Contact: Jessica Ward
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Vukmir campaign: Ethics complaint: long-time democrat aide says Baldwin was at fault for Tomah
After firing her deputy state director and offering her a taxpayer-funded settlement to remain quiet, an ethics complaint was filed against Senator Tammy Baldwin. While the complaint was dismissed, Marquette Baylor, a top aide to Senator Baldwin and Senator Kohl, clearly believed there was a political cover-up by Senator Baldwin and her office.
BACKGROUND …
United States Senate Select Committee On Ethics
The Complaint of Marquette Baylor against Senator Tammy Baldwin
April 20, 2015
I, Marquette Baylor, bring this Ethics Complaint against my former employer, Senator Tammy Baldwin, for making false statements and representations to cover up actions by her Chief of Staff and protect her political career. In support of this Ethics Complaint, I hereby state as follows:
Introduction
1. In late January, 2015, the public learned that Senator Tammy Baldwin’s office had obtained an inspection report from the Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General (“VA OIG”) concerning alleged overmedication and abuse at the VA hospital in Tomah, Wisconsin. The public also learned that Senator Baldwin and her senior aides did nothing to protect Wisconsin veterans from the danger and abuse detailed in the report.
2. After the public outcry, Senator Baldwin immediately sought to place the blame squarely on me. She instructed her Chief of Staff, Bill Murat, to fly to Milwaukee, fire me, and offer me a severance package that required me to stay quiet. Murat then moved into damage control, meeting with individuals in Wisconsin and telling them that the inaction was my fault. When I rejected the severance package, Senator Baldwin revised her plan. She hired a high- powered law firm, paid that firm to prepare an internal report for her – at no point requesting to interview me or ask me questions – and used that report to further deflect blame toward me while protecting those truly at fault.
