Wisconsin is uniquely bad when it comes to domestic violence gun deaths. It is past time to:
1) Pass a red flag law
2) Close the boyfriend loophole
3) Bring back 48 hour waiting period
4) Implement universal background checks
Everything about the
#TrumpShutdown
and the way
@gop
enabled it by empowering someone who defies our norms and common decency is disgusting. Especially heartbroken that the Violence Against Women Act will lapse as a result.
The “reason” Republicans cited for rejecting my appointment to the Domestic Abuse council was that they didn’t like my tweets. Welp, get ready to hate my tweets 🫶🏻
BREAKING: Republicans just voted to baselessly fire seven of my appointees, showing a complete disregard for our democracy, the basic functions of our government, and hardworking Wisconsinites who volunteered to serve.
This is wrong for Wisconsin, and it’s wrong for democracy.
Compassionate, dedicated, thoughtful leadership matters.
@GovEvers
isn’t always the flashiest guy and he doesn’t toot his own horn as often as he should (or really at all), but he makes important things happen. Wisconsin can always trust him to do what’s right.
Imagine if your house was on fire and you called 9-1-1 and the fire department showed up and said, “we should do something. I don’t know what, but something.” And then they did nothing while your house burned down. Anyway
@speakervos
had an idea today.
@DanRShafer
No, Dan, I don’t think you get it. Betsy said they don’t see color in Whitefish Bay. In fact I think I heard they are changing the village’s name to Allfish Bay.
Every governor in Wisconsin since Tommy Thompson has used an email alias. Evers administration has routinely disclosed to records requesters (including members of the media) that an alias exists for digital security reasons but has provided the content of emails.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has been using an alternative state email account under the name of Hall of Fame baseball player Warren Spahn as a security measure. Evers' spokesperson said the use of alias email addresses is common.
The Venn diagram of people who clutched their pearls when
@GovEvers
said "bullshit" and people who have been silent about
@SenRonJohnson
calling a reporter a "pussy" is a circle.
Ideas
@wisgop
leadership have brought to
@GovEvers
to aid in the state’s response to
#COVID19
crisis:
🔸Open golf courses
🔹Close women’s health clinics
End of list.
Not an episode of
@VeepHBO
— Wisconsin Republicans announced their plan to ignore the will of the people and deny healthcare coverage to 82,000 more Wisconsinites during a $1k per person (minimum) fundraiser in DC.
@AnthonyDaBruzzi
@Dailytakes
@SenFitzgerald
@GovEvers
Not accurate please correct. The Senate is gaveling open the special session, as required by law, in skeleton session only. Skeleton session means no debates, no votes and Senators don’t need to be present.
I forgot to let my dog lick the peanut butter spoon after I made my son’s smoothie this morning and have never seen such a look of confusion and despair. He just kept looking at the blender and then at me. Hopefully we can heal from this betrayal.
Thank goodness in Wisconsin, because of the
@wisgop
, everyone who needs to have their hair done can find an open business. In solidly Democratoc states, it appears it's just hypocritical liberal politicians who get special access.
So does Republican leadership think they know better than 70% of Wisconsinites? Or do they just care more about playing politics and obstructing
@GovEvers
agenda at any cost? Maybe both? Things to ponder while JFC is delayed.
#Fight4Medicaid
Just a reminder that Wisconsin is the best in the nation when it comes to getting shots in arms. Grateful for
@GovEvers
leadership and happy that Republicans haven’t been able to interfere in this process.
Was this person general counsel when
@wisgop
ran fake Dems in the senate recall elections? For the voter roll purge? When they rigged the maps? Because honestly it’s the least surprising thing in the world that WI Republicans want to screw around with our elections.
A local GOP source tells me this is Lane Ruhland, a top WIGOP election lawyer who was former general counsel for the state party. Ruhland didn't deny it when I called her: "I’m going to leave any comment about the petitions, the papers and what’s going on to the campaign itself."
As he keeps tabs on public workers, Michael Gableman contends a Milwaukee employee is a Democrat because she lives with her boyfriend, plays video games, wears a nose ring and loves snakes
As a native Floridian who has lived in Wisconsin for the last 10 years, I can say definitively that the correct FL-WI comparison is that Wisconsin Dells is the Daytona Beach of the Midwest. I won’t be taking any questions.
