Sunday, June 16, 2024
spot_imgspot_img
Sunday, June 16, 2024

Milwaukee Press Club 'Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism' 2020 & 2021 Award Winners

Wisconsin District Attorneys josh kaul endorsement
Josh Kaul (l) and Eric Toney (r)

Wisconsin District Attorneys Are Turning Their Backs on AG Josh Kaul

By Jessica McBride & Jim Piwowarczyk
spot_img

It’s very unusual that law enforcement leaders and DAs have so firmly turned their back on the man who holds the position known as the state’s “top cop.”

Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has only been able to get 5 of the state’s 71 Wisconsin district attorneys to support his campaign, laughably calling it a bipartisan “coalition.”

His Republican opponent, Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney, the president of the Wisconsin District Attorneys Association, has the support of 30 district attorneys, 28 who are sitting DAs and two who are retired.

Furthermore, Kaul has announced zero law enforcement endorsements from police chiefs and police associations, and he has only three sheriffs backing him, whereas Toney has a long list.

Kaul’s bizarre attempt to turn a measly 5 DAs into a “coalition” is reminiscent of the wording used by Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mandela Barnes, who initially announced a grand total of 9 law enforcement endorsements before 2 fell off the list (one said he didn’t actually endorse him).

But it’s especially shocking that law enforcement and DAs have so firmly turned their back on the man who holds the position considered by many to be the state’s “top cop.”

Toney is endorsed by over 100 Sheriffs, District Attorneys, and Police Chiefs, and has been unanimously endorsed by the Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police State Lodge, Milwaukee Police Association, Milwaukee Police Supervisors Organization, and the Kenosha Professional Police Association.

“I’m honored and excited to endorse Eric Toney for attorney general,” Racine County DA Patricia Hanson said. “He’s a proven, tough-on-crime prosecutor who’ll work with local law enforcement to clean up the mess Josh Kaul has made at the Department of Justice.  Crime in Wisconsin is surging, and we do not have time for on-the-job training.  He’s the only candidate who has managed a team of prosecutors and utilized the resources of the DOJ to keep our communities safe. Eric Toney will make an excellent ‘top cop’ for Wisconsin.”

Kaul’s 5 Wisconsin District Attorney endorsements are Buffalo County DA Tom Bilski. Jefferson County District Attorney Monica Hall, Wood County DA Craig Lambert, Kenosha County DA Michael Graveley, and La Crosse County DA Tim Gruenke.

Eric Toney’s Wisconsin District Attorney Endorsements are:

  • Brown County County DA David Lasee
  • Calumet County DA Nathan Haberman
  • Clark County DA Melissa Inlow
  • Chippewa County DA Wade Newall
  • Dodge County DA District Kurt Klomberg
  • Douglas County DA Mark Fruehauf
  • Green County DA Craig Nolan
  • Iron County DA Matthew Tingstad
  • Juneau County DA Kenneth Hamm
  • Lafayette County DA Jenna Gill
  • Langlade County DA Elizabeth Gebert
  • Lincoln County DA Galen Bayne-Allison
  • Manitowoc County DA Jacalyn LaBre
  • Marinette County DA DeShea Morrow
  • Monroe County DA Kevin Croninger
  • Outagamie County DA Melinda Tempelis
  • Oconto County DA Edward Burke
  • Ozaukee County DA Attorney Adam Gerol
  • Polk County DA Jeff Kemp
  • Richland County DA Jennifer Harper
  • Racine County DA Patricia Hanson
  • Shawano County DA Greg Parker
  • Sheboygan County DA Joel Urmanski
  • St. Croix DA Karl Anderson
  • Washington County DA District Mark Benson
  • Waukesha County DA Susan Opper
  • Waupaca County DA Veronica Isherwood
  • Winnebago County DA Eric Sparr
  • Winnebago County DA Christian Gossett*
  • Fond du Lac County DA Tom Storm*

