After weeks of protests at the State Capitol over a budget repair bill that would strip most state workers of most collective bargaining rights, you'd think a gathering that's primary focus centers around a Wisconsin staple would be welcomed.
But nowadays, politics can hang a cloud over even one of Madison's most talked about events.
Residents were making choices, go to the World's Largest Brat Fest like you may have done for as long as you can remember, or go get your bratwurst somewhere else.
"We tried the one on the Capitol Square, but the lines were too long, so we came to this one," said Jim Hollar, who attended Wurst Times event. "I wanted to avoid the one at the Alliant Energy Center."
"I guess it's kind of protest against Scott Walker and this is a way to show it," said Roger Bass.
"It seems kind of silly in the sense that it is guilty by association, but we wanted to avoid (Brat Fest)," Hollar said.
Those at the People Brat Fest didn't see it as silly, but rather a chance to draw connections to Johnsonville, a main sponsor of Brat Fest, and a company linked politically to the governor.
"I definitely oppose Walker and this seemed like a better way to support Madison rather than a big corporation," said Tom Ver Hoeve.
The event on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was billed as a Brat Fest alternative and those who were willing to wait for long lines were toting their opinions along with hunger.
Ver Hoeve said he preferred the downtown location because it felt more like a Madison event and he said it was nice knowing that proceeds would also benefit local charities.
...There is a fourth event will compete with Brat Fest on Sunday. Alt Bratfest will be held at Orton Park on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It's being held by the Weary Traveler Freehouse. Proceeds will also go to local charities.
Brat Fest organizers insist the alternative options have not had any impact.
"The turnout has been fantastic," Metcalfe said.
One thing we can say without debate is that each and every brat eaten this weekend will raise money for local charities and that generosity is what makes Madison such a great place to live.
It's great to hear that the politicized brat sideshows aren't impacting the main event.
As for the protest events, their organizers claim proceeds will go to local charities. So, that's good, too.
It's too bad that some people harbor so much hatred for Governor Walker that they refuse to support the annual event just because some of the INDIVIDUALS connected to Johnsonville made political contributions to Walker.
I knew Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi was going to strike down the budget repair law. It was inevitable.
I'm sure her husband, the very anti-Scott Walker, pro-union, Democrat Carl Sinderbrand, and her very anti-Scott Walker, pro-union, Democrat son, Jake Sinderbrand, are happy.
What really bugs me is that Sumi took weeks, MONTHS, to make her decision.
I suppose once it became clear that JoAnne "I'm Ecstatic" Kloppenburg couldn't find a way to disenfranchise thousands and thousands of Wisconsin voters and that bit of recount chaos was no longer sucking the air out of the room, Sumi saw no point in dragging her feet any longer, particularly with the June 6, State Supreme Court date looming.
Besides, the Leftists needed something to celebrate this Memorial Day weekend, however temporary.
A Dane County judge has struck down Gov. Scott Walker's legislation repealing most collective bargaining for public employees.
In a 33-page decision issued Thursday, Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi said she would freeze the legislation because GOP lawmakers on a committee broke the state's open meetings law in passing it March 9. The legislation limits collective bargaining to wages for all public employees in Wisconsin except for police and firefighters.
"It's what we were looking for," said Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, a Democrat.
"It's what we were looking for."
No kidding.
Was there really ever any doubt it was what the Democrats would get?
Of course not.
...Steve Means, the number three official at the state Department of Justice, said the agency and GOP Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen have been surprised at Sumi's handling of the case and asked whether she would recuse herself from it.
"Obviously we're disappointed in the ruling. We do think it reflects a number of legal errors, but it's for the appellate courts at this point," Means said.
Means said Sumi had made her decision without holding a trial or making clear beforehand that no trial would be held.
...Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) responded in a statement. "There's still a much larger separation-of-powers issue: whether one Madison judge can stand in the way of the other two democratically elected branches of government. The Supreme Court is going to have the ultimate ruling, and they're still scheduled to hear the issue on June 6. This overdue reform is still a critical part of balancing Wisconsin's budget."
Ozanne agreed that the court case is still far from settled.
"It's not over yet. I'm positive of that," Ozanne said. "The supremes are the supremes. They can do what they want."
GOP lawmakers like Fitzgerald also have said they would consider passing the law a second time as part of the 2011-'13 state budget if it was necessary to ensure that it takes effect.
"Act 10 was passed and signed into law in accordance with the rules of the state Legislature," said Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon), Scott Fitzgerald's brother. "I remain confident that the Wisconsin State Supreme Court will rule accordingly and Act 10 will become law."
The judge who had been blocking implementation of Wisconsin’s public employee collective bargaining reforms has now struck down the law altogether, saying legislative Republicans failed to give proper notice before acting on the bill in committee.
Dane County Circuit Court Judge Maryann Sumi issued her ruling Thursday, writing that the law is voided because lawmakers failed to provide proper public notice of a Conference Committee meeting wherein the bill was amended.
“The court must consider the potential damage to public trust and confidence in government if the Legislature is not held to the same rules of transparency that it has created for other governmental bodies,” Sumi wrote.
Republicans argued that the Legislature, when in Special Session, is not bound by the law requiring a broad public notice.
“This was not the case in which proper notice was missed by a few minutes or an hour,” Sumi wrote.
However, GOP lawmakers asserted they did provide the minimum two hour notice justified by the the ‘good cause’ provision of the statutes, even though that was also unnecessary. Sumi disagreed.
“Act 10 was passed and signed into law in accordance with the rules of the state legislature,” said Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald. “I remain confident that the Wisconsin State Supreme Court will rule accordingly and Act 10 will become law.”
Republicans are expected to immediately appeal the decision. Since an appeal would likely take time to be heard, they may also move to pass identical provisions as a part of the biennial budget next month.
Senate Republicans approved requiring people to show photo ID at the polls amid a cacophonous vote Thursday, with eight Democrats not even voting on the measure in protest and because of confusion over how the proceedings were conducted.
Immediately afterward, the crowd in the Senate gallery thundered with chants of "Shame!" as Republicans exited the chamber. Later, they chanted, "Recall!" and sang, "We Shall Overcome."
"We Shall Overcome"?
Good grief.
Republican Gov. Scott Walker quickly announced he would sign the bill Wednesday in a ceremony at the Capitol.
"Requiring photo identification to vote will go a long way to eliminate the threat of voter fraud," Walker said in a statement. "If you need an ID to buy cold medicine, it's reasonable to require it to vote."
This is a positive step in restoring integrity to Wisconsin's elections.
But Democrats decried the measure, saying it would do little to prevent voter fraud while disenfranchising thousands of minority, elderly and rural voters.
"This is voter suppression," said Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee). "This is voter disenfranchisement. This is voter confusion. This is voter restriction. This is a voter discouragement bill."
Of course, the Dems are whining.
They're not going quietly when it comes to losing Wisconsin as a haven for voter fraud.
It has nothing to do with the disenfranchisement of "thousands of minority, elderly and rural voters."
