Attorney: Hurtgen's Career Ruined (GOP and Thompson activist)

[LiberalFighter]

Full Story Madison Capital Times - 6 Jan 2005

Excerpts below

STEVE HURLEY, the Madison attorney for embattled former Tommy Thompson administration figure Nick Hurtgen, said Wednesday that unproven allegations have not just cost Hurtgen his job, they've ruined his career.

In May, Hurtgen had made big headlines in Chicago when the Sun-Times broke an explosive story alleging that Hurtgen, who left Wisconsin state government to work for the investment banking firm Bear Stearns, tried to shake down a suburban Chicago hospital that was seeking to expand.

When the Sun-Times story first broke, I had thought it worth mentioning because of Hurtgen's extensive connections to Wisconsin politics. At that wedding in 1993, not only was Thompson an usher, but his top aide Jim Klauser and the venerable lobbyist Bill Gerrard were too. You can't get much more connected than that.

That's not quite accurate. Hurtgen actually got his political start working in the offices of Republican legislators, including Thompson before he was governor and state Sen. Donald Stitt. He also worked for U.S. Sen. Bob Kasten. Earlier, he'd served as head of Wisconsin Youth for Reagan.

[sybylla]

1. If you lay down with dogs...

from the article
"The result," Hurley continued, "is that Nick lost his job. And even if these allegations are never substantiated, and I don't believe they will be, Nick has not only lost his job, he has lost his career."

My response is "too bad." I find it difficult to have sympathy for GOPpies of any stripe. But this case is special. Any politicos of any stripe who put themselves in potentially unethical situations for monetary gain and are shocked when someone points a finger at them even when they've done nothing wrong are too greedy for their own good and don't deserve my sympathy. It ranks right up there with bazillionaire basketball players and rock stars who take "acquaintances" back to their rooms and are seemingly surprised to find themselves defending rape charges.

Whatever the impetus, greed, stupidity or arrogance, they only earn my contempt. But I guess I'm just a heartless bitch.

[ewagner]

2. Remember that standards

in politics are different than they are in the public sector.

in politics, one must avoid the appearance of impropriety whereas in the private sector, one must merely avoid impropriety . Some of the ethics codes have that precise language in them but even if it isn't, it is certainly an unwritten law that states that so that your political viability is damaged.....

just $.02 from an old politician.