Wisconsin Right Now

As a local school board member, I have witnessed firsthand many of the issues of today that students are facing. Covid played a huge role in frightening children – as well as many adults. Thankfully, four years later, it appears as if many people in our country have gotten over the initial governmental reactions and mandates to a disease that, in hindsight, was most deadly to the infirm and elderly. Imagine being a child or young adult during that terrible period in our history. Not really knowing what was happening. Unable to see people’s faces due to mandatory masks. Not being allowed to play or gather with friends. No socialization whatsoever. Falling behind in school due to lessons being virtual. Seeing parents and other loved ones lose their jobs because they refused to get a vaccine shot, or because their place of employment shut down. Going to a store where workers are behind plexiglass and there are arrows on the floor telling you where to go. Not allowed to visit peopl

One of the biggest critics of Wisconsin’s election administrator says no one should be threatening her and says threats don’t help fix election integrity issues. State Rep. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, on Tuesday, offered her thoughts after the Wisconsin Elections Commission confirmed elections administrator Meagan Wolfe is receiving extra security protection. "Threatening Administrator Meagan Wolfe, or any election official, is unacceptable and counterproductive. Venting frustrations on individuals like Wolfe, clerks, or poll workers is not only illegal but also harmful to rebuilding trust in our elections,” Brandtjen said. “Threats only undermine our republic and empower the courts and media. It's essential to address any concerns about election processes through legal channels. Threats have no place in our democracy.” Brandtjen has been one of Wisconsin’s loudest critics of Wolfe. She led hearings as far back as 2021 into Wolfe’s role in the 2020 election. Br

There is now a legal challenge to Gov. Tony Evers’ 400-year school funding veto. The WMC Litigation Center on Monday asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to take up their challenge to the governor’s summer veto that increased per-pupil funding for the next four centuries. “At issue is Gov. Evers’ use of the so-called ‘Vanna White’ or ‘pick-a-letter’ veto,” the group said in a statement. “The governor creatively eliminated specific numbers in a portion of the budget bill that was meant to increase the property tax levy limit for school districts in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years. By striking individual digits, the levy limit would instead be increased from the years 2023 to 2425 – or four centuries into the future.” The WMC Litigation Center is an affiliate of Wisconsin Manufactures & Commerce (WMC), the combined state chamber and manufacturers’ association. Litigation Center Executive Director Scott Rosenow said while Wisconsin’s governor has an incredibly powerful vet

Remember when Elon Musk challenged Mark Zuckerberg to a cage match? That fight between Twitter/Threads billionaires never ended up happening, but a different battle in Wisconsin certainly did—and the voters just knocked Mark Zuckerberg clear out of our elections. Last week, Wisconsin voters approved two constitutional amendments— 54 percent voted to ban private funding in our elections, and nearly 59 percent voted to ban outside election workers. Those dual victories were major achievements in the fight for clean elections in Wisconsin, but neither would have happened without the bravery of dozens of legislators and the backing of the people of Wisconsin. We all owe these legislators, specifically Majority Leader Tyler August and Speaker Robin Vos in the Assembly and bill author Sen. Eric Wimberger, Committee Chair Dan Knodl, and Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu in the Senate, a big debt of gratitude. First, because they stuck their necks out to get the measure on the ballot

"This is about election interference; that’s all it’s about" - former President Donald Trump. Former President Donald Trump, speaking outside the courtroom after the first day of jury selection in the severely flawed case brought against him by Democratic DA Alvin Bragg in New York, slammed the proceedings as a "scam trial," and said it "looks like" the judge won't let him go to his son Barron's high school graduation, to a hearing on presidential immunity before the U.S. Supreme Court or to campaign. Instead, the judge has threatened to have Trump arrested if he doesn't show up for court every day, while his opponent, President Joe Biden - to whom the judge donated a small amount - is free to campaign all he wants. NBC News reported the trial could last eight week. "We had some amazing things happen today as you know. My son is graduating from high school, and it looks like the judge won’t let me go to the graduation of my son

In 2012, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, then a U.S. Representative, "was against Iranian sanctions before she was for them." Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin's vote to give Iran access to billions of dollars in assets is back under scrutiny with news that Iran has attacked Israel. Her record of going soft on Iran for years by voting against sanctions is, too. Baldwin, a Democrat running for re-election against businessman Eric Hovde, earned a "full flop" from Politifact in 2012 for toughening her stance against Iran at election time after years of voting AGAINST sanctions for the terrorist regime. Her then-opponent, former Gov. Tommy Thompson, accused her of having a "complete change of heart" at election time, and Politifact found evidence of that. Hovde has also hammered Baldwin on Iran. "America must stand with Israel, our ally and the only democracy in the Middle East. It’s inconceivable that Pr

  Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts related to charges he paid hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels through a lawyer and covered it up as a legal expense before being elected president. Trump has attempted to delay the start of the New York state trial several times, including three longshot tactics judges rejected this week. What charges does Trump face in the New York hush money case?  Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records related to money paid to Daniels and another woman, former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Bragg has alleged Trump broke New York law when he falsified with the intent to commit or conceal another crime. Prosecutors allege Trump falsified internal records kept by his company, hiding the true nature of payments that involve Daniels ($130,000)