If Democrats were so concerned about disenfranchisement, the JoAnne Klopppenburg campaign wouldn't be working feverishly to throw out the votes of 7,000 Wisconsinites.
Before debate began at 10 a.m., Senate Republican leaders imposed a one-hour limit on discussion of the bill, frustrating Democrats who engaged in more than nine hours of debate on the bill Tuesday into Wednesday.
When the time came to vote, Sen. Fred Risser (D-Madison) - the longest-serving state legislator in the country - refused to stop speaking, saying he had already been recognized. Senate President Mike Ellis (R-Neenah) then ordered the roll call vote on the bill.
"In my 50 years, I've never had anyone cut me off!" Risser yelled.
He continued to calmly speak against the bill as the roll call vote was conducted.
What lunacy!
Meanwhile, Democrats attempted to adjourn the Senate proceedings without taking a vote on the photo ID bill. They were ignored.
"You're not following the rules, Mr. President!" Risser yelled at Ellis.
Ellis shot back: "Read the (rule) book!"
The bill passed 19-5. Eight Democrats did not vote on it as they argued with Ellis about how the vote was being conducted. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said they will be able to record their votes in June, when the Senate next meets.
Such ridiculous chaos!
The Democrats need to grow up and follow the rules.
At least they didn't flee the state this time to avoid voting.
The unions continue to protest Governor Scott Walker via boycotts.
The AFL-CIO is cutting ties with people who do business with Governor Scott Walker. Just yesterday (Thursday), the union withdrew nearly $155,000 from M&I Bank. Union leaders are upset bank executives contributed to Walker's election campaign.
A recording released by the Republican Party of Wisconsin exposes University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh Professor Stephen Richards using class time to actively campaign for the recall of State Senator Randy Hopper, encouraging his students to sign recall petitions offered by circulators present in his classroom.
In the tape, recorded during a criminal justice class, Richards can be heard encouraging a female student to sign the recall petition even though she thinks she lives outside the district, and instructing students to sign using their campus address instead of their parents’ home address. He also tells students to look for petition circulators all around campus and “in the bars.”
...In the recording, Richards openly discusses his involvement in the recall effort, detailing organizational meetings he has attended, and using the term “we” to describe recall organizers.
As the Professor discusses the various reasons he supports the recall efforts, he promotes several falsehoods about the effects of the budget repair bill, saying at one point “It will be a lot less, um, rewarding to be in law enforcement, because they're gonna cut all the police unions."
"Either he’s purposely lying to students in an effort to provoke them to sign the petitions, or he is woefully misinformed and spreading severe inaccuracies along to students who rely on him for factual information,” says [Mark] Jefferson, [Executive Director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin]. “Teachers and college professors have a responsibility to their students and to their communities. We trust them to deliver facts and stay above the political fray - at the very least when they are at the head of a classroom. This Professor has seriously failed his students. One has to wonder if this is an isolated incident or a more common occurrence in our state's classrooms."
Sen. Randy Hopper called for an investigation into the political activity of college professors along with the resignation of a University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh faculty member who encouraged his students during class to sign a petition to recall the Republican lawmaker.
The state GOP, college Republican groups and several lawmakers immediately demanded accountability for UWO criminal justice professor Stephen Richards Tuesday after a conservative radio host broadcast a candid recording of Richards encouraging students on March 7 to sign a petition to recall Hopper, R-Fond du Lac.
“Quite frankly, nothing short of this professor resigning will be adequate for the students and the parents of UW-Oshkosh,” Hopper said.
...The UWO professor’s actions raise more questions about irregularities in the recall petition process, Hopper said, calling the issue a “misuse of authority” that should not be tolerated.
“People send their kids to school to be educated not indoctrinated, and this professor took state-funded time to make a political stand,” he said.
One of Richards’ students made the audio recording and later released it to the Republican Party of Wisconsin, a spokesperson said. Conservative commentator Charlie Sykes of Milwuakee-based WTMJ-AM (620) broadcast the recording Tuesday with Senate President Mike Ellis, R-Neenah, demanding an explanation from the university.
UWO Chancellor Richard Wells issued a statement Tuesday afternoon saying the issue was investigated after students complained, and corrective action as taken by the end of March. Students have since reported classroom conditions improved, according to the statement.
Kudos to the student for recording Richards' completely unacceptable behavior and busting the guy.
Richards has shamed the university.
"Corrective action" was taken.
Right.
Like what? A warning not to gather signatures during class?
If Richards is willing to do something as blatantly wrong as using class time to round up signatures to recall Randy Hopper, I'm sure he allows his political views to color his "teaching" on a regular basis.
Richards got caught this time, but I don't think his is an isolated case. This sort of misconduct permeates public institutions.
Richards should not be talking about recalling Governor Scott Walker or shilling for unions.
He's lying to his students. This guy is a disgrace.
Sickening.
I also question the fact that Stephen Richards, a convicted felon, is a tenured professor at UW Oshkosh.
A jury convicted him of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 pounds of marijuana.
In 1984, Richards began serving a nine-year sentence. By the time he was released on parole three years later, he had been housed in nine federal prisons.
From 1977 to 1990, Lenza served time in Missouri’s State Penitentiary in Jefferson City, also called “The Walls.” He was convicted of murder in 1975 after confessing to killing his first wife and mother-in-law, putting his mother-in-law’s body in a barrel and throwing the barrel into the Mississippi River.
Lenza says he had a happy childhood while growing up in St. Louis County. In fact, he credits his family for their unconditional love and for never giving up on him. He says he never could have made it through his incarceration without their support.
Although he refuses to speak of the murders (partly because he feels that while he can defend his actions, his victims cannot), Lenza says that when people are in their late teens and early 20s they don’t understand consequences and outcomes the way they do in later years.
“Things seem impossible, overwhelming. You don’t have a long-term view,” he says. He adds that his incarceration showed him the downside of violence.
“My years at Missouri Eastern Penitentiary, The Walls, which is one of the most violent societies in America, certainly showed me the futility in violence in solving issues. You have to find other ways,” he says.
Good Lord!
Lenza is a staunch advocate for the abolition of the death penalty. His wife of 12 years, Sherry Lenza, is no less steadfast in her views. “Executions don’t deter; they just brutalize the population,” she says.
Since his release from prison, Lenza has completed college, married, begun pursuing doctoral degrees and become a father. As Lenza takes his son, Michael Jesse, from his wife’s arms so she can answer the telephone, he says that “peace is its own truth” and today is a different day.
While he knows his past will always be part of his life, Mike Lenza concentrates on where he is now. “It’s not like you totally leave that behind,” he says. “It’s been almost 30 years. A lot changes in 30 years.”
Of course, Lenza opposes the death penalty.
Lenza was convicted of MURDERING his wife and mother-in-law.
If I were Sherry, Lenza wife #2, I would be a little nervous.
I also don't think that Lenza belongs in the classroom. ______________
UPDATE: Apparently, Richards didn't learn his lesson, in spite of UW Oshkosh taking "corrective action."
