Politics & Government
The NRA’s favorite Wisconsin state politicians
Among Wisconsin state lawmakers, Republicans are the sole beneficiaries of NRA political campaign spending, and legislative records show that they’ve voted consistently with the organization to block restrictions on guns and gun ownership, according to a new report by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, a nonpartisan group seeking to reform campaign finance laws. “In Wisconsin, the […]
Shining a light on the dark-store tax dodge
Earlier this month, state Rep. John Macco (R-De Pere) sent a letter to members of the Brown County Board, and other local government leaders in his area, expressing solidarity with their funding plight due to the ominous-sounding ‘dark-store loophole.’ “Nobody is a more adamant advocate of closing this loophole than me,” wrote Macco. Dark store […]
UW Response to White Nationalism: Threaten Students Protesting Hate
White nationalism is on the rise and the University of Wisconsin System is poised to do something about it–by threatening to expel students who protest purveyors of hate, racism, misogyny and xenophobia on campus. Next week, the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents will hold a public hearing on August 13 on a “Nonacademic Student […]
The fight to save workers’ pensions
Eight years into his retirement, Bob Amsden got a letter in October 2015 that threatened to upend his life. The lifetime retirement pension was promised to him as part of his Teamsters Union contract during his 33-year career as an over-the-road truck driver. The letter said it would be cut by more than half — […]
Senators ask for data on impact if ACA ends
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) wants the Trump Administration to produce data on what would happen if a pending lawsuit to throw out the Affordable Care Act is successful. The lawsuit brought by 20 Republican state attorneys general, Texas v United States, declares the ACA unconstitutional, and a lower court judge agreed in a December ruling. […]
Where are Wisconsin’s GOP heavyweights now?
WASHINGTON — In early 2011, political prospects looked spectacular for three Republican rising stars from Wisconsin. Scott Walker had just won the governorship as Republicans flipped the state Senate and Assembly. Paul Ryan was ascendant in the U.S. House, taking the gavel of the powerful Budget Committee after Republicans seized control of that chamber. Reince […]
Will Marsy’s Law founder’s legal troubles harm the Wisconsin referendum?
Wisconsin is eight months away from an April 2020 statewide referendum asking if voters want to amend the state constitution to include Marsy’s Law, a crime victim rights bill. In May, the state Senate and Assembly overwhelmingly voted to send Marsy’s Law to the ballot on a bipartisan vote. Marsy’s Law for All is a […]
AG Kaul punches back over lame-duck laws
Today Legislative Republicans filed a lawsuit before the Wisconsin Supreme Court alleging that Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has not sufficiently complied with the lame-duck laws they passed after then-Gov. Scott Walker and then-Attorney General Brad Schimel had been voted out of office, but had not yet completed their terms. That lame-duck session, used to […]
Wisconsin: First to kill the death penalty
Attorney General William Barr announced last week that the federal government will begin executing prisoners in December after a 16-year hiatus. President Donald Trump, a longtime supporter of capital punishment, has called for its expansion to punish certain drug crimes and his Supreme Court appointments have moved the court to the right on this issue. […]
Critics see ‘power grab’ in lawsuit to limit Evers’ veto
On Wednesday, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) announced that it is filing an original action with the state Supreme Court, seeking to undo several of Gov. Tony Evers’ partial vetoes of the state budget sent to him by the Republican-controlled legislature. “It’s important to get the constitution right,” WILL’s executive director, […]
Biden’s record on crime, immigration attacked in 2nd Detroit debate
DETROIT — The Democratic Party brought its two night of debates in downtown Detroit to a close Wednesday, as frontrunner former Vice President Joe Biden fended off challengers trying to gain a foothold in what has so far been a mostly static primary since his entrance in April. Tuesday’s debate with the 10 other qualifying candidates in […]
Justice Abrahamson’s last day at work
Today is the last day on the Wisconsin Supreme Court for Justice Shirley Abrahamson, the longest-serving justice in state history and a pathbreaker who opened the way for women in the legal profession. At a farewell ceremony on June 18, former Gov. Jim Doyle remembered when his father first hired Justice Abrahamson, the former chief […]