Thursday, March 08, 2007

Call me cynical

This article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel caught my attention yesterday-

Troha tax bills got special attention from state


What especially caught my attention was the statements made by DOT Chief Council, Robert Jambois-

Robert Jambois, the department's chief counsel, said staff attorney Paul Nilsen was sent to Illinois and Pennsylvania so he could have a better understanding of the issues at hand.


But in a Sept. 14, 2004, e-mail, then-chief counsel Jim Thiel said Nilsen went there because Busalacchi promised Troha's attorney, Bill Jennaro, he would do so. Jennaro was hired by Doyle in 2003 to help negotiate casino compacts with Indian tribes, some of which opposed Troha's efforts to open a mega-casino in Kenosha.


In saying the handling of the case was not unusual, Jambois noted that DOT employees went to Georgia in 2001 when Schneider National, a giant Green Bay trucking firm, was involved in a dispute with that state. He did not know whether then-Republican Transportation Secretary Terry Mulcahy met with Schneider executives.

The reason this caught my attention is because down here in Kenosha- we know of the Jambois family quite well. In fact, Robert Jambois is our former district attorney. Mr. Jambois was appointed by Jim Doyle as the Department of Transportations chief council in 2005.

Call me cynical, but perhaps Mr. Jambois should not be the person defending Governor Doyle or the actions of the Department of Transportation in this interest.

It is a pretty well known fact, here in Kenosha, that there is a relationship between, the Jambois family, the Troha family and Kenosha's casino.

Before the casino was voted on, there was a group called "JOBS for Kenosha". This group was created specifically for the purpose of pushing through the referendum for the Kenosha Casino.

The group "JOBS for Kenosha" spent well over a million dollars(Troha's money) to push the Kenosha casino.

At the head of this group was Beverly Jambois- wife of Robert Jambois- current DOT chief counsel(appointed by Doyle) and former Kenosha DA.

Posted in the Kenosha News, Feb. 13, 2005-





Pat Kiefer, second from left, director from Women & Children’s Horizons, accepts a $13,500 check from JOBS for Kenosha, the organization formed to support the proposed casino project of the Menominee Nation and Kenesah Gaming Development. Presenting the check were Beverly Jambois, left, of JOBS for Kenosha; Dennis Troha, Kenesah Gaming Development; Laurie Boivin, Menominee legislator, and attorney John Erickson, right. The two groups decided to disperse the remaining campaign funds to the women’s shelter and the Boys and Girls Club. The Boys and Girls Club also received $13,500.

Let me be clear in stating that Robert Jambois was NOT appointed by Jim Doyle until AFTER the trip to Pennsylvania had already taken place.

However, it is important that everyone understand the Mr. Jambois most definitely has an interest in protecting Kenosha's casino, Dennis Troha and Jim Doyle.

The Jambois family has worked very hard at getting Kenosha a casino.

Perhaps Robert Jambois is not the best person to be speaking on the behalf of the DOT right now. He and his family have certainly has taken an active role in the Kenosha casino project.

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