Charlie Sykes posts an e-mail he received from a student in Stephen Richards' class:
Hey Charlie,
I'm sitting in Dr. (I use that term loosely) Richards' class as I'm writing this. Just wanted to let you know that instead of apologizing for his actions and everything that has come out in the last couple days, he scolded us. He started by telling us that he has had a police escort all day due to death threats. He then proceeded to tell us that it is illegal to record a professor without his/her permission. He stated that "anyone has any smart phones or recording devices, to turn them off or leave." He then proceeded to tell us that he could have charged those students with some sort of BS crime and had us arrested and kicked out of school. His rant has been going on for the better part of 20 minutes now and isn't showing any signs of slowing down or stopping. Just like his political rants which take place multiple times per week, this is the kind of crap that disrupts our opportunity to learn at an institution of higher education.
I don't see the need to be scolded because this idiot finally got busted. As a criminal justice student graduating in May, this guy is a disgrace to me and the rest of the students in the program.
Just a heads up that absolutely nothing has changed since the "corrective action" that was handed down from Chancellor Wells. The guy is a joke and doesn't deserve his position.
Thanks for getting this story on the air. The CJ students really appreciate that our story is finally being heard.
Bottom line: "NOTHING HAS CHANGED." ______________
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh officials said today they will not ask a professor who encouraged his students to sign a recall petition to resign, nor will they conduct a full investigation into the on-campus political activity of faculty as requested by some state lawmakers.
State Sen. Randy Hopper, Senate President Mike Ellis and the Republican Party of Wisconsin demanded the investigation and resignation of UWO Criminal Justice Professor Stephen Richards after an anonymous student released an audio recording on Tuesday of Richards urging his class in March to sign a petition to recall Hopper.
UWO Chancellor Richard Wells said during a Friday afternoon press conference that he respects the senators, but “we don’t always have to agree.”
UWO is standing by Richards.
I suppose that's because Richards is on the same page politically as UWO officials.
He's safe and he knows it. That's probably why he runs political rallies out of his classroom.
I would like to once again apologize to my students for not showing more restraint in the classroom. I regret that I crossed the line when I failed to comply completely with UW System policy concerning political discussion in the classroom. I am sorry that this may have tarnished the reputation of the university community. I wish all my students continued success in their studies.
Professor Stephen C. Richards
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
After "I wish all my students continued success in their studies," I think Richards left out "if they agree with me politically and do all they can to get Republican state senators and Scott Walker recalled."
Richards' apology seems extremely forced.
UW Oshkosh has made documents relating to Richards available online after a public records request by the Oshkosh Northwestern.
The Wisconsin Grocers Association has alerted members to an anti-Walker product sticker campaign planned for May 1.
Opponents of Gov. Scott Walker for months have been boycotting companies linked to donations to Walker's campaign. Now there is a national effort under way to go into stores and place stickers on products.
Among products targeted for stickers are Johnsonville brats, AngelSoft toilet paper, Sargento cheese and Coors beer.
The WGA has produced a sign that stores can post alerting people that placing stickers on products in stores is illegal.
With all due respect, these people are nuts.
Such loony behavior hurts the unions in their war against Walker. It doesn't help them at all.
I hope anyone caught breaking the law in this "anti-Walker stickering" campaign faces appropriate consequences. _________________
Visited the OKC Memorial yesterday with the family on the 16th anniversary of the bombing that killed 168 public servants and their children in the daycare center. It was very moving and a strong reminder of why we fight those who attack public servants. They attack all Americans and the core value of America: freedom.
Hulsey's remarks are extremely offensive.
To equate the murder of innocents with measures requiring public union employees to contribute to their health care and pensions, and empowering communities to control spending, is sick.
The Oklahoma City bombing was a horrific act of terrorism. The victims, not all "public servants and their children" as Hulsey claims, were killed by Timothy McVeigh, in cold blood.
It's twisted and shameless for Hulsey to use his experience at the Memorial to play politics. Nothing about what happened in Oklahoma City parallels the effort to tackle Wisconsin's debt and its economically unsustainable future.
Rep. Hulsey is absolutely correct. Governor Walker’s plan to give local municipalities the power to improve schools and to stop runaway entitlement spending is totally the same thing as blowing up a government building and killing 168 men, women and children.
Similarly, the Democrats that oppose giving state and local workers the right to vote on whether they want to be unionized are just like southern plantation owners before the Civil War that kept their slaves from voting. So the Democrats are totally like slave owners.
By the way, do you know who else totally enjoyed visiting the Oklahoma City bombing memorial? Hitler.
Hulsey's rhetoric is inexcusable. I'm sure his Leftist supporters love it, but he shouldn't be exploiting the deaths of McVeigh's victims to serve his political ends.
During JoAnne Kloppenburg's press conference last Wednesday, she accused Justice David Prosser of meeting with Governor Scott Walker after the April 5, 2011, Supreme Court election.
According to Media Trackers, that may violate the Judicial Code of Conduct.
Kloppenburg made the allegation during her press conference to announce her intention for a state-wide recount, but she provided no evidence to back it up. Both Walker and Prosser deny the meeting took place.
Kloppenburg’s campaign spokeswoman, Melissa Mulliken, said she had “been in touch with two or three people with knowledge of the meeting.” However, she refused to name names.
The irony is rich. During the campaign leading up to this election the news media and the Left continued to draw focus on the 2008 controversy around Justice Michael Gableman for what was at worst a misleading campaign ad written by campaign staffers. But Kloppenburg campaign’s apparent overt factual falsehood received scant media attention, and no one seems to be raising the question of whether Kloppenburg violated judicial rules.
...Is Kloppenburg still a judicial candidate? By requesting a recount she maintains that status.
Prosser outright denies her assertion that he met with Walker, as does Walker.
Kloppenburg has not repudiated the claim, nor provided evidence to prove it.
So how does the SRC 60.06(3) not apply?
It begs the question of why the Judicial Commission is not investigating the Kloppenburg matter. Where is the media? Where are the complaints? Where is the scrutiny?
Wisconsin continues to receive the national spotlight.
Brett Healy of the MacIver Institute was a guest on The John Batchelor Show Monday night.
Healy discusses Judge Maryann Sumi and the open-records case before her, as well as developments on the recall elections in Wisconsin. He also talks about the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, Justice David Prosser's victory, and Scott Walker's future.
Listen to the podcast or download the show here, Monday, 4/18/11 - Batchelor 9pm (Wisconsin topic begins at 18:30).
There's no question that some dedicated teachers have suffered as a result of the viciousness of the anti-Scott Walker budget protests and the union thuggery that has gripped the state since early February.
Some teachers have been unfairly criticized for being selfish and lazy and greedy.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel comes to the rescue!
It offers several sympathetic vignettes depicting teachers as heroes, suggesting they've been victimized by the budget battles and the fallout from the endless ugly protests.
