Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) held a tense press conference Wednesday afternoon, following the revelation that he had a 20-minute phone conversation with a prank caller pretending to be Republican financier David Koch, a call in which Walker and "Koch" discussed possible ways to disrupt the protests against his budget bill, and to bring the Democrats back to the Capitol.
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The first questioner asked Walker whether he could be trusted to negotiate in good faith, given he had discussed with "Koch" methods of tricking the Democrats into coming back to the Capitol building, and after he alluded to having considered bringing "troublemakers" into the crowds.
Uhm, yes that's a trick. It's not illegitimate. They can fool the Democrats into coming back and the stab them in the back if they want to. But it's definitely a trick --- which has now been revealed because of his loose lips."For us I think it's real simple. First I want to say I take phone calls all the time," Walker said, before being interrupted by a reporter in the crowd who yelled, "Not mine!." Walker continued: "I've talked to individual taxpayers across the state. As I said last night I've listened to people both pro and con in terms of the e-mails I've received. But bottom line, the things I've said privately are the same things I've said all along."
Regarding the idea of planting agitators in the crowds, Walker said: "We've had all sorts of options brought to us by staff and lawmakers and people across the state, but as you heard we dismissed them."
Regarding the idea of bringing the Democrats into the Capitol to talk, only to have the Republicans use their presence in the building to declare the Senate in session for the budget -- as Walker said, "I'm not negotiating" -- Walker said: "I'm willing to talk, but ultimately I think it has to lead to a vote. I don't think that's a trick."