Why are news outlets still giving airtime to people who are saying there’s no evidence that masks work? It is incredibly irresponsible and dangerous to give these people a platform.
I’m already incredibly impressed with
@Hong4assembly
. She’s not even in office yet and is out there kicking ass to elect more Democrats to join her. Excited to see what comes next.
Spending this morning in the north suburbs for
@EmilySiegristWI
with
@Hong4assembly
and then a few hours in Franklin this afternoon!
Can’t wait to have my new friends join me next weekend :) the hustle on these two is immeasurable
In the lawsuit Republican lawmakers filed on April 21 to overturn "Safer at Home," they said they were drafting legislation to respond to the pandemic.
At today's press conference on COVID-19,
@SpeakerVos
says Republicans don't have any bills drafted.
And *if* my 12-year-old controlled our grocery budget we'd have a house full of only blue Gatorade, Takis, and Chips Ahoy. Luckily grown-ups are in charge.
Wis Republicans said *if* they controlled the state's stimulus aid, they would:
-- give $1 billion in cash payments to property owners
-- spend $500 million on broadband expansion
-- put an unspecified amount toward long-term care
they don't control the cash -
@GovEvers
does.
Wisconsin GOP chairman sends letter to Milwaukee officials saying he objects to having Milwaukee Bucks mascot Bango and the Brewers' Racing Sausages at early voting locations via
@DanielBice
Claims made today that
@GovEvers
has tried to renegotiate the Foxconn contract are false. It is unfortunate that Republicans would rather try to make headlines with political finger-pointing than work with the governor to protect Wisconsin taxpayers.
.
@GovEvers
didn’t propose a budget for Wisconsin Republicans, he proposed The People’s Budget. Medicaid expansion is in the budget because the people want it there.
.
@SenStroebel
is questioning why
@GovEvers
made Medicaid expansion a linchpin of his budget knowing some Republicans would oppose it:
"To me that's not a very sincere budget proposal"
Topics of news conferences today in and around the Wisconsin Capitol:
_ abortion access
_
@UWMadison
and
@UWSystem
building needs
_ Medicaid expansion
_ spending more on roads to make it safer for emergency responders
.
@SenFitzgerald
in an interview says it was
@GovEvers
who "set the table for chaos" by lifting restrictions on retail businesses instead of following the phases of his reopening plan after gating criteria had been met.
"The public started to become skeptical."
.
@LGMandelaBarnes
already started his virtual story time last week. The first book he read was called “Kindness Makes us Strong.” Kindness and strength in the face of adversity are good lessons for everyone. Will send you the link to that story, Dan!
Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes has started a "virtual story time" in which he reads to the state's children and, well, we couldn't help ourselves and picked the first book he should read!
Sen. Ron Johnson asked about reducing child care costs: "Well, people decide to have families and become parents. That's something they need to consider when they make that choice. I've never really felt it was society's responsibility to take care of other people's children."
.
@SpeakerVos
adjourns the joint session to hear
@GovEvers
budget address with a "thank God we're out of here." Likely a sign he didn't enjoy the speech.
This is...not accurate. If
@rep89
would do his homework and show up to do his job he might have read the cover letter to the DWD budget request, which discussed IT upgrades being part of
@GovEvers
overall budget.
I recently learned that DWD did not request funding for IT upgrades in the upcoming budget. This contradicts the repeated statements from the Evers admin that the IT system is to blame for the backlog of unemployment insurance claims.
Read my full statement here:
Vaccinated, and it feels so good. And yes, if you see me any time soon I will be singing this in the style of Peaches & Herb “Reunited.” 🎶Vaccinated ‘cause I understood 🎶
So much for "compromise." But this is what
@wisgop
does every time
@GovEvers
tries to work w/them in good faith-they move the goalposts. It's long past time to dispense with the "both sides need to come together" narrative & acknowledge GOP doesn't care about getting things done.
Notice for 11 a.m. hearing tomorrow on Wisconsin Republicans' latest COVID-19 bill, which would bar the mandating of vaccinations, limit closures of businesses to 2-weeks at a time, require school boards to vote every 2 weeks on virtual learning, limit liability
While it’s disappointing that
@SpeakerVos
didn’t appoint a Black person to lead his taskforce (to be fair there are no Black republicans in the WI legislature) it’s good that he at least chose someone who has been arrested a number of times.
