Wild week in Wisconsin politics

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“As Democrats fight among themselves in primaries and scramble for resources, Republicans are organized, well-funded, and laser-focused on victory in November.”

– Brian Schimming, chair of the Republican Party of Wisconsin.

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In a strongly worded letter to federal prosecutors, Milwaukee City Attorney Evan Goyke rejected the U.S. Department of Justice demand that he provide assurances by Friday that the city would not enforce an ordinance prohibiting law enforcement officers from wearing masks and concealing their identities. Residents and visitors in Milwaukee “have a right to know if masked, armed, and unidentified men seizing people on our streets are who they say they are,” he wrote. Editor Ruth Conniff reports.

Bumpy week in the Democratic primary for governor

Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez assured voters on Monday that she was staying in the Democratic primary for governor, Baylor Spears reported, even as she announced the firing of a key staffer for disastrous mismanagement that left Rodriguez with far less money than she had previously reported. By the end of the week, with little money in the bank and dwindling support, Baylor Spears and Erik Gunn report, Rodriguez dropped out. In another twist, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley is reportedly planning to get back in the race after suspending his campaign and endorsing Rodriguez earlier this month.

Erik Gunn reported on Rodriguez’s hiring of a public relations crisis communications firm and her rivals’ reactions to her troubles. Joel Brennan held a press conference in front of the Wisconsin Ethics Commission office, presenting himself as the steady leader Wisconsin needs. Francesca Hong touted her endorsement by the grassroots group Citizen Action, while Mandela Barnes and Kelda Roys tried to remain above the fray, although their campaigns sent out critical statements about Rodriguez.

Baylor Spears examined the candidates’ new financial reports, which showed Republican Tom Tiffany with more than $8 million from the state Republican party, thanks to large donations from a handful of billionaires. Barnes was the biggest fundraiser among the Democrats, with about $841,000. Hong raised $708,000, mostly in small donations averaging $45. Brennan raised $665,000 and Roys raised $527,000.

Heavy smoke settles over Wisconsin

For the second time in three years, noxious clouds of wildfire smoke settled over Wisconsin, dangerously degrading air quality and restricting people’s ability to go outside starting on Thursday. The smoke is expected to clear over the next few days but, Isiah Holmes reports, experts say climate change is driving more and more such events and policies that address and mitigate the effects are badly needed.

In a commentary, Editor Ruth Conniff writes about waking up to a world on fire, as a beautiful summer idyll ends in conflagration as wildfires rage in the Superior National Forest.

Confrontation over prison conditions

A protest outside Department of Corrections headquarters this week focused on conditions in Wisconsin prisons, crimeless revocations and inhumane solitary confinement. But DOC responded that solitary is not as bad as some people say and that critics overstate other problems. Criminal Justice Fellow Andrew Kennard has the story.

PLUS:

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