indisputably proven that Twigg is guilty of misconduct in public office for campaigning for Assembly Democrats while on the state payroll. He does admit playing a significant role in the illegal-coordination tool of Assembly Dems -- The Wisconsin Voter Education Fund. Careful scrutiny of the John Doe transcripts show a long-term pattern of cheating the taxpayers and breaking the law for Dem causes. And even though he was WI communications director for John Kerry, no one can prove definitively that he had anything to do with Operation Elephant Takeover.

I say the guy deserves another chance and shouldn't be fired. Can we really go back in time and hold people responsible for their participation in the caucus scandal? Jim Doyle, at least, says no to that approach. After all, Twigg only followed the orders of higher ups who he knew to be much better people than the Republicans. Hundreds of staffers broke the law, just like Twigg, and only Sherry Schultz and Tanya Bjork are having to pay for it. Is that fair? Singling out this rodentine young ideologue would send all the wrong signals to the make-a-difference-at-all-costs MoveOn.org generation.

I know that Madison Mayor Cieslewicz has pledged to hold his Administration to the highest ethical standards, and that he immediately fires people for things like sexual harassment or pro-business attitudes, but that is no reason that he has to get rid of lawbreakers like Twigg. What about forgiveness and redemption and giving misguided kids another chance? Breaking the law should not preclude you from serving as a press agent for a politician. In fact, a willingness to break the rules and tell lies can come in handy in that position.

And let's not forget that Twigg's lawbreaking -- although clumsier and more extreme than most -- was part of a larger system of corruption over which he had no control. He was just a funny-looking extremist from another state when he had to undergo Shirley Krug's groping and try to get a job with Assembly Democrats. What was he supposed to do, tell Shirley not to touch him there and demand immediate ethics reforms? I don't think so, he never would have gotten in the door with that kind of an attitude.

And Mayor Dave, the other thing to keep in mind is that he wasn't very good at his job. After all, the Assembly Democratic Caucus repeatedly lost seats during Twigg's tenure. How big of a cheater can he be if he wasn't able to help pick up a seat or two, and slow the evil creep of Republican hegemony. So competence is undoubtedly an issue, and another reason to show this dweeb some compassion. After all, aren't attempted murderers punished less than actual murderers? He couldn't get the job done, and so shouldn't be forced to answer for his crimes. Perhaps that's even why Blanchard left him alone.

Lastly, I think the guy has already suffered enough humiliation. And being fired at this juncture would do nothing for what must be an already fragile self-esteem. And even though he is serving in a position where public trust is paramount, it just doesn't seem fair to fire him for violating the public trust.

Please Mayor Dave, don't fire poor George Twigg. Doing so would blow his crimes way out of proportion, and cause a ripple effect that neither of our partisan machines could sustain.