Contact: Brad Bainum, bradb@wisdems.org

#8. Vukmir Sided With Special Interests Over Asbestos Victims — Including Veterans And Working People

Vukmir twice voted for a bill that restricted asbestos victims’ rights and chance at justice, siding with corporate interests and against Wisconsin veterans and working people

MADISON — Eight days out from Election Day, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin is continuing to count down “Worst Of” examples from Republican U.S. Senate candidate Leah Vukmir‘s 16-year record of selling out everyday Wisconsinites to benefit her corporate special interest backers.

#8. Vukmir Sided With Special Interests Over Asbestos Victims — Including Veterans And Working People 

This morning, Wisconsin Rep. Dana Wachs and Milwaukee nurse and U.S. Navy Veteran Tracey Sperko held a media call highlighting Leah Vukmir’s record of voting with corporate special interests at the expense of Wisconsin veterans and working people.

In 2013 and 2014, Vukmir twice voted for 2013 Assembly Bill 19, a measure that made it harder for Wisconsin asbestos victims to sue for injuries stemming from exposure to the dangerous carcinogen, which is the major cause of mesothelioma, a quick-acting and particularly fatal form of cancer.

The ALEC model policy-inspired bill that Vukmir twice supported was strongly opposed by organized labor as well as by a range of veterans groups, including the American Legion of Wisconsin, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Wisconsin, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart of Wisconsin.

Nevertheless, Vukmir sided with corporate special interests over Wisconsin veterans and working people, voting for the bill which was “quietly” signed into law in March 2014.

During the call, Sperko and Rep. Wachs took Vukmir to task for voting to shield corporate special interests and selling out Wisconsin veterans and workers:

“Veterans and working people were concerned about the measure, because they correctly saw it as a direct on them,” said state Rep. Dana Wachs. “And a shameless Republican effort to shield their corporate special interest backers from liability.”

“Opponents of the bill were seeking to preserve justice for veterans and working people who got cancer after being exposed to asbestos,” said Milwaukee nurse and U.S. Navy veteran Tracey Sperko. “And Vukmir and her Republican allies were working to shield their corporate special interest backers from liability after giving veterans and working people cancer. That’s just wrong.” 

Listen to the full call here

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