The Doyle Decision: A Translation

After reading today's JSOnline article about Doyle's decision to cancel the Adelman Travel contract, I've decided to translate its meaning. My comments are in red.

Madison - Gov. Jim Doyle canceled a controversial contract with Adelman Travel this afternoon - six days after a state employee was indicted for allegedly manipulating the bidding process so that firm got the deal. Covering his ass.

“While I personally have not seen any evidence of impropriety, the accusations that have been made against one of our state employees in connection with her duties must be considered seriously,” Doyle told reporters this afternoon in Janesville. Burning her ass.

In addition to the controversy prompted by the federal indictment of state Department of Administration purchasing officer Georgia Thompson, the Adelman Travel contract “was not being used very much,” said Dan Leistikow, communications director for the governor. Covering everyone's ass.

State officials had estimated that the three-year contract would be worth about $750,000 to Adelman Travel - or $250,000 per year. But only about $36,000 was paid the firm in the first six months of the deal - showing that the original estimates were too high, Leistikow said. Adelman travel executives agreed with the decision to cancel the contract, Leistikow added. Covering their ass.

Besides canceling the deal, Doyle announced that Mark Bugher, a former secretary of the Department of Administration for former Gov. Tommy G. Thompson, will conduct a “speedy review” of the agency’s bidding and contracting process. Bugher is respected and will take an “independent look” at the contracting process, Leistikow said. Arbitrary ass covering.

The governor also will issue an executive order prohibiting political appointees, including division heads who serve at the pleasure of the governor, from serving on any bidding panels evaluating proposals from companies that want state contracts. Covering the asses of future generations.

But Doyle’s campaign will not refund $10,000 campaign gifts each from Adelman Travel founder Craig Adelman and Adelman Travel board member Mitch Fromstein - the maximum gifts allowed by law to candidates for governor. Until giving Doyle’s campaign $10,000, Adelman had never given more than $1,000 to a candidate for governor. Being an ass.

Leistikow said the donations were legal, publicly disclosed as required by state law. He said that indictment of Thompson, a $77,341-a-year civil servant, did not question or suggest anything improper with the donations by Adelman and Fromstein to the governor’s campaign. Do I look like an ass?

“I looked at the charges from the U.S. attorney very closely, and there was nothing to suggest Craig Adelman or Mitchell Fromstein did anything wrong,” Doyle said. My ass.

Leistikow said the governor made the decisions Sunday, after he returned from a weeklong trip to visit Wisconsin troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Getting his ass outta town.

That's all I have to say about that.