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Wisconsin Tag

We've been following the Wisconsin recount efforts instigated by failed Green Party presidential candidate, Jill Stein. Wisconsin's deadline is 8:00 PM, December 12. All reports indicate they're on track to complete the recount on time. The recount has been remarkably drama-free and as we blogged yesterday, very little has changed in terms of ballot counts.

Failed Green Party presidential candidate launched recall bids in 3 states. We've been monitoring the Wisconsin recount closely. So here we are on Recount Day 5 and there's very little change. Local press report a drama-free process. From Channel 3000, Madison:
Both Clinton and Trump lost 20 votes each in the six counties that had finished as of Monday morning. Trump won Wisconsin by about 22,000 votes. The recount that began Thursday was requested by Green Party candidate Jill Stein. She also requested recounts in Michigan and Pennsylvania.

If you're just joining the Wisconsin recount fiasco, see here and here. Friday, two pro-Trump super PACs filed a law suit alleging the Wisconsin recount is unconstitutional because not all ballots are treated equally. The suit also expresses concern about the possible forfeiter of Wisconsin's ten electoral votes should the recount proceed. From USA Today:
The lawsuit contends, in part, that the state's recount process is unconstitutional because ballots aren't treated equally in all cases — a standard established in the 2000 U.S. Supreme Court case that halted a recount in Florida and left George W. Bush as the winner of that year's presidential race with Al Gore.

Today begins the recount in Wisconsin. Failed Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein filed for a recount suggesting that by doing so, Americans will have greater faith in the election process. Stein had to fork over $3.5 million for the recount in Wisconsin alone.

The VA in Tomah, Wisconsin, has become entangled in a scandal after a dentist may have infected veterans with hepatitis or HIV:
Nearly 600 veterans who received care at the Tomah VA may have been infected with several types of disease due to violations in infection control procedures. VA administrators made the announcement Tuesday afternoon at a press conference. The Tomah VA says it's in the process of notifying 592 veterans that they may be infected with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or HIV after they received care from one particular dental provider. Acting Medical Center Director Victoria Brahm said the dentist was using his own equipment, then cleaning it and reusing it, which violates the VA's regulations.

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down Wisconsin's redrawn district lines, stating the moves favored the Republicans and violated the Democrats' constitutional rights. The ruling also provides a new argument to change district lines "by finding Republicans intentionally discriminated against voters of a certain party, rather than voters of a certain race." The Los Angeles Times reported:
The judges said GOP leaders had drawn districts for the Legislature after the last census with the aim of preserving their majority for a decade almost regardless of what voters had to say. Republicans had control of the both houses of the state Legislature, and Gov. Scott Walker signed their election map into law.

The fact that Russ Feingold is even running for Senate is proof that the Democratic Party has no back bench. Feingold is a re-run who served in the Senate from 1993 to 2011. He is a big fan of Hillary, too. He even thinks she's trustworthy. The Journal Sentinel reports:
Russ Feingold calls Hillary Clinton 'trustworthy' Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold called Hillary Clinton "reliable and trustworthy" Monday but reaffirmed his stance that if she's elected president she should consider shutting down the Clinton Foundation.

Chaos, violence, and looting erupted in Milwaukee late Saturday night following the shooting of an armed suspect by police. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports:
A standoff between police and an angry crowd turned violent Saturday night in the hours after a Milwaukee police officer shot and killed an armed suspect during a foot chase on the city's north side. After an hours-long confrontation with officers, police reported at 10:15 p.m. that a gas station at N. Sherman Blvd. and W. Burleigh St. was set on fire. Police said firefighters could not for a time get close to the blaze because of gunshots. Later, fires were started at businesses — including a BMO Harris Bank branch, a beauty supply company and O'Reilly Auto Parts stores — near N. 35th and W. Burleigh streets.
Watch as the violence unfolds:

A federal judge has weakened the Texas voter ID law while the U.S. Court of Appeals suspended a ruling that eliminated parts of Wisconsin's law. Activists have gone after voter laws recently as the presidential election nears. They insist the poor and minority voters somehow cannot obtain an ID.

Love him or hate him, new polling shows Speaker Ryan is a huge hit with his constituents back home. A new survey reported by the Washington Free Beacon's Lachlan Markay last week, had Ryan up by a whopping seventy-three points over challenger Paul Nehlen.
House Speaker Paul Ryan is easily beating back a Republican primary challenger despite his reticence to endorse presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, according to a new Washington Free Beacon poll. The survey shows Ryan leading his GOP challenger, businessman Paul Nehlen, by 73 points, 80-7, among those who say they will vote in the Aug. 9 Republican primary in Wisconsin’s first congressional district.

Because I have been traveling, I'm late to this important development. In early April we reported how a State court judge throws out Wisconsin Right to Work Law in an absurd decision:
When conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley won the Wisconsin Supreme Court election last Tuesday, we pointed out how important that court has been in upholding union reforms. That may be tested again as Dane County Judge William Foust in Madison just threw out the state’s Right to Work law signed by Governor Walker a year ago. The decision was under the “takings” clause of the Wisconsin Constitution. As in an eminent domain case, the court found that the union’s interest in compulsory dues payments was property, that the property was taken by the right to work law for a public purpose, but without just compensation....

Leon's Frozen Custard in Milwaukee, WI, has come under fire for its English-only policy, inspiring one group to demand a federal investigation. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) flipped out over the private business policy. The group's state director Dr. Arturo Martinez released this statement:
"In the last 24 hours, LULAC of Wisconsin has received numerous requests to investigate the issue of workplace policy as it pertains to language at Leon's Frozen Custard located at 3131 S. 27th Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. While many of us consider this as a community institution, it was surprising when we learned of their language policy, which is in clear violation of federal labor law. Upon reviewing the statements made by management in a video interview detailing Leon’s policy, we are requesting an investigation of this policy by the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The law is clear on this issue and offers few exceptions. In the meantime, we encourage management to review their current employment policies with counsel to bring them into compliance. We are confident that in doing so, it will lead to a stronger business and a stronger community.”

In what some might be the next standoff over religious liberty, a high school near Madison, Wisconsin is at odds with an off-campus student lunch group over the right to hold free, Jesus-themed lunches. Fox News explains:
[Middleton] high school allows students to eat lunch off-campus. In 2014 a small group of parents began meeting with their children in a nearby park — providing home cooked meals along with a Christian-themed, inspirational message. The small weekly gatherings in the fall and spring eventually morphed into a popular gathering spot for hungry kids — with nearly 500 turning out for all sorts of goodies — ranging from Chick-fil-A sandwiches and fresh fruit to hundreds of homemade brownies. “We show up every week just to show the love of Jesus,” parent Beth Williams told me. “Our mission statement for Jesus Lunch is ‘food for the body, nutrition for the soul.’”
As students started inviting more friends to attend, the gatherings have brought as many as 400 hundred students to the lunches, which are held at a park directly next to the school campus.