‘Molotov,’ Mr. Gimbel

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By SCOTT BAUER
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker said Wednesday that he doesn’t remember sending a letter about a menorah that is signed, “Thank you and Molotov.”

“My guess is it was a typo,” Walker said when asked about the slip-up by reporters at the governor’s mansion.

Walker presumably meant to write “mazel tov” in the undated letter that was addressed to prominent Milwaukee attorney Frank Gimbel. The letter was written when Walker was Milwaukee County executive and was first reported on Wednesday by the Cap Times.

The governor, the son of a Baptist preacher, was re-elected to a second term last month and is considering running for president in 2016. Walker met privately Tuesday with GOP mega-donor and casino mogul Sheldon Adelson in Las Vegas. He said Adelson talked with him about issues related to Israel, but did not offer any commitments should Walker run for president.

Walker spoke at the Republican Jewish Coalition spring meeting this year and mentioned that the governor’s mansion has a “menorah candle.” He said Wednesday that menorah is the same one that he displayed at the Milwaukee County courthouse following the request from Gimbel.

Walker said he suspects the letter was written around 2003 but he doesn’t remember it.

The Cap Times said the letter was discovered by the liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now during an August release of documents related to a now-closed investigation into Walker’s county executive office.

Walker likened discussion of the “Molotov” typo to discussion during his re-election campaign about why his thumb had a bandage on it and comments he made about his bald spot being caused by hitting his head on a cabinet.

“My thumb has healed up and my bald spot is boring now, and they have to talk about things like that,” he said.