The Coalition of Voting Organizations of Brown County, WI – COVO – is offering FREE rides to early voting hours. COVO is a non-partisan group assisting with voter registration, absentee ballots, getting a photo ID for voting, and any other help you may need to vote. Call them at 920-445-8671 to schedule your ride, at least one day ahead of time. Avoid the lines on Election Day.
The Democratic county parties that comprise the 8th Congressional District have pooled their resources to create a $300 reward system that will pay for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of individuals who are doing malicious damage to and theft of Democrat candidates’ signage. This behavior by individuals who have issues with the First Amendment is not only illegal and has stiff penalties but is morally wrong. Anyone with information on offenders should report that person to local law enforcement, and also contact the Democratic chairperson of that county, recommends Mary Ginnebaugh, chair of the Democratic 8th Congressional District.
“The widespread theft and destruction of political candidate signs is unprecedented in my years of experience,” says Ginnebaugh. “Local law enforcement officials do what they can, but the problem is clearly widespread and requires citizens to help stop this behavior. Hopefully, this reward will encourage people to keep a closer watch in their neighborhoods for political candidate sign thefts and destruction.”
More than a hundred signs have been reported as stolen in Brown County alone in this year’s election season.
“Elections officials sent the letters based on information compiled by the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, a coalition of 28 states and Washington, D.C. that tries to keep voter rolls as accurate as possible.
ERIC flags voters who file address changes with the post office or register vehicles at new addresses.The Elections Commission, which consists of three Democrats and three Republicans, doesn’t want to immediately remove people from the voter rolls because in some cases their information is faulty and the voters haven’t moved. For instance, people could be flagged as having moved if they registered a vehicle at a business address instead of their home address.
Voters who are removed from the voter rolls, whether correctly or mistakenly, can regain the ability to cast ballots by re-registering online, at their clerk’s office or at the polls on election day.
Of the 234,000 letters that were sent, about 60,000 were returned as undeliverable as of Dec. 5, according to the Elections Commission. As of then, about 2,300 recipients of the letters said they continued to live at their address and about 16,500 had registered to vote at new addresses.”
Letters were sent in October when the purge was scheduled for after the 2020 election. The court ordered them to be purged but did not require people to be notified of the change in timeline of the purge.
Judge orders state to purge more than 200,000 Wisconsin voters from the rolls
4% of the entire population of Green Bay will be purged!
4371 City Of Green Bay – Brown County 1177 City Of De Pere – Brown County 741 Village Of Howard – Multiple Counties 694 Village Of Ashwaubenon – Brown County 632 Village Of Bellevue – Brown County 478 Village Of Suamico – Brown County 469 Village Of Allouez – Brown County 406 Village Of Hobart – Brown County 330 Town Of Ledgeview – Brown County 67 Town Of Wrightstown – Brown County 53 Town Of Green Bay – Brown County 40 Town Of New Denmark – Brown County 39 Town Of Eaton – Brown County
On-Going Developments in Purge of Wisconsin Voter Rolls
Thanks to the members of LWV La Crosse Area for putting together this timeline of events connected with the maintenance of the Wisconsin voter registration lists:
12/13: Ozaukee County Circuit Court 1) ordered the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) to immediately purge over 234,000 voters from the rolls and 2) denied the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin’s request to join an existing lawsuit as an intervening defendant.
12/17: The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and two registered Wisconsin voters filed a federal due process case in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to delay until after April 7 the voter purge of registered voters who may have moved.
12/17: The Wisconsin Department of Justice filed suit in District IV Court of Appeals in Madison, asking the court to stay the Ozaukee County ruling. More detail, including the legal brief, can be found here.
12/20: The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL) asked the Wisconsin State Supreme Court to take up the DOJ appeals case, preventing the appeals court from acting on that request until the Supreme Court decides whether to take the case.
12/23: WI Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly recused himself from the voter roll purge case if it is taken up by the WI Supreme Court.
12/30: WI Supreme Court set 1/3 as a deadline for submission of more information related to this case. The WI Election Commission (WEC) deadlocked 3-3 on a motion to begin purging registrations of voters who may have moved since the last election.
1/2: WILL asked the Ozaukee Circuit Court to find the WEC in contempt and impose $12,000 a day in fines until it immediately purges more than 200,000 voters from the rolls. More here.
1/6: The Wisconsin Legislature files to intervene in the Federal Court case.
