From what I've heard, former Wisconsin Department of Commerce Secretary Jack Fischer is really a pretty good guy, which makes it all the more of a shame that he had to resign after reports about his craving for luxury hotels and caviar tastes on the taxpayer dime.

Good guy, or not, I bet he never thought his behavior representing Wisconsin taxpayers and Governor Doyle's office would draw comparisons to that of Republican Vice President candidate Sarah Palin. 

Here's what Fischer has in common with Palin:

The charges included costs for hotel and commercial flights for
three daughters to join Palin to watch their father in a snowmobile
race, and a trip to New York, where the governor attended a five-hour conference and stayed with 17-year-old Bristol for five days and four nights in a luxury hotel.

In all, Palin has charged the state $21,012 for her three daughters' 64 one-way and 12 round-trip commercial flights since she took office in December 2006. In some other cases, she has charged the state for hotel rooms for the girls.

Well, maybe this Wisconsin Commerce Department travel scandal starring Secretary Jack Fischer isn't a pulp fiction story about sex, just incompetence.

"Jack Fischer's participation of the mission was not representative or positive for Wisconsin business," Frigo wrote in the evaluation, released to the Journal Sentinel under the state's open records law. "On several occasions during the trip I was embarrassed that he was our leader. His rambling speech during the embassy reception caused the premature end to the party as most of us were just warming up to the prospects."

The Journal-Sentinel breaks a daddy-long legs of a story that’s sure to crawl up your summertime reading list.

Wisconsin Department of Commerce Secretary Jack Fischer and his executive liaison (read "administrative assistant"), Deborah Godt, traveled to three international locations in less than three months this spring, billing Wisconsin taxpayers more than $21,000.

$555 per night hotel rooms.

$520 for dry cleaning.

$80 dinners.

Yes, Europe is expensive. And the state budget is a mess. And there are travel restrictions in effect for state employees. And no other commerce secretary has traveled internationally without the governor.

When the other secretaries have traveled overseas, they brought along staff with international trade experience … not assistants.

The summer pulp fiction reader in me is looking forward to the next chapter.