Recall in Manitowoc Fails

Well, that was a fun witch hunt, wasn't it?

At the deadline for a show of signatures, the group seeking to recall County Executive Bob Ziegelbauer had too few names on its petitions Thursday.

Ziegelbauer described the group's campaign of "attacks and untruths" as "unpleasant," but said the support generated on his behalf in the past eight weeks made the recall battle worthwhile.

The "kind and generous support I've received from the public has been humbling and beyond my imagination," Ziegelbauer said in a prepared statement.

The Committee to Recall Bob Z. announced its campaign in August to remove Ziegelbauer from office because of his proposal to sell the county's 150-bed nursing home and his management of the county's veterans service office, among other issues.

The group said its campaign had been successful at educating the public despite failing to collect a minimum of 8,115 valid signatures needed for a recall election.

Citizens realize that selling the Health Care Center is a big issue worthy of research and open debate, the group wrote Thursday in announcing the petition results.

Rumors I'm hearing from back home is that the groups had an embarrassingly low amount of signatures on their petitions.

They never announced how close (or far) they came in any of their press releases yesterday. But I have to ask, since the masterminds behind this are some big "Truth to Power" liberals (Matt Kadow and Jef Hall) of the Russ Feingold's a living Saint variety.

So I have to ask: You're both bloggers gentlemen, how about some truth on your little act of futility?