Monday, June 20, 2011

Chris Liebenthal: Suspended

Finally, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter, union member and "willing partner" Dan Bice has provided his readers with information on public employee Chris Liebenthal's abuses on the job.

Bice writes:

Lefty blogger Chris Liebenthal was suspended for 10 days without pay earlier this year for using his county computer for personal purposes, recently obtained records show.

"It is clear that Mr. Liebenthal blatantly violated the Use of Technology Policy over the course of a year on numerous occasions and was in violation of the above Civil Service rules," wrote Geri Lyday, interim director of the Department of Health and Human Services, earlier this year.

The suspension cost Liebenthal - a social worker and official with the county employees union - $2,051 in county pay, said Mark Stein, an interim department administrator.

Bice doesn't tell his readers that "Lefty blogger Chris Liebenthal" is more than just an anti-Scott Walker crusader.

Bice doesn't mention the fact that Chris "Capper" Liebenthal is the author of Whallah! It's a despicable blog, founded on cruelty and harassment.

Tax dollars at work!

Bice continues:

Liebenthal became the target of allies of then-County Executive Scott Walker, now the governor, after a Walker aide resigned in May 2010 for doing political activity during work hours.

Citizens for Responsible Government, a pro-Walker outfit, urged investigators to decide whether Liebenthal, a county worker, had been using his taxpayer-funded computer to post on any of his various blogs.

After seizing his work computer, prosecutors found last year he had engaged in political activity at work but decided not to file charges, saying it was more of a personnel issue.

Earlier this year, Lyday concluded that Liebenthal - who goes by the name Capper in his anti-Walker blogs - had broken two rules, one for wasting time at work and the other for doing personal activities during the workday. The original recommendation was for a 15-day suspension.

Lyday said she found no evidence that the blogger had used county equipment to post on his blogs.

"Mr. Liebenthal acknowledged that he did use his County computer for personal use but that all activity has ceased," Lyday wrote.

In March, Liebenthal agreed not to fight the matter and to affirm that "the charges are well founded" in exchange for the suspension being dropped to 10 days, according to records obtained by No Quarter.

Bice makes it sound like Liebenthal was a victim.

"Liebenthal became the target of allies of then-County Executive Scott Walker, now the governor, after a Walker aide resigned in May 2010 for doing political activity during work hours."

Poor "Capper" became a target.

Why doesn't Bice put the emphasis on the fact that taxpayer employee Liebenthal "blatantly violated the Use of Technology Policy over the course of a year on numerous occasions and was in violation of the above Civil Service rules," rather than paint him as the victim of a political witch hunt?

Also, why did it take so long for Bice to get around to sharing the story of Liebenthal's suspension with his readers? Why did he provide that cover for Liebenthal? The timing of the revelations is strange.

Moreover, Bice doesn't acknowledge that he targeted Darlene Wink, a Scott Walker staffer at the time. He doesn't highlight his personal role in outing Wink and his significant role in her eventual resignation. That's a major omission.

I think it's interesting that the investigation into Liebenthal's online political activity being funded by taxpayers only took into account what he did last year.

Are we to believe that Liebenthal hadn't been engaging in this inappropriate activity for significantly longer?

I suspect the taxpayers have been funding public employee, union member, Democrat Liebenthal's "wasting time at work" for years.

And Liebenthal is still on the job.

6 comments:

jimspice said...

So, I notice that not once did you mention "blogging" at taxpayer expense as you have in the past. Are you now walking back those accusations? If so, why?

Mary said...

As far as backing off from "extensive political blogging," I guess that depends on how one defines "blogging."

In my previous posts on Liebenthal's workplace behavior, I cited the release from Citizens for Responsible Government, the source of the phrase "extensive political blogging."

For this post, I cited the sources Bice used.

While Bice states the investigation did not reveal that Liebenthal used county equipment to post on his blogs, he was in violation of Civil Service rules.

Bice writes: "After seizing his work computer, prosecutors found last year he had engaged in political activity at work but decided not to file charges, saying it was more of a personnel issue."

I don't really care if Liebenthal wrote actual blog posts on his Leftist, anti-Walker, anti-conservative blogs.

We do know that public employee Liebenthal engaged in political activity at work using his work computer.

Obviously, that was deemed to be a serious violation.

The evidence (not accusations, but evidence) shows that Liebenthal was ripping off the taxpayers.

Is that backing off?

jimspice said...

Well, I would have gone with "I was wrong to assume before all the evidence was in," but you go ahead with what you think is ethical. I know how hard it is for your side to admit you were wrong.

If I were Capper, I'd seriously consider a law suit, but that's just me.

Mary said...

I think "your side" should admit that public employee Liebenthal was screwing the taxpayers.

A lawsuit? Why?

He was found to be in violation of Civil Service rules.

Liebenthal "agreed not to fight the matter and to affirm that 'the charges are well founded.'"

"THE CHARGES ARE WELL FOUNDED."

There is no vindication for Liebenthal.

jimspice said...

So if you call someone a child molester, and they end up being charged with retail theft, you are completely justified?

Mary said...

Are you kidding?

"After seizing his work computer, prosecutors found last year he had engaged in political activity at work."

Liebenthal was suspended for his blatant violations.

"It is clear that Mr. Liebenthal blatantly violated the Use of Technology Policy over the course of a year on numerous occasions and was in violation of the above Civil Service rules."

Child molester? Retail theft?

That comparison is really over the top.

Public employee Liebenthal screwed taxpayers when he engaged in political activity on his work computer during work hours.