That policy makers like
@Vanwanggaard
believe there could possibly be a justification for police shooting an unarmed Black man seven times in the back in front of his kids is why we should
#DefundThePolice
. It’s a racist and broken system.
State Sen.
@Vanwanggaard
says the shooting of Jacob Blake “appears shocking,” but says people should reserve judgment.
“Exhale. Everyone should take a deep breath. There is an investigatory process that must be followed so no evidence is overlooked.”
When
@Bucks
twitter and WI legislative Republicans need to do their damn jobs twitter collide. This is truly
@DanRShafer
’s time to shine and you should give him a follow.
From the statement, read by George Hill: "We are calling for justice for Jacob Blake and demand the officers to be held accountable. For this to occur, it is imperative for the Wisconsin State Legislature to reconvene after months of inaction."
TELL 'EM, GEORGE!!!
There is no doubt things need to change and that the road to change will be difficult. But the journey will be much easier if we’re all heading in the same direction. Substantive reform requires all voices to be part of the solutions.
#KenoshaRiot
#JacobBlake
1/
The intent of
@GovEvers
#SaferAtHome
order is for people to
#StayHome
so we can
#FlattenTheCurve
. Folks shouldn't be looking for ways around this. We all need to do our part. That means taking this seriously. Stay-and I cannot stress this enough-home.
In which my middle schooler and two of his friends were belting the 4 Non Blondes banger What’s Up, and I joined in, and they said oh you know that?, and I said yeah that song came out when I was your age, and they said no it’s a TikTok.
Where is COVID legislation
@SpeakerVos
@SenFitzgerald
said they were pursuing in court filing dated 4/21? In the lawsuit where they asked the Court to toss
@GovEvers
plan to keep people safe? Anyway the legislature hasn’t worked in 5 months & WI hit record high cases today. 🤷🏼♀️
Your
#COVID19_WI
update, and a reminder. Along with these summary statistics, we encourage you to look at 7- and 14-day averages. Those smooth out day-to-day fluctuations and more clearly show the trends happening in our state:
This pitch from
@SpeakerVos
in
@wispolitics
is something else. It’s like if instead of fiddling while Rome burned, Nero counted the strings on his fiddle and bragged to everyone that he had the most. What a fucking loser.
Wisconsin Republicans won’t pay for a tax cut for the middle class but they’re willing to spend unlimited taxpayer money on lawyers to defend their attempts to override the will of the people. So much for fiscal responsibility.
Friday afternoon was the first time we were made aware that
@SenFitzgerald
had concerns about Brad Pfaff. Since then the story continues to change about why they are ignoring the voices of farmers who are pleading for Brad's confirmation and steady leadership.
State health care officials earlier today said Wisconsin was facing a break down of the state's health care system if something didn't change, whether it be less virus spread or more health care workers.
I remember preparing for the first WI COVID death. We knew it was coming & wanted to share the info in a respectful way. Was still a gut punch.
@GovEvers
has never forgotten these are real people, with families who loved and miss them. I know his heart breaks with each update.
Your
#COVID19_WI
update with another record we did not want to break — a record high number of newly reported deaths — 104. Our sympathies go out to all who have lost loved ones.
Please stay home and stay safe this
#holiday
weekend:
I am old enough to remember when
@GovEvers
proposed repealing the one-week waiting period (& increasing the maximum UI weekly benefit by about 10%) in his first budget proposal two years ago. And when
@wisgop
said nah to that.
Not suspending the one-week waiting period sooner for people seeking unemployment help cost Wisconsin $25 million last spring.
Allowing it to resume is now costing the state $1.3 million per week.
Fun fact:
@SpeakerVos
&
@SenFitzgerald
aren’t the only
@wisgop
members of the legislature.
#wimedia
should ask questions of every member of the legislature. Leadership gives cover to the backbenchers, who cower behind them in silence. Reporters must hold them ALL accountable.
After the Bucks refused to take the court in yesterday's playoff game, the team issued a statement calling on the state Legislature to reconvene to take up bills related to criminal justice reform. Republican leaders have yet to comment.