Organizations Endorsing Eric Toney

Wisconsin Fraternal Order of Police

Milwaukee Police Association

Racine Police Association

Racine County Deputy Sheriff Association

Milwaukee Police Supervisors Organization

Kenosha Professional Police Association

West Allis Professional Police Association

Sheriffs Endorsing Eric Toney

Adams County Sheriff Brent York
Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald
Bayfield County Sheriff Paul Susienka
Brown County Sheriff Todd Delain
Buffalo County Sheriff Michael Schmidtknecht
Burnett County Sheriff Tracy Finch
Calumet County Sheriff Mark Wiegert
Clark County Sheriff Scott Haines
Crawford County Sheriff Dale McCullick
Columbia County Sheriff Roger Brandner
Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt
Dunn County Sheriff Kevin Bygd
Eau Claire County Sheriff Ronald Cramer
Florence County Sheriff Dan Miller
Fond du Lac County Sheriff Ryan Waldschmidt
Grant County Sheriff Nate Dreckman
Green Lake Sheriff Mark Podoll
Iron County Sheriff Paul Samardich
Jefferson County Sheriff Paul Milbrath
Juneau County Sheriff Brett Oleson
Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth
Kewaunee County Sheriff Matthew Joski
La Crosse County Sheriff Jeff Wolf
Lafayette County Sheriff Reg Gill
Langlade County Sheriff Mark Westen
Lincoln County Sheriff Ken Schneider
Manitowoc County Sheriff Dan Hartwig
Marathon County Sheriff Scott Parks
Marinette County Sheriff Jerry Sauve
Marquette County Sheriff Joe Konrath
Menominee County Sheriff Rebecca Smith
Monroe County Sheriff Wesley Revels
Oconto County Sheriff Todd Skarban
Oneida County Sheriff Grady Hartman
Ozaukee County Sheriff Jim Johnson
Pepin County Sheriff Joel Wener
Pierce County Sheriff Nancy Hove
Polk County Sheriff Brent Waak
Price County Sheriff Brian Schmidt
Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling
Rusk County Sheriff Jeff Wallace
Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister
Sawyer County Sheriff Doug Mrotek
Shawano County Sheriff Adam Bieber
Sheboygan County Sheriff Corey Roesler
St. Croix County Sheriff Scott Knudson
Taylor County Sheriff Larry Woebbeking
Trempealeau County Sheriff Brett Semingson
Walworth County Sheriff Kurt Picknell
Waupaca County Sheriff Tim Wilz
Washburn County Sheriff Dennis Stuart
Washington County Sheriff Martin Schulteis
Waukesha County Sheriff Eric Severson
Waushara County Sheriff Walter Zuehlke
Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz
Wood County Sheriff Shawn Becker
Vernon County Sheriff John Spears
Vilas County Sheriff Joseph Fath
Sheriff Mylan Fink*
Sheriff Gary Pucker*
Sheriff Jim Gilmore*
Sheriff David Graves*
Sheriff Gary Hamblin

Police Chiefs Endorsing Toney

Greg Dieke
David Beal
Renee Schuster
Sean Marschke (former President: Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association)
Scout Louden
Thomas Bishop
Thomas Dornbrook
William Wallner
Gary Durkee
Gary Rose
Aaron Goldstein
Paul Mott
Nate Klapoetke
Bryan Frank
Kevin Fenske
Russ Monacelli*
Kevin Verdine*
Dale Heeringa*
Dave Lukoski*
Tony Barthuly*
William Lamb*
Mike Koval*

See the rest of Toney’s law enforcement endorsements here.

We’d link to the rest of Kaul’s, but he doesn’t have many.

kamala harris most liberal

Voters Lack Confidence Kamala Harris Can Become President

The Center Square -

Vice President Kamala Harris has a fight on her hands if she wants to inherit the Democratic presidential mantle after President Joe Biden’s time is over, according to a new poll.

The Politico/Morning Consult poll shows that voters have serious doubts about Harris’ electability.

The poll found only 14% of voters said it was “very likely” Harris would win a general election for president if she became the Democratic nominee. Another 20% said it was “somewhat likely.”

The poll is especially noteworthy given Biden's age. The incumbent president is 81 years old and appears increasingly in decline.

A moment of confusion for Biden at a June 6 D-Day ceremony went viral last week, the latest in a string of similar incidents. At the same time, Biden remains competitive with former President Donald Trump, though several polls suggest Trump has a lead over the president.