Subsequent Developments
1/13: Wisconsin Elections Officials Held in Contempt for Refusing to Purge Voters https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/13/us/wisconsin-voter-purge.html
Hours later, a divided Wisconsin Supreme Court declined to take the case. That shifted the fight back to the appeals court, which sided with the elections commission on Tuesday and put the judge’s original ruling on hold.
1/14: Wisconsin Appeals Court Puts Voter Rolls Purge On Hold The court handed Democrats who had fought the move a victory in the battleground state
Foam found on the banks of Starkweather Creek showed high concentrations of a contaminant called PFAS (photo by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
PFAS are considered ‘Forever Chemicals” which are being discovered in many parts of Wisconsin including Marinette, Rhinelander and Madison.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of human-made chemicals that have been used in industry and consumer products worldwide since the 1950s.
PFAS do not occur naturally and are widespread in the environment. They are found in people, wildlife and fish all over the world. Some PFAS can stay in peoples’ bodies a long time and do not break down easily in the environment.
The manufacture, testing and use of firefighting chemicals cause PFAS contamination
PFAS contamination in the Marinette and Peshtigo area
PFAS contamination has been detected in the Marinette and Peshtigo area in soil, sediment, groundwater, surface water, private drinking water wells and biosolids.
Does Your Community Water System Test For PFAS? Probably Not, Finds WXPR Investigation
Gov. Evers’ Executive Order #40 directed the DNR to create the PFAS Coordinating Council, now known as the Wisconsin PFAS Action Council (WisPAC), in partnership with other state agencies. WisPac will develop and coordinate statewide initiatives to address the growing public health and environmental concerns regarding PFAS. Meetings are open to the public.
Stop Poisoning Our Water-Local group dedicated to information & remediation lnk S.O.H2O
Dark Waters Movie that documents how Rob Bilott, a corporate defense attorney, took on an environmental lawsuit against a chemical company that exposes a lengthy history of pollution. Very strong parallels to what is happening in Marinette/Peshtigo https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9071322/
Rhinelander has had to close two drinking water wells due to PFAS Contamination. Rhinelander Mayor attended the Dec 18 DNR Listening Session in Marinetter.
Does Your Community Water System Test For PFAS? Probably Not, Finds WXPR Investigation
Jul 23, 2019 … City officials released information today to Rhinelander Water Utility customers related to a recently published health advisory regarding PFAS ...
Foam Tests On Peshtigo River Reveal PFAS Levels Of 17,000 Parts per Trillion
Oct 31, 2019 … Levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in foam samples on the Peshtigo River spiked well above what may be safe, the DNR …
Rhinelander Keeps Water Well Active As Levels Of PFAS-Family Chimicals Rise
Nov 19, 2019 … The DNR admitted putting new rules on PFAS in groundwater, drinking water, and surface water will have a “significant” economic impact on …
PFAS Compounds No Longer Detected In Rhinelander Well; Guild Raises Idea of Mistaken Original Tests
Nov 6, 2019 … The latest testing on Rhinelander’s Municipal Well 7 showed no detection of the two best-known per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) …
Wisconsin Solid Waste Professionals: ‘We Don’t Generate PFAS Foam’, Form Coalition to Address Issue
Dec 11, 2019 … Wisconsin landfills are concerned they’re taking the blame for PFAS contamination. But a new coalition of solid waste professionals points out …
PFAS Found in Crescent Town Spring: Water Not Safe to Drink
Aug 19, 2019 … Now that the test results have come back as positive for high levels of PFAS, the recommendation not to drink the water at the Crescent Town …
Nov 19, 2019 … Note: this story has been updated to include comments from the DNR’s Kyle Burton in a Tuesday interview. Rhinelander City Administrator …
Fire-Fighting Foam? An Old Dump? Exploring Possible Sources of …
Sep 19, 2019 … But a month ago, testing found the water had high levels PFHxS, a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) drawing attention in …
Information on how the economy is really doing – factual articles not just talking points.
There Are Economic Warning Signs for Trump in the Midwest By Ben Casselman and Karl Russell Dec. 16, 2019 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/16/business/trump-midwest-swing-jobs.html There are a number of interesting charts in the article. Jobs during Trump’s tenure – Dec. 2016 to Oct. 2019 Percentage change in total employment Midwest States fairing worse than other areas because of dips in Manufacturing and Agriculture North Dakota 1.0% Wisconsin 1.6% Ohio 1.6% Iowa 1.7% Michigan 1.8% Indiana 2.3% Illinois 2.5% Pennsylvania 2.6%
Twitter thread from Barb McQuade addressing the various GOP defenses of POTUS. https://twitter.com/barbmcquade/status/1205353360825696256
@UMichLaw prof; legal analyst @NBCNews, @MSNBC; former US Attorney, national security prosecutor, Eastern District Michigan
Here are the GOP defenses I have heard so far to articles of impeachment, along with the knee-jerk responses I have been shouting at my television.
