Update on Brian Deschane

Demotion of lobbyist's son ignores reality of problem

A quick comment on the Brian Deschane situation, the son of a lobbyist who, despite lacking any educational degree or relevant experience, received a political appointment to a state job with a salary of $81,000:

Yesterday, Gov. Scott Walker announced he would be demoting Deschane back to his previous job within the Department of Regulation and Licensing. With his demotion, Deschane goes back to his previous salary of $64,000.

That’s all fine and everything, but Walker’s ignoring the point entirely: it wasn’t Deschane’s promotion that was the problem. It was the fact that he was hired at all. By giving a college-dropout with no experience whatsoever a cushy $64,000-a year job, the Walker administration is making it clear that its hires are based on allegiance, not merit. Most of all, it proves that money talks: when an organization gives a candidate more than $90,000 in campaign contributions over two years, a kid like Deschane is cleared to the top of the pack, ahead of all other candidates who are much more qualified.

Walker should have removed Deschane from any job that he wasn’t qualified to perform. In time, Deschane may prove that he’s worthy of advancement, capable of performing either of the jobs he was appointed to. But until that time, qualified candidates for state jobs should be hired based on their ability to perform the role in question, not based on who are the friends and contributors to Scott Walker’s campaign.