Biden's incidents have led some to speculate that Democrats could or should try to replace Biden at the Democratic convention in Chicago in August. That would be a highly unusual, though not impossible, move. Removing Biden would naturally raise the question about who could replace him, but for now voters seem to lack confidence that Harris could win.

The poll also looked ahead to 2028: “If President Joe Biden were not in the running for president in 2028, which of the following Democrats, if any, would you want to be the Democratic candidate for president?”

While Harris was top of the list among Democrats, she only received 21% support. California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg both received 10% support each, while 41% said they were unsure or didn't know.

Only 42% of those polled described Harris as trustworthy, and 44% described her as honest, according to the poll.

Notably, only 36% of those surveyed said Biden should replace Harris as his VP on the ticket.

trump convicted felon

Hell YES, I’m Voting For the Convicted Felon! [WRN Voices]

Amy Hemmer -
The dust has now settled after a period of time, when a former president was...

A Do-Over Is Needed on the $252 Million MPS Referendum [WRN VOICES]

WRN Voices -
By Steve Ewing Time to throw the challenge flag on the MPS referendum. Recently, voters in...
washington county da

Warring Law Enforcement Endorsements in Washington County DA’s Race

Jessica McBride -
Candidates Barry Braatz and Mandy Schepper have each announced major law enforcement endorsements as the...

MPS Failed to Follow State Law by Not Filing Financial Reports With City Clerk

Jessica McBride & Jim Piwowarczyk -
The Milwaukee Public Schools board has failed to follow a state law requiring the district's...
evers

GOP Lawmakers Want Legislative Auditors to Review MPS Finances

Ben Yount - The Center Square -

(The Center Square) – Republicans at the Wisconsin Capitol don’t want Gov. Tony Evers to waste the chance to get a good look at Milwaukee Public Schools’ shortcomings.

Evers recently called for an operational and an instructional audit of MPS.

“I’m proposing today to go two steps further with two important goals: the first, to audit MPS’ programs and operations in their entirety, and the second, to audit the effectiveness of teaching and instruction of our kids in classrooms across the district,” Evers said.

The governor, however, wants to keep the audit within his administration and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.

Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said that’d be a mistake.

“I’m glad that Gov. Evers has called for an audit of the Milwaukee Public School System. Gov. Evers and DPI should work with Joint Legislative Audit Committee Co-Chairs [Eric] Wimberger and [Robert] Wittke to discuss authorizing the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau to audit MPS, DPI and any other involved stakeholders,” LeMahieu said. “The LAB is more than capable of handling this important undertaking independently and transparently without the use of outside contractors.”

The worry is an audit controlled by the governor’s office will not fully look into MPS’s shortcomings.

The calls for audits in Milwaukee Public Schools come after the state withheld nearly $17 million last week because of incomplete and late financial reports. One of those reports was due to the Department of Public Instruction in September 2023.

Evers has asked MPS leaders to be a part of any audit process but warned that not everyone will be invited.

“I also have to say – I’m exceedingly disappointed by the politicking and jockeying I’ve seen since this situation came to light by opportunists who’re seizing this moment to serve their own selfish goals instead of worrying about what matters most: our kids,” Evers added.

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos took to social media to accuse the governor of being the one who is playing politics.

“And who do you think [Evers] will suggest conducts the audits?” Vos asked. “The same failed DPI bureaucrats who allowed this to happen or his administration who wanted to dismantle the school choice system so all kids were forced into this MPS mess? We need real reforms to the current mentality where MPS has been protecting the bureaucracy and Gov. Evers has been advocating for shoveling hundreds of millions of dollars into this broken system.”

Report Clearing Biden Biden Approval Rating Americore Biden Acknowledge Hamas Biden Tells Israel Not to Occupy Gaza Biden impeachment Supreme Court Strikes Down Biden’s Student Loan Cancellation

Biden’s New Staffing Requirements Put Most Illinois Nursing Homes in Peril

The Center Square -

An industry group says the Biden administration’s new staffing regulations for long-term care facilities are unrealistic.

