(WISCONSIN) — Ahead of Trump’s visit to Kenosha, Congresswoman Gwen Moore, Kenosha County Party Chair Lori Hawkins, and a small business owner in Milwaukee held a video press conference to call out Trump and his administration for their failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic which has crushed Wisconsin’s economy. Trump and the Republican party have made it clear that they are giving up on fighting the pandemic, and giving up on Wisconsinites. These leaders also emphasized the need to vote and ensure every Wisconsinites ballot gets counted.
Watch the full event here or see excerpts of what the speakers said below:
Rep. Gwen Moore: “We’re very very concerned about Donald Trump’s visits here. For one thing we’ve experienced the highest spread of COVID-19 to date… he doesn’t listen to CDC guidance and encourages these super-spreader events… We know that he has tried to use Kenosha as a prop for his vitriol, hatred, and division, and I’m so glad to see Kenosha Democrats standing up to this bully… His entire administration has not cared about people like the people in Kenosha. As early as January 28, this president knew that this was a aerosolized virus, very dangerous, very deadly, but he didn’t want to spook the stock market, because he cared so much more about the stock market than he cares about those people who will be gathering today without masks and could end up in one of our hospitals that are already at 85% capacity. We want you to get out and vote– pray with your feet, is what people like John Lewis used to say. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said it well, we need to march on these ballot boxes, so that we can send men and not only to the White House but to the state legislature to congress, who will do justice, love, mercy, and walk humbly with our God. I believe that Joe Biden is such a candidate. Whether you are 18 or 19, or whether you’re 70, you have a lot of stake in this election. We’re asking you to… ‘go and vote in dignity and defiance!’”
Lori Hawkins: “What we hear from voters is that they are completely dismayed by Trump’s failed leadership as he has completely given up on controlling the pandemic, even claiming that we’re “rounding the corner.” They’ve watched in horror as infection cases and deaths have spiked across the state and yet Trump continues to hold rallies as if our friends, family, and neighbors aren’t being killed by this deadly virus. What’s more is his continued attacks on the ACA and the protections Wisconsinites with pre-existing conditions rely on are making it abundantly clear that we can’t afford another four years with Trump in charge… We have done critical work to engage with Republican and Independent voters who have joined us in voting Democrat this election because they understand that this is the most important election in our lives, and know we need to hold Donald Trump accountable for his many, many broken promises… Kenosha County represents the diverse voices across Wisconsin and America, and we know that Joe Biden will put us first. It’s what he’s always done. Every single person in Kenosha County deserves to be heard, and needs to be heard. This election ends tomorrow, and everything is on line — health care, racial justice, economic reform, and the decency of our country. It is going to take all of us casting our ballot for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris… Kenosha, your voice is powerful, your vote is powerful, we have the power to change the course of American history, together we’ll send Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House.”
Miranda: “My business has been hurt by Trump’s failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These past 8 months have been the hardest time our business has ever seen. Not just because of COVID, but because of Trump’s lack of leadership that has resulted in so many small businesses, like ours, that are struggling to survive, with many closing their doors forever… When COVID first started in the U.S. we thought it might affect our business for a few weeks. But we have been hurting for 8 months now. As COVID got worse, our clients continued to cancel jobs they had scheduled with us. Now, as COVID continues to get worse in Wisconsin, our clients are still not rescheduling our work because of the continued uncertainty of when COVID is going to end. But our business is my husband and my main source of income, and because of the failure of the Trump Administration and the Wisconsin Republican Party to get COVID under control, we are still struggling to support ourselves. We are now just hanging on by a thread. It didn’t have to be this bad. We didn’t have to be so worried about our economic stability. What is so hard to swallow though is that as all of us are doing our jobs, Trump refuses to do his. A new study showed the rallies he’s holding, including those in Wisconsin, are contributing to the growing infection and death rates… The Republican Party and Trump have consistently chosen to put themselves and politics over protecting small businesses owners. If they really cared about us, they would take COVID seriously and protect us from this deadly virus. I know that Joe Biden will listen to science and will continue to support mask wearing and other needed precautions to reduce COVID cases. Those measures will help our business get back to normal. That is why I am voting for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.”