They have been called lazy and greedy on blogs and website comment boards.
Their motives and commitment to their profession have been questioned.
They have been told they're paid too much money for their nine-month contracts, that their health insurance is too generous and that they need to pay more toward their retirement.
In recent months, Wisconsin's public school teachers have found themselves at the epicenter of a widespread fight over public-sector workers' earnings, their ability to bargain and the burden they pose to taxpayers and local governments.
And yet, they feel an expectation to shrug off the criticism and enthusiastically report for work every day, where they are entrusted to teach even their critics' children, and meet an ever-growing set of demands on their performance.
No wonder Morrow, a sixth-grade teacher at Prairie View Elementary School in North Prairie, characterized the mood among her colleagues as "pretty bleak."
"I'm not sure when I became Public Enemy No. 1," she said.
Obviously, this article is an exercise in cherry-picking.
Of course, there are terrific teachers who really care about helping children learn and achieve.
There are also teachers who aren't devoted to their profession as much as their salary and benefits.
We know that there are wonderful teachers. It's really not necessary for the Journal Sentinel to defend them, and it's certainly not right to cast supporters of Scott Walker as being anti-teacher.
Since the Journal Sentinel has been doing pieces on teachers as victims, I think there should be some articles telling the stories of teachers like Fred Levenhagen, and the liars willing to give their employers fraudulent medical excuses, and the ones who chose to protest rather than teach, keeping thousands and thousands of kids out of the classroom and forcing schools to close.
The Journal Sentinel should provide balanced coverage and tell the complete story.
The reality is some teachers have been victimizers.
When Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker needed help twisting arms to get his polarizing bill eliminating most public employees' union rights through the Legislature, he turned to Scott and Jeff Fitzgerald. The Irish Catholic brothers hold the top two legislative posts in the state, and they said their success was due to blood as much as political skill.
"If Jeff and I were not brothers, and if we didn't have the personal relationship that we have, I don't know if it would have worked or not," said Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, who is known as "Big Fitz" even though he is shorter than his younger brother, the Assembly speaker. "We were all on the same page in just about everything we did," he added.
The two took over the leadership positions this year after Republicans won control of the Senate and Assembly in the 2010 midterm elections. They are a unique family dynasty. There are no known cases, either now or in the past, where brothers held the two highest positions at the same time in a state Legislature, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
They also have forged a close relationship with Walker. The three have a standing weekly meeting, and sometimes, as in the heat of the union fight, they meet daily. They say the struggle to get the law passed in the wake of a walkout by Democratic senators and protests that drew as many as 85,000 people to the Capitol only strengthened their relationship and resolve.
The Milwaukee Journal has a short, inadequate report on the happenings in Madison at the Tax Day Rally.
It is cold and windy in Madison, but still mostly dry - making it easier for thousands of people to attend a tea party rally and a smaller counter demonstration outside of the state capitol.
The Wisconsin Capitol Police estimated that about 6,500 people were outside on the Capitol grounds and vicinity at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. There is no way to accurately determine how many people were attending any specific event, they said.
As of 12:30 p.m. there were no law enforcement incidents or arrests on the Capitol grounds and vicinity, police reported.
Darryl Krejci of Lake Mills, a former police union president, wore a green "Scott Walker my hero" T-shirt. He said he backs Walker for taking a tough stand with the state's fiscal problems.
"Something needed to be done," he said.
Cheryl MacMiller of Madison wore a sign saying "Union thug with lipstick." She said she supports public employees because "Gov. Walker is just trying to make a name for himself on the backs of workers."
The behavior of the Leftists at the counter rally was not fully reported.
Given the Journal Sentinel's Leftist agenda, I can understand why.
According to reports on Twitter, the counter protesters chanted and booed during the National Anthem.
Christian Schneider: Crowd chants SHAME and RECALL WALKER during the National Anthem.
Chelsea Gruenwald: Booing during the national anthem - wisc libs at their best
Video.
Showing such a lack of respect for the National Anthem is a disgrace. It certainly doesn't put the Leftists in a good light.
[L]abor supporters still smarting from the passage of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's polarizing bill eliminating most public employees' collective bargaining rights have been drowning out Palin's supporters, shouting, "Hey, hey, ho, ho, Scott Walker's got to go."
Some Wisconsinites refuse to put aside their political differences for charity and partake in Madison's Brat Fest.
What self-centered thugs!
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!
We’re not scientists, but we’re fairly confident that the World’s Largest Brat Fest can be expressed by the following equation:
Brats + Music + Charity + Wisconsin = AWESOME! Brat Fest is 4 days filled with music, food and fun in the heart of downtown Madison, Wisconsin. If you need more convincing, we’ll break it down a little more precisely…
Come Memorial Day weekend in Madison, Wisconsin, things get a little fiery– on the grill, that is. The World’s Largest Brat Fest sizzles as we cele“brat”e the start of summer with juicy Johnsonville brats, Oscar Mayer Hotdogs and Veggie Brats smothered in Heinz ketchup, mustard and sweet relish, Frank’s Kraut and onions. Wash em’ down with an ice-cold Pepsi, Capital Island Wheat, Budlight or milk and finish it all off with a side of ice cream, funnel cakes and fun.
So what is Brat Fest all about? Obviously, Brat Fest is about eating brats, but, more importantly, it’s about giving back to the community. The World’s Largest Brat Fest is held every Memorial Day weekend – rain or shine – with proceeds benefitting the local charities that help to staff the event. Brat Fest is also about enjoying good food at great prices while celebrating Wisconsin’s heritage and the people who make Madison a great place to live.
That’s why we have a license to grill! Stop by and let us cook for you!
Volunteers and their supporting organizations are the most integral part of the World’s Largest Brat Fest! They grill… they cashier… they count attendees… they drive shuttles… they stock condiments… they make sure the event grounds are clean – you get it – they pretty much do it all!
Each year, Brat Fest depends on nearly 4,000 volunteers of all ages* with over 10,300 volunteer hours to play a special part in our continued success and our quest for the WORLD RECORD all in the spirit of community giving! Without them, Brat Fest would not be the same.
