Just because I’m naturally cynical, I went looking into Stephen Lathrop’s story. I still don’t have everything, but have found enough to know what you’re hearing isn’t the whole.

Among other things, Stephen Lathrop has been involved in a very long-term suit against Granite City. Basically he says he had an agreement to develop the lake and some other land and was supposed to get paid, but this other developer came in and was given it all instead. Claims of RICO violations and bribery and a host of other things are involved.

There’s enough tangle to make me think Senator Johnson would have been well-served to do a full investigation of the situation first, especially since the FBI has been involved in investigating the mess (or so claim both plaintiffs and defendants, with varying claims of what the FBI was really investigating).