Email Dispute Over Rumors Of Prison Privatization

The president of the union that represents state prison guards is speaking out against an email sent to corrections workers by the Secretary of the Department of Corrections.

The email calls on prison employees to stop spreading baseless rumors about plans to privatize state prisons. The memo from DOC secretary Ed Wall says there are no such plans and warns workers using state email that spreading such rumors could cost some people their jobs. Wisconsin state employees union president Marty Beil says he hasn’t been spreading any rumors, and he questions the tone of the email. “You know, ‘Don’t talk to each other about anything.’ Like somehow people who work for the state gave up their First Amendment rights in employment. I don’t remember that being in any job description but apparently for him, that’s the way it is.”

The Secretary’s memo says the rumors have falsely claimed that the Corrections Corporation of America has offices in Madison and is lobbying for privatizing state prisons. But the state lobbying database shows that the CCA does have a lobbyist in Madison and spent $60,000 dollars in the last two years. The corporation also contributed almost $8,000 to Governor Scott Walker’s campaign fund in 2012.