Friday, December 28, 2012
2012 really did feel like one long election, didn't it? And at the center of it all: the historic recall elections.
The historic recall of Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and a handful of Republican state senators this year dominated the headlines for the first half of 2012. After nearly 1 million signatures were turned in against Walker - primarily because of Act 10, which severely limited how far collective bargaining could go for public employees - the fight got under way among Democrats for who would challenge the governor. A live forum was hosted at the George Bray Center by a number of Racine-area groups for the Democratic primary candidates; Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, Kathleen Vinehout and Doug LaFollette, and Independent gubernatorial candidate Hariprasad "Hari" Trivedi. Opponents of …
Friday, September 14, 2012
As news of Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas' decision to strike down the state's collective bargaining law spread, liberals marked the ruling a win while conservatives took issue with it.
Just hours after Dane County Circuit Judge Juan Colas decided that the state’s collective bargaining law was unconstitutional, reaction from liberals and conservatives erupted. According to our media partners at FOX 6 News, Colas ruled Act 10 — the budget repair bill — as null and void because the law violates both the state and U.S. constitutions. Specifically, the law violates the guarantee of freedom of speech and citizens' freedom of association. The news heated up Wisconsin liberals and conservatives on social media sites, caused outrage and praise from elected officials, and pleased top union officials. A event page titled We Aren’t Backing Down! Tell Wisconsin Union Judges NO! was posted by a group called Founders’ Intent and …
Estimates in February put the cost of recall upwards of $17 million. The real figures are closer to $13 million, which is still a big chunk of change.
The Government Accountability Board issued a press release Friday saying the 2012 recall elections cost taxpayers more than $13 million. Specifically, the statement says the May recall primary ran up a bill of $6.3 million. That figure includes: The June recall general election cost more, coming in at $7.2 million. This amount also accounts for a variety of functions: “Instead of conducting two primaries and two elections this year, Wisconsin election officials will be conducting six elections, which added approximately $13.5 million in unbudgeted costs,” said Kevin Kennedy, director and general counsel of the GAB in the statement. “These unplanned elections also put significant stress on Wisconsin’s clerks, who have many other duties …
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
In first Patch survey of influential Wisconsin Democrats, it's clear most would prefer Senate candidate Tammy Baldwin face someone other than the former governor in the November election.
When it comes to the Republican primary for Wisconsin's open U.S. Senate seat, the state's Democratic political insiders see the race as a two-man contest between former Gov. Tommy Thompson and businessman Eric Hovde. But when asked whom Democrat Tammy Baldwin would have the best chance of defeating in the general election, these influential Democrats made it clear that Thompson would be her toughest opponent. In Patch's first "Blue Wisconsin" Survey of Democratic influencers throughout the state, 47 percent of the respondents said they thought Hovde would win Tuesday's primary election, while 45 percent said Thompson had the best shot. However, when surveyed on which Republican would give Baldwin the best chance to win in November, only …
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Nearly $3 million was spent in heated race between John Lehman and Van Wanggaard.
It will come as a surprise to no one to learn that there was a lot of big money spent in the Wisconsin recall elections. Between the 15 races from both 2011 and 2012, a total of $137 million was spent and while there was big money involved in the recall of Gov. Scott Walker, when it comes to the senate races, the 21st Senate District involved the biggest dollars. According to a story from the Associated Press in The Journal Times, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign released a report detailing the money that went into the recalls, and the amounts are staggering. Among the Senate races from both 2011 and 2012, the one that targeted Republican Van Wanggaard generated the most money at $2.9 million. Sen. John Lehman — he was declared the winner …
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Investigators from the Racine County Sheriff's Office found the people making allegations of voter fraud broke the rules themselves.
Recent investigations into what went down on June 5 during the general election for the recalls have concluded that nothing criminal actually took place. Neither the Racine County Sheriff's Office nor the Government Accountability Board found folks doing anything on purpose to throw the election. What they did find, though, were more than a few breakdowns in how an election should be run, and we're not just talking about poll workers and election officials. RCSO reports released to the media last week highlight complaints from GOP election observers where the observers were violating the process, too, including yelling at poll workers and interfering with registration. Individuals making the complaints admitted to their behavior in some …
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Sen. John Lehman's win in the recall election in the 21st District means Democrats have the majority in the Senate and can make key committee appointments friendly to their side of the aisle.
Only about 24 hours after Sen. John Lehman was sworn in, Democratic Majority Leader Sen. Mark Miller announced committee appointments. Lehman's win in the recall election of the 21st District against Republican Van Wanggaard gives the Democrats control of the state Senate with a 17-16 majority. According to a release from Miller's office, Lehman will serve as the chair of the Senate Committee on Education and Corrections; vice-chair of the Senate Committee on Children and Families, Disability Rights and Housing Sustainability; and will be a member of the Joint Committee on Finance. Lehman's office released a statement about the appointments, saying he's ready to get to work. I am honored by Majority Leader Mark Miller’s decision to appoint…
Monday, July 16, 2012
After being declared the winner of the recall election on June 5 and again after a recount, Sen. John Lehman was sworn into office Monday.
A group of about 100 supporters cheered for Sen. John Lehman Monday after he took the oath of office for the 21st Senate District. Lehman ran against Republican Van Wanggaard in the 21st Senate District recall in a kind of rematch. Wanggaard defeated Lehman in November 2010, but when Wanggaard was targeted for recall, Lehman stepped forward as the challenger. On June 5, Lehman was declared the winner by 834 votes. Wanggaard requested a recount that concluded July 2, again confirming Lehman the winner but by a slightly smaller margin of 819 votes. Wanggaard chose not to challenge the recount, leaving the Democrats with a majority - at least until November - in the state Senate. It was standing room only in the courtroom where Judge Gerald …
Friday, July 13, 2012
On the same day the Racine County District Attorney's Office determined it didn't have enough for criminal prosecutions stemming from voter irregularities, the state Government Accountability Board responded to Assembly Republicans about many of the same
No criminal charges will be filed in connection with alleged voting irregularities in the June 5 recall election, the Racine County District Attorney's Office said Friday. District Attorney Rich Chiapete said his office received four separate complaints and while a complete investigation into the allegations was conducted, the information "did not rise to the level required for a criminal prosecution." Instead, what was described as fraud can more accurately be described as rule violations and as such, falls under the jurisdiction of the state Government Accountability Board, he said. "Many of the concerns raised are issues more appropriately dealt with by the GAB and through subsequent action by the legislature," Chiapete wrote in the …
A Democratic group wants the Racine County DA and the Sheriff to let residents know if they found anything during an investigation into voter irregularities stemming from the June 5 recall election.
**Updated 5:30 pm One Wisconsin Now issued a press release Friday turning up the heat on the Racine County District Attorney and the Racine County Sheriff to let people know what they found investigating claims of voting irregularities from the June 5 recall elections. Senator-elect John Lehman unseated Republican Van Wanggaard by 834 votes as certified by the Racine County Clerk's Board of Canvass. Wanggaard requested a recount that confirmed Lehman's win by a slightly smaller margin of 819 votes. On July 10 Wanggaard announced he would not file an appeal challenging the results of the recount despite his campaign noting over 1,000 objections to things like missing signatures, missing pages from poll books and partially opened ballot bags…
Mike Itzenhuiser
2:15 pm on Saturday, December 29, 2012
Where's the link to recall Obama? more ›