“I’m sorry your childhood is vintage now,” my 14-year-old said to me amid the cropped Fila sweatshirts, rayon midi skirts, and foam platform sandals of my youth now for sale in Urban Outfitters.
ICYMI: a person who wants to prevent tens of thousands of Wisconsinites from accessing affordable healthcare, to include COVID treatment, is using her taxpayer-funded healthcare to perform her own medical experiments.
@DanRShafer
But Dan, you’re forgetting that Ron Kind hosted the president in his district recently to talk about a bipartisan infrastructure investment. I think we can all agree that’s much worse than a little light treason.
Holy mackerel! Tonight, I made it official: I’m running again to make sure Wisconsin bounces back and build on the success we’ve already achieved together.
Are you ready to be a founding member of our campaign? ➡️
NEW: A group of longtime allies of Vice President Kamala Harris have been shut out as her chief of staff Tina Flournoy has become a strong gatekeeper.
- Associates of Harris are now having to go through Flournoy after years of having direct access
Ok this headline is a joke. “Fails by thousands”. They fell short by 99.9%! It’s not like they just missed the mark or got halfway there. They got 53 signatures out of the 36,000 required. I’d be embarrassed to publish this.
MAYOR RECALL EFFORT FAILS BY THOUSANDS
According to the city clerk, the group gathered and turned in a total of 53 signatures, well short of the required more than 36,000.
A Wisconsin Republican close to state GOP leadership tells me they're going to flat-out reject
@GovEvers
call to postpone Tuesday's elections. "Republican leadership is not going to do this. They consider this an 11th hour feckless back and forth."
One of my big takeaways from
#wbadebate
and
#wigov
campaign in general is that
@ScottWalker
is really flailing. He has no ideas, no vision, and no credibility. Very clear contrast with
@Tony4WI
, who has a real plan to put Wisconsin first.
#TeamTony
Also if Wisconsin is less attractive to companies and workers, Vos and the GOP might want to look in the mirror. Their hostility towards women, BIPOC communities, and LGBTQ folx plays a big part in how people feel about our state.
"It is no surprise that [Robin Vos] chooses to walk away from leadership at a time when there are opportunities for WEDC to shift to a more sustainable strategy that strengthens local economies and supports small businesses," said Rep. Francesca Hong.
@rep89
@GovEvers
You mean aside from all the legislation y’all have and are doing nothing with? The bill you passed (almost 200 days ago) was a fraction of what the governor sent you. You could also expand Medicaid.
@RepRobynVining
HEROES Act. A bunch of options you already have!
It’s apparently
#NationalHugANewsPersonDay
. If you know how important it is to stay
#SaferAtHome
so we can
#FlattenTheCurve
send your local journalists a (virtual) hug because they are essential to educating the public. Also, please support their work by subscribing!
I’d like to move that any objectors to PA electoral votes must first defeat both
@JohnFetterman
and
@GrittyNHL
in hand-to-hand combat. Really bring that fuck around and find out energy to their challenge.
While Wisconsin is experiencing a domestic abuse crisis--a 20% increase in DV homicides--
@SenatorDevin
& his colleagues are refusing to fund programs that support survivors.
.
@SpeakerVos
blames
@GovEvers
for last night's deadly shooting in Kenosha: "Those people did not have to die, and because of Tony Evers’ actions, they’re dead."
I can’t say enough good things about Andrea Palm, as a public servant and as a human being. People in Wisconsin and around the country are lucky to have her—it is not an exaggeration to say she has saved thousands and thousands of lives.
Andrea Palm, who led Wisconsin's pandemic response, has gotten something in Washington, D.C., that she never got in Wisconsin: a confirmation.
Now she's the No. 2 official in
@POTUS
Joe Biden's Health and Human Services Department via
@journalsentinel
One of the most important things Wisconsin could do to address
#racialdisparity
is accepting federal funds to expand Medicaid. I’m glad to hear
@jimsteineke
has an open mind to this and look forward to seeing more Wisconsinites access healthcare while saving state dollars.
I’ll be asking all involved in this task force to set aside their differences, come together with an open mind, and leave partisan politics at the door. When the mission is just and the cause is noble, people of good will can overcome any roadblock in their path.
#racialdisparity