Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Transition Director Amy Pechacek released the following statement in response to the Legislative Audit Bureau’s report on Unemployment Insurance Call Centers: “DWD continues to work to overcome the unique challenges presented throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and is committed to continuous improvement to better serve Wisconsin residents. We appreciate the Legislative Audit Bureau’s review and recommendations provided through this audit, which will improve the transparency and oversight of UI operations both during and after this public health emergency. To date, the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Division has processed over 6 million claims and has paid out over

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, appeared on Fox News’ Bill Hemmer Reports Friday to discuss the revelation that the sub-source for the Steele dossier was believed to have been in contact with Russian intelligence officers and his committee’s recently released interim report on their Biden-Ukraine conflicts-of-interest investigation. Excerpts are below and video of the interview can be found here. “Let’s face it: Russian disinformation itself, its effect pales in comparison to the effect on what happened with the Democrats pushing this false narrative and the mainstream media carrying the Democrats’ water.” “With our subpoena for the FBI to produce documents,

(WISCONSIN) — Yesterday, ahead of Mike Pence’s visit to Eau Claire, Senator Tammy Baldwin, candidate for Wisconsin’s 67th State Assembly District Chris Kapsner, and a Wisconsinite with pre-existing conditions slammed the administration for their failure to handle the pandemic and for their relentless attacks on health care and protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The speakers emphasized that Wisconsinites know the truth about the Trump campaign’s broken promises and will hold him accountable this November. See coverage of the event below. News 8000: U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin calls out President Trump, says he hasn’t followed through with health care promises Shortly

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin today sent a letter to President Trump and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue pressing them to treat Wisconsin fairly in trade aid, and calling on them to focus aid on long-lasting economic strength, not just temporary payments. Earlier this month, a report from the independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) revealed that the Trump administration’s payments to farmers harmed by the President’s trade turmoil ultimately favored the South and other states over Wisconsin farmers and crops, and funneled money to large agricultural operations over smaller farms. Despite being hit particularly hard

University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Rebecca M. Blank has been appointed to a four-year term on the NCAA Board of Governors, representing the Big Ten athletic conference. The NCAA is governed by legislative bodies comprised of volunteers from its member schools, as well as committees that set policies for sports rules, championships, health and safety, and matters affecting women and students of color. The Board of Governors is the highest governance body in the NCAA, composed of chief executive officers from member schools. The board ensures that each division operates consistently with the association’s policies and guiding principles. “This is a

MADISON, Wis. – Attorney General Josh Kaul today announced an agreement by 48 states and the District of Columbia with C.R. Bard, Inc. and its parent company Becton, Dickinson and Company requiring payment of $60 million for the deceptive marketing of transvaginal surgical mesh devices. Surgical mesh is a synthetic knitted or woven fabric that is permanently implanted in the pelvic floor through the vagina to treat pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence.  These are common conditions faced by women due to a weakening in their pelvic floor muscles caused by childbirth, age, and other factors. Thousands of women

Yesterday, former Wisconsin State Supreme Court Justice Janine Geske endorsed Joe Biden, citing his integrity and ability to unite the country. Justice Geske was previously nominated to the bench by two Republican governors, including Tommy Thompson. In a statement, Justice Geske said in part: “As a former justice, I’ve never been one to wade into politics. In fact, throughout my life I’ve voted for both Republicans and Democrats. Like so many folks across Wisconsin, I vote for the person — not the party — and sometimes that decision is hard. But for me, the choice in this election is clear.

MADISON – Using advanced computer simulations, astrophysicists are learning how galaxies evolve their characteristic structure – super-bright centers fading away to dark edges. Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Iowa State University and IBM Research have discovered that massive clumps of gas within galaxies scatter some stars from their orbits, eventually creating a smooth, exponential fade in the brightness of many galaxy disks. While the research team originally studied these orbital changes in young galaxies, they have now published a new paper showing that the process is robust and universal in all kinds of galaxies, including spiral galaxies like the