No Degree, Little Experience Pay Off Big

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal reports, No degree, little experience pay off big. Gov. Scott Walker's (R-WI) administration gave a $81,500-per-year job to 26 year-old Brian Deschane. As you read the details, it just gets more amazing.

"His father is Jerry Deschane, executive vice president and longtime lobbyist for the Madison-based Wisconsin Builders Association, which bet big on Walker during last year's governor's race...Total donations: $121,652."

The job is "overseeing environmental and regulatory matters and dozens of employees at the Department of Commerce."

"Hulsey said he was unimpressed with the younger Deschane's résumé, including his lack of environmental or management experience." "It doesn't look like he's ever had a real job," the Madison Democrat said.

"According to his résumé, Deschane, 27, attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for two years, worked for two Republican lawmakers - then-Sens. David Zien and Cathy Stepp, now the natural resources secretary - and helped run a legislative and a losing congressional campaign. He held part-time posts with the Wisconsin Builders Association and the Wisconsin Business Council until being named to his first state gig earlier this year."

"Deschane's name does not appear on a list of job applicants with Walker's transition team, but the governor's office confirmed that Gilkes interviewed Deschane for a state job in December. A month later, Secretary David Ross, a Walker cabinet member, named Deschane the bureau director of board services, a job that paid $64,728 a year."

"Not long after, lawmakers approved the governor's plan to convert the Department of Commerce to a public-private hybrid in charge of attracting and retaining businesses, with its regulatory and environmental functions being moved to other agencies. Commerce Secretary Paul Jadin then appointed Deschane to his new post there to oversee the changes....The move meant a pay raise of more than $16,500 a year for Deschane, even though he had put in only a couple of months with the state."