Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, facing a recall election on June 5 for his union-busting legislation, launched an all-out attack in the war on women this week from a crouched position, hiding in the shadows out of public view.
Walker quietly signed a set of contentious GOP bills barring abortion coverage through health insurance exchanges, requiring doctors to consult privately with women seeking abortions and mandating sex education teachers stress abstinence.
If that's not enough, Walker also signed a bill that repeals a law that made it easier for victims of wage discrimination to have their day in court!
The Republican Walker signed the bills yesterday behind closed doors but didn't announce the move until midday today, when his office released a list of dozens of bills he signed over the past two days.
Walker's spokesman, Cullen Werwie, said it was simpler to lump all the bills signed over the two days into one announcement.
Democrats heaped criticism on the governor today, calling the delay in announcing the signings cowardly and the bills bizarre social policy.
"Perhaps he thought that in doing this behind closed doors,with no public notice, before a holiday weekend for many families, his actions would go unnoticed. He was wrong. We will not be silent-- these issues are too important to ignore," Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, said in a statement.
Obviously, it was a classic Friday document dump, an effort to minimize negative news coverage by releasing bad news when fewer reporters (and political opponents) are on duty.
In this case, it was a Good Friday document dump!
Happy Easter Gov. Walker!