Protesters chant anti-Walker slogans outside bill-signing ceremony
The League of Women Voters and the liberal group “One Wisconsin Now” are both considering lawsuits claiming the mandate is unconstitutional. [WDEZ]
Earned Media
Gov. Walker signs voter ID bill amid protests
The new law would spend $7 million – most of which would make free ID’s for those who want them. But “One Wisconsin Now” director Scot Ross says people could only get them during business hours on weekdays – and many must travel long distances to get them at motor vehicle offices. [WTAQ]
Walker signs photo ID measure; legal challenge possible
“We continue to confer with legal counsel about what potential legal challenges can be made against Gov. Walker’s voter suppression bill,” Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, said in a statement Wednesday. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
State panel OKs bill that wouldn’t require permits for concealed carry
Shortly after the election, Walker planned to sign whatever lawmakers approved, according to a newly released email. The email from Murray was acquired by the liberal group One Wisconsin Now through the state’s open records law. Walker’s office verified it was authentic. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Walker Signs Voter ID Bill
But the liberal group “One Wisconsin Now” has its doubts – and its director, Scot Ross, says they’ll keep consulting with attorneys on a possible lawsuit. [WHBL]
Senate committee hears arguments about proposed conceal-carry bill
Meanwhile, the liberal group “One Wisconsin Now” dug up an e-mail which claims that Governor Scott Walker would sign any measure that gets to his desk. [Pierce County Herald]
Battle Over Voter ID Continues as Governor Signs the Bill
Opponents, like the group One Wisconsin Now, are considering legal action against the measure, but Governor Walker says he’s confident the bill is constitutional. [WBAY]
What’s behind Ryan’s decision
I will give Ryan this: He is willing to take one for the team. His decision not to run for the Senate has spared the Republicans in Wisconsin the unsavory task of defending his indefensible attack on the middle class throughout the daily grind of a statewide campaign. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
John Nichols & Scot Ross: GOP State Convention & Voter ID
First, John Nichols and I go over the news from the State GOP convention (no love for Tommy) and then Scot Ross and I go over the appalling details of the Voter ID bill. [SLY]
Capitol Report: New residency rules will be in place for recall elections
This concerns voter advocates like One Wisconsin Now’s executive director, Scot Ross, who says 178,000 seniors in the state do not have a valid photo ID. “It is very clear Republicans are rigging elections in their favor, and they are willing to suppress the votes of seniors, students and minorities to do that,” said Ross, […] [Capital Times]
Group Wants Senator Lasee Comments Investigated
One Wisconsin Now thinks law enforcement should investigate. It referred us to a written statement from its executive director, Scot Ross, “Frank Lasee owes us an explanation for why he failed to report these crimes, if in fact they actually occurred.” [WBAY]
Legislature passes voter ID bill; Walker to sign it Wednesday
“Ultimately, this will cost Wisconsin not only our fair and clean elections, but also millions of additional tax dollars when a court rules against them for damages for denying legal voters the right to vote,” said Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now. [Wisconsin State Journal]
Emily’s Post: Feingold, Kind, Baldwin, Thompson, Neumann generating early chatter for Kohl’s Senate seat
Rumors of Sen. Kohl’s impending retirement have been circulating at least since last fall and so it came as little surprise when he made it official on Friday. People and pundits had been guessing at who might run for the seat for quite a while but now, of course, the speculation has kicked into high […] [Isthmus]
Walker Quietly Consolidating Power In Wisconsin
“It’s turning Wisconsin’s state government from a body that is charged with serving the needs of the people of Wisconsin, into making its first priority serving corporations — both inside and outside of Wisconsin,” added Scot Ross, executive director of the progressive group One Wisconsin Now. [Huffington Post]
One Wisconsin Now says two-thirds of Wisconsin corporations don’t pay state income taxes
The liberal Institute for One Wisconsin used state data to assert that two-thirds of Wisconsin corporations pay no state income taxes. The two-thirds number is solid, the trend is long-term and it is reflected by federal tax data as well. On the Truth-O-Meter that rates as Mostly True [PolitiFact]
Curbing Voting Rights in Wisconsin
“Voter ID is a part of a concerted Republican effort to restrict the vote of those who do not share their vision for a Wisconsin controlled by the corporate special interests, which financed the takeover of state government,” says Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, the state’s leading online progressive organizing group. “First […] [The American Prospect]
Walker’s proposed tax change: More money for corporations, less for state
“Where’s the shared sacrifice?” asked Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, noting Walker’s budget reduces corporate taxes while trimming nearly $50 million in tax credits for seniors and the poor. [Wisconsin State Journal]
Some clashes in 94th Assembly District candidate forum
Democrat Steve Doyle, in particular, took the opportunity at the League of Women Voters event to challenge several statements opponent John Lautz or his campaign have made, such as he basically is an independent who only recently joined the Republican Party. Doyle brought up information the group One Wisconsin Now put out earlier in the […] [La Crosse Tribune]
Walker Says Wisconsin’s Broke, But the Facts Say Otherwise
One Wisconsin Institute, a non-partisan organization, released a report last week that says that “despite claims from Governor Scott Walker, Wisconsin is not ‘broke.’” [PR Watch]
Walker lobbies for GOP Senators in Florida
Gov. Scott Walker spent this past weekend campaigning in Florida for FrontlineWisconsin.com, a national online fundraising effort to support the Republican state senators up for recall. Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a progressive advocacy group, described Walker’s actions as “abominable.” “It’s one thing to sell out the middle class of Wisconsin in […] [Daily Cardinal]
More Controversy Clouds Wisconsin Supreme Court Race
The Wisconsin Supreme Court election that could affect a contentious union-rights law just got even messier. On Monday, the Waukesha Democratic Party released a statement ascribed to Ms. Kitzinger saying she’s “very, very confused about why the canvass was finalized.” “I am 80 years old and I don’t understand anything about computers,” the statement quoted […] [Wall Street Journal]
Vote count ‘human error’ shadows Wisconsin Supreme Court election
Questions are being raised in Wisconsin regarding the party ties of a local county clerk whose discovery of about 14,000 unrecorded votes is assuring a victory for the Republican incumbent in last week’s election for state Supreme Court. A federal investigation into the matter was requested late Friday night“Numerous constituents have contacted me expressing serious […] [Christian Science Monitor]
Wisconsin Election Bombshell: How Plausible?