Here is the list of charities participating in the 2011 event:
Abundant Life Christian High School Badger Aquatics Badger Bots Baldwin Christian School Beta Zeta Bethel Horizons Boy Scout Troop 102 Boy Scout Troop 140 Boy Scout Troop 122 Boy Scout Troop 201 Boy Scout Troop 420 Boy Scout Troop 940 Boy Scout Troop/Pack 90 Boys & Girls Club of Dane County Bristol Blazer 4h Calvary Gospel Campus Calvary Gospel Church Capital City Lodge #7 Fraternal Order Cheer Wisconsin Chrysalis, Inc. Cornucopia, Inc. Cross Roads Church Dane County Parent Council Faith Lutheran Church – Youth Group Family Resource Network Family Support FLAME Friends of Kettle Ponds Give the Kids the World Hope World Wide Hospice Care, Inc. Immaculate Heart of Mary Information Technology Academy Lake Edge Lutheran Church League of Women Voters Luther Memorial Madison Area Retired Educators Association Madison Diocesan Choir Madison East Wrestling Madison Master’s Madison West HS Forensics Team Madison West Softball Booster Club Madison Youth Choir Memorial Baptist Church Middleton Gator Swim Nepali American Friendship Association North/Eastside Senior Coalition North/Eastside Sherman Basketball Occupaws Guide Dog Association Oregon Band Boosters Our Savior Death Lutheran Church Parkside Presbyterian Playtime Productions RSVP of Dane County Salem United Church of Christ Youth Group Scouts with Special Needs Sons of Norway South Madison Coalition of the Elderly Spina Bifida Family Network St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Team Survivor – Madison The Loyal Order of the Caribbean SOul Triangle Community Ministry, Inc. Verona Area High School Swim Virginia School of Dance Walbridge School Madison West HS Cross Country West Madison Senior Center West Madison Special Olympics West Madison Youth Special Olympics Wisconsin Children’s Choir Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra Yahara River Chorus Yonim Israeli Dance Troupe
Autism Society of Greater Madison Boy Scout Troop 301 Capital City Sanctuary COGIC Capitol Lakes City Church Youth Ministry Crossroads UMC Dane County Humane Society Divine Savior Youth Group Gilda’s Club Good Life, Inc. Huntington Disease Society of America Knight of Columbus #1478 LIVESTRONG Madison Logan’s Heart & Smile Madison East High School Dance Team Madison West Lions Club Oregon High School Class of 2012 Oregon Youth Hockey Pancreatic Cancer Action Network – Team Grape Ape Recovery Foundation Wikoda Camp Zion City
Unfortunately, some people in Madison are so crazed and so selfish that they're disrupting this very successful annual event.
These people are willing to disrupt Brat Fest by politicizing it.
Rather than take part in the spirit of community giving, they're being angry and divisive and putting themselves and their political agenda ahead of the charities.
Organizers are aiming to create an alternative to Madison's longtime Brat Fest.
Organizers acknowledged that the Alternative Brat Fest comes at a politically heated time where many people are at odds with the sponsors of the World's Largest Brat Fest.
The Madison Park Commission unanimously approved the Alternative Brat Fest during a Wednesday night meeting.
Orton Park on Madison's East Side could soon be the location of the Alternative Brat Fest.
...Joey Dunscombe, of Weary Traveler, and other local businesses are hoping to serve up the Alternative Brat Fest.
"We're shooting for the world's smallest brat fest," Dunscombe said. "It's just a showcase of local foods. Anything we bring in will be donated to charities."
The event would take place on May 29, the same weekend as the World's Largest Brat Fest, which is produced by Metcalfe's Market. The charity fundraiser is being criticized, even boycotted, due to sponsor Johnsonville Brats' campaign contributions to Republican Gov. Scott Walker.
JOHNSONVILLE DIDN'T MAKE ANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER.
ZERO. NOTHING. This article makes it sound as if the business made sizable donations.
PRIVATE citizens, employees of Johnsonville, made contributions - not JOHNSONVILLE.
..."We understand some people may have some concerns and we respect that," said Tim Metcalfe, of Metcalfe's grocery store, which sponsors Brat Fest. "We have an agreement with Johnsonville. They've been a great supporter of the event. They've donated 150,000 brats. We're hoping to again raise a lot of money for a lot of good people. I wish their event well."
With final approval still pending, organizers stress Alternative Brat Fest is not about politics.
"No, it's definitely not a protest," Dunscombe said. "There's not going to be chanting and signage and stuff like that. If people want to make it political, that's up to them. It's just about eating good food."
To identify Walker contributors, [Sam] Hokin's [Facebook] page links to a campaign finance database maintained by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign. It also helps followers send letters of protest to companies, provides a place for updates and shares ideas for more activities — such as organized pickets outside companies associated with Walker and a planned boycott of this year's Brat Fest because it uses some Johnsonville products.
Not political?
That's absurd.
...Johnsonville Brats announced Wednesday evening that not only are they donating the 150,000 brats agreed upon for the event, the Sheboygan Falls company is donating all of the brats for Brat Fest. That's at least 200,000 brats.
Johnsonville Sausage LLC released a statement Wednesday night: "Johnsonville Sausage has had a positive and successful partnership with Brat Fest for several years. Each year, our focus is on benefitting the charitable organizations that this community event supports. We feel that donating all the brats for this year's festival is a meaningful way we can continue to partner with this great event and benefit deserving organizations in the Madison area."
I hope the alternative Brat Fest is small enough that it doesn't have a significant effect on attendance at the "World's Largest Brat Fest" and have a negative impact on the charities involved.
It's sad that the charities may suffer because of this idiotic boycott.
Give it a rest for Memorial Day weekend. If some people want to boycott, why not purchase soda or some other products available at the fest?
Just give it a rest and do the right thing for a few days.
Apparently, that's too much to ask. ___________________
A related matter--
TMJ4 covered this story on its Thursday 10:00 PM newscast.
Anchor Mike Jacobs made a correction from its 6:00 PM newscast. He said they had incorrectly reported that Johnsonville had made campaign contributions to Scott Walker. Jacobs said that Johnsonville employees made donations, but not the Johnsonville company.
I couldn't believe that after so many weeks of stories about union boycotts of M&I and Sendik's and other businesses, even though the businesses did NOT make contributions to Walker, that TMJ4 would make such a major mistake.
How could they be so stupid?
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!
Jacobs said, "We regret that error."
I'm glad they were called on their terribly cheap shot and were forced to make the embarrassing correction.
Russ Feingold, former U.S. senator, booted from office by the people of Wisconsin on November 2, 2010, received a Leftist award in Washington on Wednesday.
Making his first speech in Washington, D.C., since he left the Senate, Russ Feingold on Wednesday chastised Democrats for failing to protect civil liberties and Republicans for going after workers' bargaining rights.
Feingold was in Washington to receive the Ridenhour Courage Prize, an award honoring progressive figures and causes that has gone in the past to Daniel Ellsberg, Seymour Hersh, former President Jimmy Carter and Gloria Steinem.
He said at the awards ceremony that the White House was "flat-out wrong" in its recent decision to try suspects in the Sept. 11 attacks before a military commission instead of a civilian court.
"The administration's flip-flop on this issue is a mistake," said Feingold.
He also invoked the budget and labor debate in Wisconsin, saying a "cherished right for generations in my home state was stripped way from thousands of people who work for public agencies."
...Talking to small group of reporters before the awards ceremony, Feingold was unsparing in his criticism of Gov. Scott Walker over the collective bargaining issue.
"All of us in Wisconsin are shocked that somebody decided that, for the purposes of one policy issue, they were going to tear the state apart. And we are suffering from divisions that we've never had before and it's going to take a very long time to repair it," said Feingold. "I can't imagine anything worse than the way (the governor) has conducted himself."
