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Evers announces Milwaukee site for new youth prison

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Governor Tony Evers has announced a site for a new state youth prison. Calling it a major step toward closing Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls, Evers on Tuesday announced plans to build a new youth prison on Milwaukee’s northwest side. In a statement, Evers said it’s one major step closer to getting kids out of the facilities, which were initially to have closed last July. The Milwaukee Common Council is expected to vote on the proposed site on Friday. Building on the site would require city approval, under a state law that approved 42 million dollars for the new facility.-

Even with Common Council support of the selected site, many steps remain before construction can start, including public hearings, local plan and rezoning approval and notification to the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Finance.

It’s official – Milwaukee will host 2024 Republican National Convention

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It’s the MKE for the RNC. Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel on Friday announced Milwaukee will host the party’s 2024 National Convention.

“The next two years we look forward to working with the mayor and everyone in the community to make this an event that not only highlights the RNC and our nominee for 2024 but highlights the great city that Milwaukee is,” McDaniel said.

“I look forward to presenting my city to Republican delegates, to alternates and representatives of the news media as well who will descend upon Milwaukee,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.

The choice was something of a foregone conclusion, since Nashville officials recently voted down a draft agreement to host. The 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee was a largely virtual affair due to the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Trump will headline Waukesha rally for Michels

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Former President Donald Trump will be back in Wisconsin Friday night. Trump is headlining a rally at the Waukesha County Fairgrounds for Tim Michels, the construction company executive who Trump is endorsing in the Republican primary for governor.

Michels faces former Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, who’s gotten the endorsement of former Vice President Mike Pence. Michaels and Kleefisch are front runners in the Republican primary that includes State Representative Tim Ramthun. The winner will face incumbent Democratic governor Tony Evers in the November general election.

In addition to Trump and Michels, scheduled speakers include Trump-endorsed congressional candidate Derrick Van Orden, and Adam Steen, a Trump-endorsed candidate challenging Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in the Republican primary for the 63rd state Assembly District.

Inflation reduction bill to get vote this weekend

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Action is likely in the U.S. Senate this weekend, on a measure to bring down inflation.

Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin says the Inflation Reduction Act will help push down prices on drugs and food, and enforce corporate tax laws 

“This bill is entirely paid for, not only is it entirely paid for, but the extra revenue created by lowering the price of prescription drugs means you know that there’ll be huge savings and in Medicare.”

“There’s so much revenue generated by these policies that we’re going to pay down our deficit. And that is something we need to do, but it’s long overdue,” says Baldwin. A major portion of the bill increases enforcement at the IRS and institutes a base minimum tax rate for companies. 

“The corporate minimum tax addresses the fact that a lot of corporations don’t do their fair share.”

The bill will also allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, which will help create savings for the government and help extend health care. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said voting will begin on Saturday.

Wisconsin veterans cheer passage of PACT Act

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The PACT Act, legislation supporting veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins is ready for President Joe Biden’s signature following this week’s passage by the U.S. Senate.

“This will affect 3.2 million veterans because many veterans were exposed to toxins during their service,” said Al Labelle with the Wisconsin office of Disabled American Veterans.

Labelle said bill will expand health care benefits for veterans who developed illnesses due to their exposure to a variety of toxins. “Everything from radiation risks, meaning the 50s and 60s when they were doing atomic testing, through Agent Orange, burn pits and PFAS.”

Labelle credits comedian Jon Stewart’s advocacy for the PACT Act, but said it was a team effort supported by more than 70 veterans organizations.

“John Stewart amplified our message, and it was very important what he did. However it was also due to the many phone calls emails meetings that were held with legislators.”

The bill passed the Senate Tuesday night on a vote of 86 to 11. Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Ron Johnson voted in favor.

Last week, Johnson and fellow Republicans held up passage of the bill. Republicans said their opposition was tied to an argument over which portion of the federal budget would pay for $280 billion worth of funds for veteran health programs.

Godlewski out of Senate race, endorses Barnes

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State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski is ending her U.S. Senate campaign and endorsing Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes.

