Alarming Security Lapses Contradict Walker “Head-on” Claim
MADISON – Alarming new video released today directly contradicts Scott Walker’s political claim that he has confronted security lapses at his mental health hospital “head-on” and highlight the steps he is taking to hide a report that directly addresses his security failures.
See the video HERE.
Gathered by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in April and again in October, the video shows that, contrary to his claims and in the wake of serious security breaches at the facility, Walker has not adopted any serious security reforms at the building and only recently acknowledged problems at a facility where, dating to 2006, patients have starved to death and been sexually assaulted.
The shocking DPW video shows handwritten warnings about flight risks posted haphazardly on doors, a security station that is unstaffed and visitor badges that are unused.
The video also shows the ease at which visitors can enter the building – and with which patients may leave.
Security conditions at the hospital were at the heart of news this spring that female patients were sexually assaulted at the hospital as the result of a policy in which violent male offenders were placed among them. In August, Walker’s political ally, Sheriff David Clarke, issued a damning report that addressed Walker’s continued failure to improve security there. And in a recent incident, a patient left the building and assaulted a woman in her home.
Meanwhile, Walker has stonewalled Milwaukee County supervisors – and his own auditor – relying on bogus secrecy claims, preventing them from seeing a 2008 report that speaks to the heart of security problems at the complex.
Responding to a police organization’s criticism of Walker’s failure at the complex, his spokesman claimed that Walker had confronted security there “head-on.”
“The video is a sobering reminder of what is at stake in this election. It shows how seriously Scott Walker takes the safety of the most vulnerable community that are supposed to be in his care, which is not at all,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said Saturday. “Even after the deplorable conditions at the facility were exposed, Walker made no changes. Even now, he will say or do anything to deflect blame. Wisconsin deserves better.”
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