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Redistricting takes one step closer to court battle in Assembly
The Wisconsin Assembly moved the state’s redistricting process one step closer to Gov. Tony Evers’ veto pen and a court battle Thursday when, on party line votes, Republicans passed their versions of the state’s new legislative and congressional maps that entrench and deepen the partisan gerrymander that has been in place for the last decade. […]
Risky decision to testify pays off for Rittenhouse, law professor says
In testimony that took nearly all of Wednesday, 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse detailed step-by-step his actions on the day he killed two people and wounded a third during protests against police brutality last summer in Kenosha. Rittenhouse got emotional as he tried to describe the first shooting and during cross-examination his attorneys filed for a mistrial […]
Deb McGrath, daughter of former congressman enters primary in 3rd Congressional District
Deb McGrath, daughter of former Rep. Al Baldus (D-Menomonie), announced on Tuesday that she’s entering the Democratic primary in Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, where a seat has been left open by Rep. Ron Kind’s announcement that he plans to retire. McGrath grew up in Western Wisconsin before serving for 25 years in the Army, U.S. […]
Republicans continue to use WEC as partisan punching bag in committee hearing
In a hearing of the Legislative Audit Committee on Tuesday, Republican legislators continued their attacks on the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) as the commission’s administrator Meagan Wolfe attempted to push back. Wolfe appeared before the committee to testify and respond to questions about a report into elections administration during the 2020 presidential election by the […]
Rittenhouse trial fights a societal battle over 18-year-old’s life
After one week of testimony in the trial of 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse, who is charged with multiple counts of homicide after killing two people and wounding a third during a protest against police violence in Kenosha last year, the contours of each side’s case have come into view. For the prosecution, a lot of testimony […]
Fair maps groups deliver ‘garbage pizza’ to lawmakers to protest Republican-drawn maps
A group of organizations fighting for nonpartisan political districts in Wisconsin and across the country delivered “garbage pizza” to lawmakers’ offices on Monday to protest the passage of maps drawn by Republicans that strengthen the GOP hold on the state Legislature. The organizations, the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, Represent Us and Gerry’s Partisan Pizza, held […]
Biden makes appointments to rural Wisconsin policy positions
President Joe Biden appointed two longtime rural Wisconsin experts to positions within the state’s offices of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday. Advocates for rural parts of the state applauded the appointments as wins for small farmers across the state. Biden appointed Eugene Schriefer, a senior outreach specialist with UW-Madison Extension, as Wisconsin state […]
Free speech absolutist Rep. Sortwell turns off Facebook comments
Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Two Rivers) turned off comments on his official Facebook page this week after a report from the Green Bay Press-Gazette revealed on Wednesday that the Green Bay Police Department had recommended he be charged for child abuse in 2013 but the Brown County District Attorney never filed charges. After the report was […]
Kaul denounces Racine Sheriff’s charges as ‘publicity stunt’
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul forcefully criticized the decision of Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling to recommend charges against five of six members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. Kaul, who has refused Schmaling’s request to open a statewide investigation into voting in nursing homes during the 2020 election, said the decision to recommend felony and […]
Racine Co. Sheriff refers criminal charges against five elections commissioners
Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling announced in a news release Wednesday that he had referred recommendations for criminal charges against five of the six members of the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) to Racine County District Attorney Patricia Hanson, a Republican. Last week, Schmaling called a news conference to lay out allegations of election fraud against […]
Bill aimed at making small timber sales easier gets a public hearing
In an effort to help boost the Wisconsin timber industry, a bipartisan bill that aims to make it easier for community, county and state forests to sell small amounts of timber got a public hearing in the Assembly Committee on Rural Development on Wednesday. The bill, AB 640 and its Senate counterpart SB 607, would […]
Mequon-Thiensville School Board recall fails
The campaign to recall four members of the Mequon-Thiensville School Board failed on Tuesday, with all four incumbents retaining their seats. The campaign divided the Ozaukee County suburb of Milwaukee as high profile Republicans including gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefisch sought to tip the scales toward the recall candidates in a race that was largely fought […]