Perhaps the most convincing evidence so far that human error explains the initial omission of Brookfield’s results comes from our colleagues at the Brookfield Patch. On election night, they reported a vote total for Brookfield that exactly matches the vote total Kathy Nickolaus did not include in the County level count until Thursday. Reviews of […] [Huffington Post]
Groups Call for Investigation of Supreme Court Vote
Citizen Action of Wisconsin is calling for a federal investigation into the matter. It says all computer equipment, ballots, and other relevant evidence needed to verify the vote should be immediately impounded. One Wisconsin Now is also asking Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen to lead a full investigation into the matter. [WBAY]
Wisconsin judge gains 7,500 votes when ‘human error’ is found
A conservative Wisconsin Supreme Court justice is likely keep his job after a county clerk announced Thursday that she found 7,500 more votes for him, putting the incumbent ahead of a challenger who declared victory on Wednesday. The election drew national attention because it was seen as a referendum on Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal […] [Bellingham Herald]
Newly discovered Waukesha County votes would give win to Prosser
Today’s announcement by Nickolaus drew immediate suspicions from Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a liberal activist group. “Wisconsin deserves elections that are fair, clean and transparent,” Ross said. “There is a history of secrecy and partisanship surrounding the Waukesha County Clerk and there remain unanswered questions.”[ [Biz Times]
Wis. corrects vote count, gives incumbent big lead.
Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus said more than 14,000 votes weren’t reported to The Associated Press on Tuesday due to “human error.” Nickolaus said she didn’t notice an absence of votes because her figures showed a 42 percent voter turnout, which exceeded the 30 percent turnout the county typically sees in spring elections. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]
Corrected Brookfield tally puts Prosser ahead after 7,500-vote gain
Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) raised the possibility of an independent investigation over the recovery of the votes.”This is a serious breach of election procedure,” he said. “We’re going to look further. She waited 24 hours to work this. And she waited until after she verified the results, making it that much more difficult […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Donation questioned by group
But Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, said in a statement that “once again, Wisconsin taxpayers are footing Gov. Walker’s handouts to special interest campaign contributors.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Gov. Walker’s spending plan: reform or Republican?
“It is literally every single bad conservative idea of the last 20 years housed in a single budget document,” said Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now. [Wisconsin State Journal]
Emily’s Post: Scott Walker and DHS head Dennis Smith pay back health industry donors
According to an analysis of IRS and Wisconsin Campaign Finance Information System records conducted by One Wisconsin Now, “companies which currently administer Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in Wisconsin have donated in last several years $1.3 million to the campaigns of Gov. Scott Walker and the Republican Governors Association, which spent $5 million to […] [Isthmus]
Scott Walker vs. the no-longer sleeping giant
“Existing coalitions are strengthening and new alliances are being formed,” says Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a statewide progressive advocacy group. “People are pulling together because they know it’s them against Gov. Walker and the Republicans, who are trying to undo what has been the core of our quality of life in […] [Isthmus]
Wisconsin Democrats face uphill battle in repeal of Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair law
“There will need to be electoral changes in order to get the rights back that Republicans took from working people,” said Scot Ross, executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a progressive advocacy group. [Appleton Post-Crescent]
School leaders say math ‘doesn’t add up’ in Gov. Scott Walker’s school district budget projections
“Walker is taking one of the biggest draws that the state of Wisconsin has, which is the fact that we have great public schools, and trashing that,” said Scot Ross, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin. “Meanwhile, he’s giving more money and more power to the unaccountable private school lobby.” [Appleton Post-Crescent]
Grass Roots: Online Walker recall drive hits the ground to build momentum
The website has links to One Wisconsin Now, Stop Walker’s Budget, Defending Wisconsin, Defend Wisconsin , as well as to Recall the Republican 8, although effective practical coalitions have not been built. Brown is determined, too, to keep United Wisconsin focused on recalling Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, while drives to unseat eight senate Republicans […] [Capital Times]
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce Pres. Haney wants businesses to call out local DA’s to force workers to buy from our corporate abusers
