Contact: Peter Barca, 608.266.5504

MADISON – Representative Peter W. Barca (Kenosha/Racine) issued the following statement:

“I am greatly disappointed to see that Governor Walker chose to defy the will of the voters and citizens of this state and signed into law these bills that disrespect the voters who decided the state needed to move in a new direction.

After the bills were first made public late on a Friday afternoon, thousands of people came to the capitol the following Monday for the public hearing. Over 1,400 people came from across the state to register in opposition, and only one person came to support only 1 of the 44 provisions in these three bills. Of the organizations that registered, 35 of the 36 were opposed, but Governor Walker once again proved that he does not respect the people of this state and only takes extreme measures that have little to no support among the citizens of our state.

While sad he can’t even respect the voters who chose a new direction, it is important to note that he doesn’t even listen to lifelong Republicans, including former Republican Governor Scott McCallum and 8 former Republican and Democratic Cabinet Members (including one of his own), who called on him to veto these bills. With this level of disregard, it is no wonder three of his former cabinet members endorsed his opponent in the election.

It is unprecedented and totally unimaginable that Governor Walker would sign any of this legislation. It is particularly galling that he chose not to veto in part or in full the provisions that were identical or nearly identical to those he chose to veto earlier this session. As Walker said in various veto messages, these bills would impede departments from bringing projects to completion, it is administratively burdensome and redirects staff away from their mission, and perhaps most telling, it would encroach on the executive branch’s responsibility to manage state agency programs within statutes and funding levels. It is also impossible to miss the irony that just yesterday Walker announced a deal with Kimberly-Clark that he states is vital to his legacy and today takes away that same authority from his successor.

It is void of decency and totally hypocritical of Governor Walker to defy principles he outlined as important to Wisconsin in past veto messages while he was Governor and take the opposite view when it applies to the next administration. He has lost any sense of concern for the state and respect for the voters. Additionally, as in North Carolina, the judicial branch will rule much of this unconstitutional!”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email