On the recall drives now under way, Feingold stopped short of explicitly advocating the recall of GOP lawmakers or of Walker, saying, "I've never been a fan of recall elections." But he called recalls an appropriate remedy in unusual circumstances, and "this could be such an occasion."
Feingold said as a political matter that timing was a key tactical question for the opposition to Walker, who won't be able to undo his policies without taking control of both legislative chambers and replacing the governor.
"I hope that people who are thinking about recalls are thinking strategically, about when is the best time is to achieve those goals. Because the biggest mistake you could have is to just rush in, and put all your chips out on one recall election and if it doesn't go well, then things sort of go in reverse," said Feingold.
Asked about speculation he might be a candidate for governor in the future, the former senator said, "My plate is very full . . . I have no plans to run for public office."
Feingold says he has no plans to run for public office. His plate is full.
He sounds like Bill Clinton:
"It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is."
"I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky."
Of course, Feingold's future may hold a run for public office.
We know he wants to be president, but I think he'd be willing to settle for a run for governor or trying to get back in the U.S. Senate.
Feingold didn't establish his Progressives United (P.U.) political action committee to fill spare time. I don't think it's a hobby.
Russ has plans, though his chances for success are poor.
It's no surprise that the liberal media are hammering away at Governor Scott Walker. Their relentless spin is predictable, but that doesn't make it more palatable.
That which isn't worth mentioning becomes newsworthy.
Turns out he and a campaign staffer were making the national rounds on the conservative circuit.
According to a Sunday piece on the right-wing website News- Max, Gov. Scott Walker had dropped by its headquarters in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Friday. The story said the trip was part of "a nationwide tour to drum up support for a new effort, FrontlineWisconsin.com, that seeks to defend eight Wisconsin GOP senators from a massive recall campaign that now is under way."
Various groups have launched recall efforts against 16 senators - eight Republicans and eight Democrats - for their positions on Walker's controversial budget-repair measure.
"What I've been doing is going around the country and making the case, given my position in Wisconsin, reaching out to folks across the country to say, 'Help us out,' " Walker told the online publication.
Walker "quietly" went to Florida.
What should he have done? Held a news conference to announce his trip?
What's wrong with Walker speaking in support of his agenda and Republicans?
I think he should try to help Republicans facing recall elections, to counter all the cash being dumped by the unions and out-of-state Democrats into the coffers of Dem state politicians.
Obama has been fundraising like crazy.
Do Dems/union bullies/liberal media criticize him?
At the end of March, Obama was raking in dough in New York. Today, Obama is in Chicago for fundraising events.
Personally, I think the president should be focusing on the monumental mess he's made at home and abroad rather than running around bringing in cash for his 2012 bid at taxpayers' expense. Air Force One isn't a cheap ride.
But Walker goes on a commercial flight to Florida and that's supposed to be inappropriate or sneaky or somehow wrong in some way.
Ridiculous!
Walker also spoke frankly to the publication about a number of other issues, including Supreme Court Justice David Prosser's re-election bid. (Full disclosure: No Quarter doesn't write about the court or that race because of a conflict of interest.)
So where is Walker going as part of this national tour? Who went with him to Florida? Did he hold any fundraisers for his own campaign while there?
Katie McCallum, a spokeswoman for the Republican Party and Walker's campaign, was initially tight-lipped about the Florida trip and national tour, providing just a bland statement that said the first-term Republican governor is defending the Senate Republicans for supporting his bill.
Later, McCallum explained that Walker had been invited by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, to speak on fiscal responsibility at a Florida event.
Heritage is a regular recipient of funds from the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation, which gave the Washington, D.C., outfit $478,000 in 2008 and '09, the last years for which data is available. Walker's campaign chairman, Michael Grebe, is the president of the Bradley Foundation.
"Governor Walker continues to do interviews in Wisconsin and around the nation with reporters and talk show hosts, and continues to deliver remarks at events promoting www.frontlinewisconsin.com," McCallum said in an email.
Walker and a campaign staffer traveled to Florida by commercial flight, not a state plane, McCallum said. The expenses, she said, were picked up by his campaign.
At a news conference earlier this week, Walker defended his unpublicized, out-of-state trip.
"I said you've got big government union money coming in from Washington," he told reporters after the Journal Sentinel disclosed the trip online. "I think grass-roots activists from across the state and across the country are needed to be able to counter it. So over the weekend, I made that case."
Oooooh! Walker's campaign was "tight-lipped" about the Florida trip and "national tour."
"National tour"?
Give me a break!
Walker goes to Florida and that's a crime.
Fourteen Democrat Wisconsin senators flee the state to bring the government to a halt and that's heroic.
Yeah, right.
This is a non-story and Bice is treating it like some important exposé. Kind of pathetic.
Also, Bice writes:
(Full disclosure: No Quarter doesn't write about the court or [Supreme Court Justice David Prosser's re-election bid] because of a conflict of interest.)
It's not full disclosure if Bice doesn't explain what the conflict of interest is.
A major donor to Gov. Scott Walker was charged Monday with funneling more than $60,000 in illegal campaign contributions through his railroad employees during the last election.
William Gardner, president and chief executive officer of Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Co., has agreed to plead guilty to two felony counts - one for exceeding the campaign contribution limits and a second for giving company and personal funds to others so they could make political donations. Individuals can give no more than $10,000 to gubernatorial candidates.
Under the deal, prosecutors are asking that Gardner be sentenced to two years' probation.
"Because he was cooperative and accepted responsibility at the outset - providing much of the evidence against himself - we are not recommending jail time," said Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Landgraf, who investigates election and campaign matters.
Although Milwaukee prosecutors handled the case, the charges were filed in Washington County, where Gardner lives. Each of the two felony counts carries a maximum penalty of 3 ½ years of combined prison and extended supervision and a $10,000 fine.
Gardner issued a statement Monday acknowledging his mistakes.
In that written statement, the 63-year-old railroad executive said he didn't initially realize that what he and others were doing was improper. The criminal complaint says Gardner took several steps to conceal the scheme and the illegal contributions came to light only when a former friend of Gardner's alerted state officials.
"I made and asked others to make these contributions, and I am responsible for having the company reimburse some individuals," Gardner stated. "My actions were against the law and wrong, and I take full responsibility."
A spokesman for Walker said he had no comment on the matter. His campaign received the vast majority of the illegal campaign contributions.
Last year, Walker returned more than $43,000 in donations to Gardner and a handful of his company workers after the railroad official informed state regulators that he had been using company funds to reimburse his workers for their campaign contributions. The Assembly Democratic Campaign Committee also has forfeited $3,500 in donations from Gardner.
We know there will be a joint news conference by the Milwaukee County DA Office and the Government Accountability Board today. It's about a "significant investigation."
The state Government Accountability Board and Milwaukee County district attorney's office has scheduled a news conference Monday afternoon to discuss the results of a "significant investigation."
No details were given about the investigation.
The news conference is scheduled at 2 p.m. Monday at the Government Accountability Board office in Madison.
