Gov. Walker Explains Falling for Prank Call, Stands Ground on 'Budget Repair' Bill

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: You got pranked...
WIS. GOV. SCOTT WALKER: I did.
VAN SUSTEREN: ... by someone who said that -- you thought you were speaking to the Koch -- one of the Koch brothers. How did that happen?
WALKER: Multiple calls out there. We get employers -- we get people calling us from all across the state. I get employers both who live here, as well as those people who have employment here. This is one of our employers here in the state of Wisconsin. Amongst the multitude of calls I get from people across the state, across the aisle, across the country, he got through. I think the clear thing is anybody who's looked at the transcript realized I said the same thing on the call to him that I say every day.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, except for something you said you got layoff -- you said -- you quoted as saying, I've got layoff notices ready.
WALKER: I do.
VAN SUSTEREN: You do?
WALKER: I said that two days ago.
VAN SUSTEREN: Who do you have layoff notices for?
WALKER: I said for us, it's the at risk notices that will go out early next week. I said that on channel 3, one of the local affiliates, a day-and-a-half before the call.
VAN SUSTEREN: How about this one, about -- where Koch is saying -- is accused of some -- or he's quoted some profanity, the fake Koch. And it says, We sent Andrew Breitbart down there. And you go, yes.
WALKER: Look, yes, I didn't even know who that is.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know who that is?
WALKER: I do not.
VAN SUSTEREN: Never heard of him?
WALKER: I've never met the Koch brothers before. This is obviously why someone calling could prank be on it because I've never talked to him before. I know he's an employer in the state. And in the end -- I mean, I think it's interesting because the prankster there tried to insinuate at least that this person was going to push for people to come in and cause a disturbance amongst the protesters. I made it very clear that's not right. That's not -- that doesn't work. That adds no value.
VAN SUSTEREN: Well, you said you'd thought about it.
WALKER: Well, he did.

(CROSSTALK)
VAN SUSTEREN: ... in the transcript, when you brought up the part about, basically, dirty tricks in the crowd, you said, Well -- he says, You -- as least you're quoted as saying, "You know, well, the only problem with that, because we thought about that, the problem that my only gut reaction that is right now, the lawmakers I've talked to have just completely had it with them. The public is not really fond of this."
WALKER: Right. Because in the end, the protesters have not overwhelming. They realized they've come in from other states...
VAN SUSTEREN: But you thought about it.
WALKER: We do. We had people contact -- I'd had people -- I even had lawmakers and others suggesting riling things up. What I pointed out increasingly, and I've said it all over the media, I've said it in all my interviews, is that we've had a civil discourse amongst people here in the state of Wisconsin. My great fear is that people come from other states -- my biggest fear was last Saturday, when you had protesters both for and against the bill coming in. I thought you were going to have a major collision between the two. And thank God, we didn't have any disturbance. I think that's because the people of the state are the ones driving this.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. Koch says, "Beautiful, beautiful. You got to love" -- and makes a reference to another anchor at another network and says, "She's a real piece of ass." Walker, that's you, "Oh, yes."
WALKER: Like, Oh, yes, I don't know -- I mean, what is he talking about? He's talking about MSNBC. I said in the end, you know, it's one of those where I'll go on...
VAN SUSTEREN: "Piece of ass" is probably -- I mean, probably don't like (INAUDIBLE) heard referring to an anchor as a piece of ass, I imagine, "Oh, yes." I mean, you didn't say that, but you did say, "Oh yes."
WALKER: Yes, like, Oh, yes, what is he talking about? He's talking about MSNBC. I said I'd go on any network out there to make our case about what's going on here.
VAN SUSTEREN: Koch is quoted as saying, "Well, I tell you what, Scott. Once you crush these bastards, I'll fly you out to Cali and really show you a good time." Walker, "All right, that would be outstanding." And then the suggestion is there might be a...
WALKER: And for us, the bottom line is I have never met the guy before. I don't even know where he's talking about in terms of that place. For me, I felt uncomfortable from the point where when he first started talking about disrupting. I said, We're not going to do that. That's something that doesn't make any sense strategically. We've got a good, civil debate. And here again, for us, I've talked about the same things in front of the public. I talked about it in each of the press conferences. We're going to continue to be accountable and open to the public.
VAN SUSTEREN: Do you know who the Koch brothers are?
WALKER: Oh, I'm aware of them, very much so, in the last couple weeks.
VAN SUSTEREN: Have they -- have they funded you at all at any point in your campaigns?
WALKER: From what I read, they were one of the multitudes that -- we had one of the largest-spending campaigns in state history, about $11 million. As to what they've given exactly, that I don't know.
VAN SUSTEREN: Any -- any estimate how much?
WALKER: Again, I don't know.
VAN SUSTEREN: Never met them?
WALKER: I have not.