The mandate requires that all nursing homes that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding provide a total of at least 3.48 hours of nursing care per resident per day. Plus, nursing homes must have a registered nurse onsite at all times.

Research by SeniorLiving.org shows 82%, or nearly 12,000 facilities in the U.S., will need to hire staff or face being shut down.

Spokesperson Corie Wagner said Illinois is home to the fifth highest number of understaffed nursing homes in the country.

“If we were to apply the new policies and new standards to nursing homes in Illinois today, 84% of facilities would need more staff, and that is really significant,” said Wagner.

The mandate will be phased in over three years, with rural communities having up to five years.

Nursing home operators strongly objected to the minimum staffing proposal in September, saying they already struggle to fill open positions.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in September announced a $75 million campaign to increase the number of nurses in nursing homes.

Nearly 1.2 million residents live in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified, long-term care facilities, but Wagner said that number is expected to increase.

“It’s called the Silver Tsunami, so more Americans are aged 65 or older than ever,” said Wagner. “It's one of the largest segments of our population but the infrastructure we have is not keeping up with our population shift.”

A resolution aimed at overturning Biden’s nursing home staffing mandate has a legitimate chance to pass the U.S. Senate.

tammy baldwin

Protesters Shout at Sen. Tammy Baldwin at Wisconsin Democratic Convention [VIDEO]

wisconsin -
Pro-Palestinian protesters shouted at U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin at the state Democratic Convention in Milwaukee...
mps referendum

Milwaukee Public Schools Must Immediately Halt Referendum Spending

Jim Piwowarczyk -
Milwaukee Public Schools must immediately halt all spending authorized by the narrowly passed $252 million...

Milwaukee Aldermen Call Out Gov. Evers for Not Sharing MPS Problems With Public

wisconsin -
Two Milwaukee aldermen are calling out Gov. Tony Evers' office, questioning why Evers did not...
trump waukesha

Trump Trial Travesty: Let’s Not Lose Hope [Up Against the Wall]

Terrence R. Wall -
What can I say that others haven’t already said? First, let’s not lose hope. Trump...
biden socialist

Terrorizing Americans: Crime, Wars Under Joe Biden [Up Against a Wall]

Terrence R. Wall -
The mayhem that is going on currently is a direct result of decisions by Joe...
Mike Thurston, Lesli Boese

FACT CHECK: Waukesha DA Candidate Lesli Boese Disputes Mike Thurston’s Trial Statement

Jessica McBride -
Waukesha Co. DA candidate Lesli Boese wrote that candidate Mike Thurston's accusations about her trials...

Tony Evers’ Nightmare: 9 Arrested, Including Warden, as Corrections Melts Down

wisconsin -
"There needs to be some responsibility from the top down," Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt. Gov....
annette ziegler

Number of Attorneys in Wisconsin Plummets 4%, Leading to Crisis in Rural Areas

wisconsin -
Chief Justice Annette Kingsland Ziegler announced the creation of the Attorney Retention & Recruitment Committee...

Group Details Problems in Vos Recall 2.0, Says Hundreds Signed More Than Once

Jessica McBride -
A conservative organization that analyzed the Robin Vos recall 2.0 signatures says that thousands should...
john jagler

Wisconsin DPI Snipes at MPS, ‘We Need a Real Plan,’ as Fiscal Implosion Continues

Jessica McBride -
State Sen. John Jagler declared that MPS's first plan version was "laughable." The state Department of...
Vos Database vos recall

2/3rd of Signature Gatherers in Second Vos Recall Were from Out of State

Jessica McBride -
About two-thirds of the 114 people who collected signatures to force a recall against Republican...
baraboo superintendent video

Baraboo Father Grabs Superintendent Rainey Briggs at Graduation [VIDEO]

wisconsin -
The father of a Baraboo, Wisconsin, high school graduate went on the stage and grabbed...
Left-wing Antisemitism uw-milwaukee

Left-wing Antisemitism Dominates College Campuses Today, Including UW-Madison [WRN VOICES]

WRN Voices -
By: Samantha Crane Hamas’s Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel has sparked an alarming resurgence of...

FOLLOW US

© Wisconsin Right Now, LLC