Doyle, ink refills and hypocrisy

The notion of Jim Doyle putting forward a meaningful ethics reform package is roughly tantamount to the idea of Russ Feingold offering his thoughts on the furtherance of homeland security.

And yet Mr. Doyle has the sheer, hypocrisy-laced gall to introduce ethics reform legislation. According to today's Wisconsin State Journal, the governor is pushing for a litany of cosmetic changes, though he seems to have run into some early trouble when it came to finding support:

Sen. Mike Ellis, R-Neenah, who was included in Doyle's announcement as one of the supporters of the reform, bitterly rebuked the governor's tactics even before what Ellis called a "tepid reform package" was unveiled. Several of the proposals have already been introduced in the Republican- controlled Legislature, he said.
"Suddenly, in an election year, when he is being investigated . . . the governor gets religion and starts to pose for holy pictures. Give me a break," said the statement from Ellis.

Mr. Ellis shouldn't be surprised though. Mr. Doyle is the same hack of a governor who has gutted state education (while bettering prisons), turned Friday into a regular veto day and, yes, stood idly by while the attorney general – a member of his own party and apparent political ally – was found drunkenly crashed in a roadside ditch.

But the greatest irony, of course, is that this all comes as Mr. Doyle is personally under investigation – by that same boozing and cruising AG, no less – for violating current state ethics laws. This takes the old “if you can't beat 'em, join 'em” motto to a new level.

Then again, I suppose such is to be expected from a man whose term has been defined by ordering ink refills for the veto pen. Mr. Doyle is desperate. It's just a pity that he can't mask it better.