Defense 1: Trump did nothing wrong. Response: Trump hit the trifecta of impeachable conduct by subverting an election, seeking foreign influence, and putting personal interest ahead of national interest. And he obstructed Congress by refusing to produce any witnesses or documents.
Defense 2: No harm occurred because the military aid went through. Response: The aid went through only after Trump was caught. In the meantime, months of delay cost Ukraine lives in its war with Russia. US credibility was harmed and moral authority to fight corruption was eroded.
Defense 3: Because aid went through, no misconduct was committed. Response: Bribery occurs upon demand for a personal favor in exchange for performance of an official act. If you offer a cop $20 to get out of a traffic ticket, even if he declines, you have still committed bribery
Defense 4: Abuse of power is not even a crime. Response: Impeachable conduct may be criminal conduct, but need not be. A president could be impeached if he watched TV all day and failed to fulfill his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed.
Defense 5: There’s nothing wrong with asking for an investigation. Response: If this were legitimate investigation, you wouldn’t need to send your personal lawyer and his henchmen to do it. Witnesses say Trump didn’t want investigation, just announcement of investigation.
Defense 6: There was no quid pro quo. Read the transcript! Trump’s request for a “favor” is strong evidence, corroborated by witness testimony, of months-long scheme to get Zelensky to “go to the mic” and announce Biden probe. Aid was leverage.
Defense 7: As VP, Biden held up aid as leverage to get rid of the Ukrainian public prosecutor. Response: It is appropriate for a president or VP to take action to advance the interests of the nation. Trump was advancing his personal interests.
Defense 8: Teatimony is hearsay. Response: Rules of Evidence don’t apply. Also, call summary, Sondland testimony are non-hearsay. Trump has barred direct witnesses. You can’t have it both ways. If they had information favorable to Trump, you can bet we would have heard from them.
Defense 9: It happens all the time. Get over it. Response: Trump sought foreign influence in our election and harmed national security by delaying aid designed to fight Russia, our adversary. We don’t have to accept it. We deserve better.
Defense 10: Impeachment would un-do an election. Response: All impeachments un-do elections. Constitution permits impeachment if president is unfit to serve. When rigging an election is involved, elections are ineffective for removal. Impeachment is not to punish but to protect.
Defense 11: Impeachment proceedings are moving too fast. Response: This impeachment has moved slower than Bill Clinton’s and on pace with Richard Nixon’s. For a president who presents a clear and present danger to national security, removal is urgent and can’t come soon enough.
Defense 12: We need to hear from the whistleblower. Response: The whistleblower was a tipster, whose tip led to the investigation. Tipsters do not testify at trial, the witnesses do. We have a duty to protect whistleblowers to encourage them to use proper channels to report abuse.
Since highway right-of-way limits may vary greatly in width, look for fences parallel to the road or for utility pedestals and poles. These items are usually placed near the right-of-way limits.
Utilities are often installed just inside the right-of-way limit. Signs are not allowed in the area between the utility poles and the road surface. Political signs are allowed on private property with the permission of the landowner as long as the sign does not exceed 32 square feet and has no flashing lights or moving parts.
NOTE: Most local authorities (counties and municipalities) also have regulations or ordinances regarding signage in their jurisdiction. It is the sign owner’s responsibility to follow local laws. Approval of a sign application from the state does not exempt the applicant from any local ordinances, or guarantee approval from the local authority having jurisdiction. Likewise, local approval does not guarantee or exempt approval from the state.
CITATIONS AND FINES: Citations may be issued for violating Wisconsin Statute s. 86.19, which covers improperly placed signs on state highway right-of-way. Fines may also be issued based on the seriousness of the offense. Fines range from $10 to $500 and are usually higher for second or subsequent violations.
REPORT MISPLACED SIGNS TO JURISDICTION OF ROADWAY
Wisconsin Department of Transportation Wisconsindot.gov Northeast Region 920-492-4117 Todd.Marohl@dot.wi.gov
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