Wis. governor recall effort announced

MADISON, Wis., Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Wisconsin Democrats said Monday they will try to recall Gov. Scott Walker, who they accuse of "grabbing political power and catering to corporate interests."

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Mike Tate announced the decision on the state party's Web site, and then went on MSNBC Monday evening to discuss the recall effort.

"After weeks of discussion and positive collaboration with grassroots activists like you, today comes an historic announcement," Tate said on the Web site, announcing plans to file Nov. 15 for a recall.

The online announcement doubled as a fundraising appeal, with Tate saying Democrats "will need to organize, train and fund an army of grassroots volunteers who will need to collect more than 540,206 valid recall signatures."

Walker, a Republican, led a GOP effort in the state Capitol this year to pass legislation stripping public employees of collective bargaining rights, leading to massive demonstrations in Madison and elsewhere in the state.

"Scott Walker has spent his time in office grabbing political power and catering to corporate interests, not fighting for the middle class," Tate said. "Because of his actions, Scott Walker has rendered himself vulnerable to the one tool left for Wisconsin to hold him accountable -- his recall."

The state Democratic Party Monday released a poll, conducted in mid-September, indicating independents support recalling Walker by 52 percent to 36 percent, and that 52 percent of all Wisconsin voters disapprove of Walker's job performance.