One Wisconsin Now responded this way to WMC’s threat to force Americans to be unwilling participants in their not so free “free market.” [Democurmudgeon]
Protests target M&I
But the principal hasn’t been paid back yet. Unions and liberal groups like One Wisconsin Now are also upset that M & I executives gave more money to Scott Walker during last year’s governor’s race, than the officials did to Democrat Tom Barrett. [Superior Telegram]
One Wisconsin Now Statements Regarding Fitzgerald Rights’ Denial to 2.2 Million Wisconsinites
“Considering how the Republicans plan to slash $900 million from our public schools, cut health care for 1 million Wisconsinites, raise prescription drug costs for countless seniors, raise taxes on the working poor by $51 million while at the same time handing $200 million in tax breaks for the wealthy and corporate special interests, Sen. […] [CommonDreams]
Greetings From Fitzwalkerstan: Wisconsin GOP Denies Legislative Democrats Voting Rights
“Senator Scott Fitzgerald isn’t content with illegally passing a bill which takes away the rights of 175,000 working Wisconsinites and now has expanded his attacks to disenfranchise the voices of 2.2 million more Wisconsin residents and taxpayers,” declared Scot Ross, the executive director of the One Wisconsin Now advocacy group, who referred to Fitzgerald’s latest […] [AFL-CIO]
Wisconsin Governor Rebuffs FOIA Requests
One Wisconsin Now, a progressive, nonprofit advocacy group, also has requested the emails, it said in a statement. The group said that Walker’s administration told Isthmus and the AP it would charge $31,000 to fulfill their request for the records. [Courthouse News Service]
2 Wisconsin lawmakers lauded for openness efforts
No Friend of Openness Award: Scott Southworth. “The district attorney of Juneau County withheld many of the records sought by a political advocacy group and The Capital Times of Madison, drawing a lawsuit by the group, One Wisconsin Now (OWN). [Washington Examiner]
Gov. Scott Walker Refusing To Release Details Of Contacts With Koch Industries
Over two weeks after receiving a request from One Wisconsin Now, Walker’s administration has refused to release details of its contacts with lobbyists from Koch Industries, run by billionaire arch-conservatives Charles and David Koch. The group requested “all email and written communications between Koch Industries’ lead Wisconsin lobbyist and the office of Gov. Scott Walker […] [Think Progress]
4 take issue with meeting
Scot Ross, executive director of a progressive advocacy group called One Wisconsin Now, took exception to that, arguing that the Senate rule applied only to the Senate and that there is no rule that applies to the conference committee. “Sen. (Scott) Fitzgerald is trying to cover his tracks for what was essentially an illegal meeting […] [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
VSEA & VT AFL-CIO call on Vermont Republican Party to rescind Reince Priebus invitation
Charbonneau said the AFL-CIO and VSEA are also concerned about some of the allegations leveled against Priebus by Wisconsin organizations like One Wisconsin Now, whose director warned after Priebus’ election “Now that Reince Priebus will have the RNC’s treasury at his disposal, those across the country interested in fair and clean elections will be on […] [VSEA]
Open Awards toast open government
No Friend of Openness Award (the “Nopee”): Scott Southworth. The district attorney of Juneau County withheld many of the records sought by a political advocacy group and The Capital Times of Madison, drawing a lawsuit by the group, One Wisconsin Now (OWN). Southworth admitted the violation and agreed to pay $8,950 in legal fees and […] [WisOpinion]
Reports: WI GOPers Making End Run Around Absent Dems On Anti-Union Bill
As word trickled out about the latest gambit, progressive groups sounded the alarm via e-mails, urging supporters to rush to the Capitol. Here is an excerpt of one such e-mail from the group One Wisconsin Now, with emphasis in the original. [Talking Points Memo]
In Walker’s own words: Why collective bargaining is a fiscal issue
How is the possible to split the budget review bill if the governor says repeatedly it’s got a fiscal impact, asks Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now. They sort of slipped by wirthout much notice, but Walker’s office issued a series of four news releases in late February, each one titled, “Why Collective bargaining is […] [Uppity Wisconsin]
Conservative Corporate Advocacy Group ALEC Behind Voter Disenfranchisement Efforts
One of those four states is Indiana, and One Wisconsin Now, a progressive Wisconsin political organization, noted that, “The bill’s authors, Republican Rep. Jeff Stone and Sen. Joe Leibham, have modeled their bill after Indiana’s Voter ID law.” [Campus Progress]
“There is a time to let things happen…and a time to make things happen.” More Madison stuff/pics
First, I wanted to include a video. Over the last couple weekends, this video best represents the vibe. Check it out! Madison Protests. [DailyKos]
Follow the money… or the attorney getting the money
Back to attorney Jim Troupis. One Wisconsin Now uncovered who this man really is in 2009. They found significant business relationships with David Prosser and Legislative Republicans, big clients of Troupis’ legal career. [Mark Pocan]