What's this about?
Can we have a clue?
Does it have something to do with Colonel Mustard with the rope in the Billiard Room?
Justice David Prosser is by far the best candidate. In every capacity, Prosser is JoAnne Kloppenburg's superior. Without question, he deserves to be reelected to the Supreme Court.
David Prosser recently compared the Wisconsin Supreme Court, of which he is a member, to a family. Families have their squabbles, he noted in an interview with WisconsinEye.
True enough, but this "family" does more than squabble. It's close to dysfunctional.
The state Supreme Court is riven with personal dislikes, petty jealousies and wide ideological divides. The court is split 4-3, with self-described judicial conservatives, including Prosser, most often in the majority.
Though Prosser, 68, shares responsibility for the court's divisiveness, we don't believe he is the problem. Prosser has been a capable justice who has shown the ability to work with his ideological opposites when the situation demands. He is a good writer, has an even temperament and is a hard worker. We disagree with him on disciplining of lawyers - he doesn't see major problems with the lax system the state now employs; we do. But this is not enough to disqualify him.
...All the justices share responsibility for decorum, but Prosser is right: The chief does have a special role to play. It's worth noting that fissures on Abrahamson's court are nothing new. Shortly after Prosser joined the court in 1998, a cabal of justices sought to depose Abrahamson, backing her opponent in her re-election race. Prosser supported her and says that over the years he has had a good relationship with her.
We encourage Prosser - and his fellow justices, especially Abrahamson - to repair their differences and focus on interpreting the state constitution fairly and modestly. Leave the sniping for the lunch room.
Kloppenburg, 57, is a strong candidate. She has degrees from Yale and Princeton and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin. She specialized in environmental affairs. But we believe Prosser is the stronger candidate this time.
We recommend that voters return him to the court for another 10-year term.
There's no question that Justice Prosser is a stronger candidate than Kloppenburg.
Governor Tommy G. Thompson Gov. Scott McCallum Lt. Governor Margaret Farrow
Retired Supreme Court Justices: Justice William Callow Justice Don Steinmetz Justice Louis Ceci Justice Jon Wilcox
Judges: Hon. Charles Pollex, Adams Hon. J.D. McKay, Brown Hon. Donald Zuidmulder-Brown Hon. Kendall M Kelley, Brown Hon. Mark Warpinski, Brown Hon. Don Poppy, Calumet Hon. Alan White, Columbia Hon. Patrick Fiedler, Dane Hon. George Glonek, Douglas Hon. Kelly Thimm, Douglas Hon. Leon Stenz, Forest Hon. Dale English, Fond du Lac Hon. Peter Grimm, Fond du Lac Hon. Richard Nuss, Fond du Lac Hon. Robert Wirtz, Fond du Lac Hon. James Beer, Green Hon. Randy Koschnick, Jefferson Hon. Paul Curran, Juneau Hon. John Roemer, Juneau Hon. Chad Kerkman, Kenosha Hon. Bruce Schroeder, Kenosha Hon. Wilbur Warren, Kenosha Hon. Mary Wagner, Kenosha Hon. Todd Bjerke, LaCrosse Hon. Scott Horne, LaCrosse Hon. Fred Karalski, Langlade Hon. Jay Tlusty, Lincoln Hon. Tim Duket, Marinette Hon. James Habech, Shawano Hon. Carl Ashley, Milwaukee Hon. William Brash, Milwaukee Hon. Jane Carroll, Milwaukee Hon. Dennis Cimpl, Milwaukee Hon. Jeffrey Conen, Milwaukee Hon. Pedro Colon, Milwaukee Hon. Joseph Donald, Milwaukee Hon. Tim Dugan, Milwaukee Hon. Clare Fiorenza, Milwaukee Hon. David Hansher, Milwaukee Hon. Daniel Konkol, Milwaukee Hon. Mary Kuhnmuench, Milwaukee Hon. Kevin Martens, Milwaukee Hon. Dennis Moroney, Milwaukee Hon. Daniel Noonan, Milwaukee Hon. Stephanie Rothstein, Milwaukee Hon. William Sosnay, Milwaukee Hon. Francis Wasielewski, Milwaukee Hon. J.D. Watts, Milwaukee Hon. Maxine White, Milwaukee Hon. Jay Conley, Oconto Hon. Michael Judge, Oconto Hon. John Desjardins, Outagamie Hon. Howard Froehlich, Outagamie Hon. Michael Gage, Outagamie Hon. Mark McGinnis, Outagamie Hon. Mitchell Metropulos, Outagamie Hon. Paul Malloy, Ozaukee Hon. Sandy Williams, Ozaukee Hon. Joseph Boles, Pierce Hon. Dennis Barry, Racine Hon. Faye Flancher, Racine Hon. Gerard Ptacek, Racine Hon. Gene Gasiorkiewicz, Racine Hon. Edward Lieneweber, Richland Hon. Daniel Dillon, Rock Hon. Michael Fitzpatrick, Rock Hon. James Welker, Rock Hon. Scott R. Needham, St. Croix Hon. Patrick Taggart, Sauk Hon. Robert Kennedy, Walworth Hon. James Carlson, Walworth Hon. Todd Martens, Washington Hon. Michael Bohren, Waukesha Hon. William Domina, Waukesha Hon. Donald Hassin, Waukesha Hon. Lee Dreyfus, Waukesha Hon. Mac Davis, Waukesha Hon. Patrick Haughney, Waukesha Hon. Ralph Ramirez, Waukesha Hon. Mark Gundrum, Waukesha Hon. Raymond Huber, Waupaca Hon. Greg Dutcher, Waushara Hon. John Jorgensen, Winnebago Hon. James Mason, Wood Hon. George Curry, Grant Hon. James Eaton, Barron (retired) Hon. Tim Vocke, Oneida (retired) Hon. Ed Zappen, Wood
Elected Officials: County Executive Dan Vrakas (Waukesha) Mayor John Antaramian (Kenosha--former) Rep. Bob Ziegelbauer (Independent-Manitowoc) Rep. Tyler August (R-Walworth) Rep Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) Rep. Jeffrey Mursau (R-Crivitz) Rep. John Murtha (R-Baldwin) Rep. Stephen Nass (R-Whitewater) Rep. Lee Nerison (R-Westby) Rep. Kathy Bernier (R-Chippewa Falls) Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) Rep. Alvin Ott (R-Forest Junction) Rep. Garey Bies (R-Sister Bay) Rep. Jim Ott (R-Mequon) Rep. Ed Brooks (R-Reedsburg) Rep. Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca) Rep. Jerry Petrowski, Jerry (R-Marathon) Rep. Warren Petryk (R-Eleva) Rep. Mike Endsley (R-Sheboygan) Rep. Paul Farrow (R-Pewaukee) Rep. Don Pridemore (R-Hartford) Rep. Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Beaver Dam) Rep. Keith Ripp (R-Lodi) Rep. Roger Rivard (R-Rice Lake) Rep. Mark Honadel (R-S. Milwaukee) Rep. Erik Severson (R-Star Prairie) Rep. Andre Jacque (R-Green Bay) Rep. Richard Spanbauer (R-Oshkosh) Rep. Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) Rep. Dean Kaufert (R-Neenah) Rep, Samantha Kerkman (R-Powers Lake) Rep. Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greenfield) Rep. Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake) Rep. Pat Strachota (R-West Bend) Rep. Joel Kleefisch (R-Oconomowoc) Rep. Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford) Rep. John Klenke (R-Green Bay) Rep. Gary Tauchen (R-Bonduel) Rep. Joe Knilans (R-Janesville) Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R-Fond du Lac) Rep. Dan Knodl (R-Germantown) Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Hazelhurst) Rep. Dean Knudson (R-Hudson) Rep. Dale Kooyenga (R-Brookfield) Rep. Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City) Rep. Bill Kramer (R-Waukesha) Rep. Scott Krug (R-Wisconsin Rapids) Rep. Karl Van Roy (R-Green Bay) Rep. Robin Vos (R-Caledonia) Rep. Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) Rep. Tom Larson (R-Colfax) Rep. Chad Weininger (R-Green Bay) Rep. Dan LeMahieu (R-Cascade) Rep, Mary Williams (R-Medford) Rep. Michelle Litjens (R-Oshkosh) Rep. Evan Wynn (R-Whitewater) Rep. Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) Rep. Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) Rep. Dan Meyer (R-Eagle River) Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) Sen. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) Sen. Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) Sen. Michael Ellis (R-Neenah) Sen. Pam Galloway (R-Wausau) Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) Sen. Sheila Harsdorf (R-River Falls) Sen. Randy Hopper (R-Fond du Lac) Sen. Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse) Sen. Neal Kedzie (R-Elkhorn) Sen. Frank Lasee (R-DePere) Sen. Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) Sen. Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls) Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) Sen. Dale Schultz (R-Richland Center) Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa) Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) Past-Rep. John Dobyns
Law Enforcement Community Milwaukee Police Association Sheriff David Clarke, Milwaukee Sheriff Dan Trawicki, Waukesha Sheriff John Gossage, Brown Sheriff Steve Helgeson, La Crosse Sheriff Bradley Gehring, Outagamie Sheriff Christopher Schmaling, Racine Sheriff Todd Nehls, Dodge Sheriff Paul Susienkea, Bayfield Sheriff Jerry Moran, Crawford Sheriff Mylan Fink, Fond du Lac Sheriff Dennis Smith, Dunn Sheriff Jerry Sauve, Marinette Sheriff John Andrews, Pepin Sheriff Dean Roland, Burnett Sheriff Dennis Richards, Columbia Sheriff Thomas Dalbec, Douglas Sheriff Mark Podoll, Green Lake Sheriff James Kowalczyk, Chippewa Sheriff Ron Cramer, Eau Claire Sheriff Jeff Rickaby, Florence Sheriff Keith Glover, Grant Sheriff Steve Michek, Iowa Sheriff Brent Oleson, Juneau Sheriff David Beth, Kenosha Sheriff Scott Pedley, Lafayette Sheriff William Greening, Langlade Sheriff Kim Gaffney, Marquette Sheriff Phil Malsack, Marquette (former) Sheriff David Kaminski, Rusk County Sheriff Michael Jansen, Oconto Sheriff Maury Straub, Ozaukee Sheriff Chris Schmaling, Racine Sheriff Randy Wright, Shawano Sheriff Dennis Hillstead, St. Croix Sheriff Gene Carey, Vernon Sheriff David Graves, Walworth Sheriff Terry Dryen, Washburn Sheriff Dale Schmidt, Washington Sheriff David Peterson, Waushara Sheriff Michael Brooks, Winnebago Sheriff Randy Roderick, Green (former) Sheriff Lewis Rosandisch, Clark (former) Sheriff James Kanikula, Marinette (former) Sheriff Randy Stammen, Sauk (former) Sheriff James Meier, Sawyer (former) Chief Randy Martin, RIO DA John Zakowski, Brown DA Mike Nieskes, Racine DA Richard Dufor, Marquette DA Brad Schimel, Waukesha DA Carrie Schneider, Outagamie DA Kurt Klomberg, Dodge DA Daniel Bank, Douglas DA Gary Luhman, Green DA Gerald Fox, Jackson DA Scott Southworth, Juneau DA Adam Gerol, Ozaukee DA Gregory Parker, Shawano DA Eric Johnson, St Croix DA John Snider, Waupaca DA Scott Blader, Waushara
Past State Bar Presidents Gary Bakke, New Richmond Pamela E. Barker, Appleton Lawrence J. Bugge, Madison R. George Burnett, Green Bay Gregory R. Conway, Green Bay John R. Decker, Evansville James D. Ghiardi, Shorewood Franklyn M. Gimbel, Milwaukee D. Michael Guerin, Milwaukee Donald L. Heaney, Madison Myron E. La Rowe, Reedsburg Gerald W. Mowris, Madison Gerald M. O’Brien, Stevens Point John Skilton, Madison Thomas S. Sleik, La Crosse Steven R. Sorenson, Ripon G. Lane Ware, Wausau
Associations/Groups Physicians for Responsible Government Wisconsin Restaurant Association Wisconin Realtors Association Wisconsin Builders Association Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
Lawmakers, the legal community, and law enforcement all endorse Prosser.
JoAnne Kloppenburg's page of endorsements has lots of names, but they're simply alphabetized, without titles.
That's OK for the phone book, but it's a disorganized way to list endorsements.
For me, this race boils down to experience and judicial philosophy.
Kloppenburg lacks experience. I don't think she's qualified to be on the Supreme Court.
Experience Matters -- Prior to my 12 years on the bench, I served 18 years in the legislature, two years as Outagamie County District Attorney, and more than two years in the United States Department of Justice. In these roles, I have created, applied, and interpreted law -- and received high marks for my performance in every capacity.
Judicial Philosophy -- I present myself as a judicial conservative, devoted to the constitution and the rule of law. My job is to find the law and apply it properly, not to make it up to advance some ideological objective.
Judicial Record -- In 12 years, I have participated in more than 900 published Supreme Court decisions and have written opinions in almost every area of law. My record for impartiality and scholarship is well known to people who closely follow the work of the court.
A Supreme Court justice is expected to be an independent decision-maker who makes the correct call in tough cases. I believe I have earned a reputation as a fair and reasonable justice who will apply the law fairly, not legislate from the bench.
This race isn't a referendum on Governor Scott Walker.
It's not about unions and their thuggery.
It's not about the injustice of public employees demanding that middle class taxpayers like me be burdened with paying for my own health care and saving for retirement as well as footing the bill for their benefits.
This is about electing an experienced, qualified justice for the Supreme Court; someone who will interpret the law, not act as a legislator.
I'm not going to vote for an inexperienced, judicial activist like Kloppenburg.
