Candidates for Wisconsin Supreme Court will debate (MILWAUKEE)
Dane County Judge Susan Crawford and Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel meet for the first and only time Wednesday night. Marquette Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin said the debate is “an important moment, both for familiarity, but also for the candidates to express their positions.” On WISN’s ‘UpFront’ Franklin noted the candidates face constraints. There are limits on what judicial candidates can talk about and not appear to be prejudging cases in the future and yet still give voters an understanding of who they are and what they’re for. Despite saturation advertising coverage, fewer than 40% of respondents to the latest Marquette Poll say they’ve heard or read a lot about the Supreme Court race. WISN-TV is hosting the debate at Marquette Law School.
Bill requiring sheriffs to confirm citizenship on felony arrests clears committee (MADISON)
A bill requiring Wisconsin sheriffs to seek proof of citizenship from persons in custody on felony arrests clears a state Assembly committee. If a sheriff does not comply, the local government will lose 15% of its revenue from the state in the following year. On Tuesday the Assembly Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety voted 8-4 along party lines to recommend passage of the bill. It will need to pass both the full Assembly and Senate in order to arrive at the desk of Democratic Governor Tony Evers, who’s already indicated he’ll veto any such measure.
Wisconsinites scammed of more than $100 mil in ’24 (UNDATED)
The Federal Trade Commission reports that just over $106 million came from more than 30,000 fraud reports last year, with the average loss being $357. Imposter scams were the most reported category of fraud, followed by identify theft, credit bureaus and information furnishers, online shopping and negative reviews, and banks and lenders. Nationally, consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase from $10 billion in 2023.
Cooke announces another bid for 3rd Congressional District (EAU CLAIRE)
Cooke is a waitress, small business owner, and non-profit leader from Eau Claire. She will again challenge incumbent Republican Derrick Van Orden, who she narrowly lost to in the 2024 November general election. The 3rd district expects to be one of the most competitive congressional seats in the country and has already drawn outside interest from Democratic political action committees like House Majority. Cooke says she’s running again because Wisconsin families deserve a fair shot and a seat at the table. The 3rd Congressional District covers a large portion of western Wisconsin and also includes parts of Portage, Wood, and Adams counties.
Tougher ban on trans students taking part in high school or college sports introduced at Capitol (MADISON)
A bill prohibiting trans student athletes from participating in high school and college sports in Wisconsin had a public hearing on Tuesday. State Assembly Republican Barb Dittrich of Oconomowoc says an executive order from President Trump on the subject doesn’t go far enough. She wants to prevent trans students from using or entering their selected gender’s locker rooms and changing areas, and impose penalties on any school district that ignores the ban.
Former Northwoods corrections officer faces charges for attack at jail (MERRILL)
A former corrections officer faces abuse charges in Lincoln County for an incident at the jail. 44-year-old Jason Meister is accused of assaulting an inmate at the Lincoln County Jail in February. The Division of Criminal Investigation says Meister attacked the victim in his cell, breaking his ribs and cutting above the victim’s eye. The alleged attack was caught on security cameras. Meister was fired from his role in the Sheriff’s Department last week.