Latest Scandal in Madison: Republicans are Bolting Windows in Capitol Building or Something

Do these paranoid lunatics have the slightest notion how idiotic they sound? Perhaps the sound of banging drums and nonstop temper tantrums have left them delusional.

The wooden windows were secured about 10 years ago to prevent anyone from coming into the Capitol through entrances other than doors. Wooden blocks were screwed into the window jams "to prevent the windows from being raised more than a few inches," Donovan said.

In the past week or so, officials realized some of the window blocks had been removed or otherwise damaged.

"Those found missing were replaced with tamper-proof bolts," Donovan said.

Specifically, Capitol facilities workers drove No. 8 wood bolts into the inside of the window frames, and then cut of the heads of the bolts so they could not be easily removed, Donovan said. As the pictures show, it’s not a fancy replacement.

"This is a temporary, quick repair," Donovan said.

He was unable to say exactly how many windows were done or when the work took place. It only takes a few seconds to drive a bolt into the woodwork and snap off the head.

Donovan said most of the window-securing was done in the rest rooms on the ground and first floor. It’s impossible to determine how and when those windows became unsecured, he said.

One of the windows secured was in a first floor office of a legislator, Donovan said. In that case, he said, the lawmakers’ staff filed a work order requesting that the windows be secured.

The state Democrats were not the only ones to notice the window projects.

A Feb. 28, 2011 blog item by AFL-CIO political communications director Eddie Vale carried this headline: "Walker Welding Capitol Windows NOW to Keep Workers from Passing Food to Those Inside."

His item read: "As we speak, Gov. Scott Walker & Senate R's are literally having the windows of the capital welded shut to keep people from passing food into the building to the people inside.

"Our attorneys are collecting affidavits from the people who witnessed this, along with people who have been illegally denied access to a public, government, building."

We asked Donovan about the welding charge.

His answer was simple: "We find that wood doesn’t weld well. It burns."

And that brings us back to the Democratic Party’s claim.

The party said Republicans have "bolted shut" windows at the state Capitol as part of the "ugly games" being used in response to protests. To be sure, tensions are running high in Madison. But the idea that windows are being bolted shut to somehow curtail protesters is off the mark.

It makes sense that windows would be secured so that people couldn’t open them from the outside. You would, no doubt, find similar safety devices on the lower level windows of many apartments in the campus area. It also makes sense that as Capitol Police and facilities staff took stock of the building after weeks of protests they found some windows unsecured.

I wonder if these idiots leave the ground-floor windows in their homes unlocked?