At a Friday press conference with Godlewski in Fitchberg, Barnes said the Democratic primary has made him a better candidate. “You know nothing about this was easy for anybody who got in the race and I do think that primaries ultimately make candidates stronger I’m proud to have even been in this race with you I think ultimately it has made me a better candidate.”

Godlewski had initially said she’d stay in the race, following announcements earlier in the week from Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson and Bucks executive Alex Lasry, that they were suspending their campaigns and endorsing Barnes. But by Friday she’d reconsidered. “For me it was something that I reflected on within literally the last 24 hours. And I know that we’re better when we all come together, and that’s why for me it was pretty immediate.”

The departure of Godlewski, Nelson and Lasry clears the way for Barnes in the August 9 primary election, since the remaining Democrats are barely registering in polls. Barnes hopes to defeat Republican Senator Ron Johnson in November. Johnson is seeking a third term.

Dane County judge awards lawyers fees to watchdog group in open records case

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A Dane County judge has ruled that a liberal watchdog group is entitled to attorney fees in a case seeking records from the Republican-led elections investigation.

Judge Valery Bailey-Rihn said that the public got a full look at the investigation thanks to American Oversight.  

“We have absolutely found out from this case, or at least my case that there was absolutely no evidence of election fraud. We have also found out that apparently the assembly and some of the leaders of the people, the States believe that they have no obligation to comply with the open records law.”

Bailey-Rihn said Republican leadership in the Legislature has shown a blatant disregard for open records laws.“They don’t understand it. They don’t follow the Attorney General Guide on the open records compliance guide, they leave it to people that they don’t train and they don’t understand what they’re supposed to do and why.”

The judge said Speaker Robin Vos and the Assembly will have to pay the fees, but declined to impose punitive damages in the case.

Pence endorses Kleefisch for Republican primary

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Mike Pence has endorsed former lieutenant governor Rebecca Kleefisch for Wisconsin governor. In a statement, the former vice president called Kleefisch “the only candidate that will deliver a stronger and more prosperous Wisconsin,” and said he’s proud to support her.

The endorsement from Pence comes less than 24 hours after former President Donald Trump, who’s endorsing construction executive Tim Michels, announced he’ll hold a rally in Waukesha next week in support of Kleefisch’s opponent in the Republican primary.

The dueling endorsements here in Wisconsin mirror the situation in Arizona, where Trump and Pence are endorsing opposing candidates in that state’s Republican primary for governor.

The winner of Wisconsin’s August 9th primary will face Democratic Governor Tony Evers in November.

Lasry leaves U.S. Senate race and endorses Barnes

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Mandela Barnes

Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry is out of the race for U.S. Senate. Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes welcomed Lasry’s endorsement Wednesday in Milwaukee’s Deer District. He said the focus now is defeating Republican Senator Ron Johnson.

“I know this is gonna be tough, it’s gonna be difficult, it’s gonna be an uphill battle. But I know it’ll be that much easier because we’re in this together,” Barnes said.

Lasry said he saw no path forward to win the August 9th Democratic primary. “The second I realized that there was no path forward, we made sure that we did what we thought was best for us to be able to defeat Ron Johnson. And that meant getting with the person who is best positioned to do that, and has been running the best campaign in this primary. And that’s the Lieutenant Governor.”

Outagamie County Exec Tom Nelson suspended his campaign on Monday and is also endorsing Barnes. State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski is the remaining high-profile Democrat, and said she intends to stay in the race.

 

 

Trump will host Waukesha campaign rally for Tim Michels

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Former President Donald Trump has scheduled a rally for Tim Michels on August 5th rally in Waukesha.

Michels is the pipeline construction company executive whom Trump is endorsing in the August 9 Republican primary, where he faces former Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch and State Representative Timothy Rampthun. The winner moves to the November general election to face incumbent Democratic Governor Tony Evers.

Michels tweeted that the Trump rally “will be a great kickstart to a big victory in the primary on August 5th and firing Tony Evers in November.”

Trump’s Tuesday announcement of the rally for Michels came on the same day that U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas announced he’s endorsing Kleefisch in the Republican primary.