Almost eight years ago I attended the funeral of ten-year-old Sierra Guyton after she
was caught in a crossfire on an elementary school playground, the first I’d attended
while in office. Sadly, we continue to see families devastated by gun violence. My
community is tired of senseless shootings, and we are tired of Republicans picking and
choosing when they decide to care.
On November 7, 2019, Governor Evers called for a special session on gun violence.
Wisconsin Republicans failed to show up, and have continued, year after year, to reject
widely-supported gun violence prevention policies like universal background checks.
Despite Republicans’ refusal to act, Governor Evers used his executive authority to
invest in tackling crime. The governor directed more than $100 million toward enhancing
public safety across the state, including $45 million to support violence prevention
efforts and crime victims.
But we have to do more. Milwaukee Police recovered 3,279 guns and responded to
17,002 ShotSpotter activations in 2022. Our officers are outgunned!
So, until I start hearing more than lip service from the same people responsible for
starving my city of revenue and making it a dumping ground for illegal guns, you’ll have
to forgive me for disbelieving the phony concerns from Republicans who have chosen
not to act time and time again.
