State Will Pay For Walker’s Security Detail, Even As He Runs For President

Wisconsin taxpayers will continue to pay for Gov. Scott Walker’s security detail even as Walker travels the country campaigning for president.

Walker is protected around the clock by Wisconsin State Troopers, who are part of the state Department of Transportation. DOT Secretary Mark Gottlieb was asked at a budget briefing whether that was appropriate. Gottlieb said the governor is the governor, 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

“For the purposes of providing personal security to the governor, he is the governor all the time, no matter what he is doing,” said Gottlieb. “And that is true of this governor and it has been true of previous governors.”

Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, told Gottlieb the key difference was that previous governors were not running for president while they were in office.