Group names Scott Walker among the worst governors in America

After more than two years of bitterly divisive politics and Scott Walker bashing, it’s easy to forget that other states have controversial governors, too.

And according to one watchdog group, Wisconsin could have done worse. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington’s report, “The Worst Governors in America,” ranks Walker only sixth.

This is the second such report by CREW; the first appeared way back in 2010, the year Walker won election to the state’s highest office. Since then, according to CREW, Walker has amassed a resume of cronyism, scandal, partisan shenanigans and mismanagement that has propelled him to the upper echelons of bad governing.

CREW, according to its website, is “dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials who sacrifice the common good to special interests.” The report separates 18 governors into three categories: the ringmasters, the clowns and the sideshows.

Walker is listed among the ringmasters. The report explains:

“His inclusion stems from: (1) using his office to promote donors’ interests; (2) illegally using state troopers to track down his political opponents; (3) an investigation into illegal activity by his aides; (4) diverting money from a nationwide mortgage settlement; (5) an investigation into the state economic development corporation he chairs; (6) dismissing a political appointee for signing the recall petition against him; and (7) advocating for new voter identification restrictions.”

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