Barnes Has Fought To Ensure Law Enforcement Has The Resources Needed To Address Crime
A new TV ad launched by Ron Johnson is falsely attacking Lt. Governor Barnes, over his record of working to keep all Wisconsin communities safe. Lt. Governor Barnes has consistently advocated for law enforcement to have the resources needed to combat violent crime and for crime reduction through investments in quality education and job creation.
“This ad is just more of Ron Johnson’s lies to distract us from his record of delivering for his wealthy donors and attacking Social Security,” said Maddy McDaniel, spokesperson for Mandela Barnes for Wisconsin. “Lt. Governor Barnes has worked to keep Wisconsin families and communities safe throughout his career. He is running for Senate to represent Wisconsin, not to join any ideological group. Ron Johnson can peddle these tired attacks all he wants, but the people of Wisconsin know that Mandela Barnes will always fight for safety and opportunity for working people.”
FACT: Lt. Governor Barnes Has Worked to Keep Wisconsin Communities Safe
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Barnes Is Committed To Continuing Investment In Struggling Communities And Giving Law Enforcement Officers The Resources They Need To Prevent Crime Before It Happens. [Mandela Barnes Public Safety Proposal, 3/26//22]
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2013: Barnes Released A Statement Regarding Gun Violence In Milwaukee, Saying, “As Elected Officials, We Have An Obligation To Our Constituency To Take The Necessary Actions To Ensure The Public Safety.” [Milwaukee Courier, 8/10/13]
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2014: Barnes Joined Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Police Chief Edward Flynn As He Gave A Speech Addressing A Spate Of Shootings In Milwaukee. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/10/14]
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2022: Barnes Praised The U.S. House Agreement On Police Funding And Safety Bills, Saying, “We Must Ensure Our Police Officers Have The Resources And Accountability They Need To Keep Wisconsin Safe.” [Mandela Barnes, Press Release, 7/29/22]
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The Evers-Barnes Administration Used $50 Million In American Rescue Plan Funding To Support Police, Sheriff’s Offices And Criminal Justice Initiatives. [WBAY, 3/15/22]
FACT: Lt. Governor Barnes Does Not Support Defunding The Police or Abolishing ICE & Has the Support of Local Law Enforcement in Wisconsin
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Barnes Is Committed To Continuing Investment In Struggling Communities And Giving Law Enforcement Officers The Resources They Need To Prevent Crime Before It Happens. [Mandela Barnes Public Safety Proposal, 3/26//22]
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Barnes Called For More Funding For Law Enforcement Officers So That They “Have The Resources They Need To Keep Us Safe,” And Called For More Investments In Crime Prevention. [WUWM, 7/18/22]
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The Evers-Barnes Administration Invested Additional $45 Million On Violence Prevention Efforts In Wisconsin, Including $10.4 Million For A Competitive Grant Process To Support Violence Prevention Projects Statewide. [News 8000, 10/13/21]
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2013: Barnes Released A Statement Regarding Gun Violence In Milwaukee, Saying, “As Elected Officials, We Have An Obligation To Our Constituency To Take The Necessary Actions To Ensure The Public Safety.” [Milwaukee Courier, 8/10/13]
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2014: Barnes Joined Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Police Chief Edward Flynn As He Gave A Speech Addressing A Spate Of Shootings In Milwaukee. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 8/10/14]
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2022: Barnes Praised The U.S. House Agreement On Police Funding And Safety Bills, Saying, “We Must Ensure Our Police Officers Have The Resources And Accountability They Need To Keep Wisconsin Safe.” [Mandela Barnes, Press Release, 7/29/22]
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The Evers-Barnes Administration Used $50 Million In American Rescue Plan Funding To Support Police, Sheriff’s Offices And Criminal Justice Initiatives. [WBAY, 3/15/22]
FACT: Lt. Governor Barnes Does Not Support Defunding The Police or Abolishing ICE & Has the Support of Local Law Enforcement in Wisconsin
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Barnes Firmly Said He Did Not Support Defunding The Police, Saying He Favored Providing Police With The Resources Needed “To Keep Us Safe.” [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2/15/22]
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Barnes’s Spokesperson Said He Did Not Support Defunding The Police, “What He Does Support Is Investing Just As Heavily In Preventing Crime From Occurring In The First Place.” [Washington Post, 7/30/22]
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Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett Endorsed Barnes For Senate, Saying, “I Trust Mandela To Support Our Law Enforcement Officers With Resources And Training.” [Mandela Barnes, Press Release, 7/14/22]
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Barnes: “I Don’t Support Abolishing Ice, But I Do Fully Support Addressing The Concerns And Issues And Challenges That People Have.” ”[Spectrum News, 3/15/22]
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Barnes: “I Don’t Support Defunding The Police, And I Don’t Support Abolishing ICE.” [Wisconsin Examiner, 3/31/22]
FACT: Lt. Governor Barnes is Running to Represent Wisconsin, Not Any Ideological Group
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State Senator Kelda Roys: Barnes Was The “Embodiment Of Wisconsin Values” And The Things He Talked About “Transcend Political Labels.” [The Hill, 8/18/22]
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The Hill: “Those On The Ground Largely Believe His Economic Populist Push To Uplift The Middle Class Surpasses Any Branding Attempts — Either By National Party Figures Or The Republican Opposition.” [The Hill, 8/18/22]
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Axios: “The Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Is One Of Several Democratic Candidates This Year Who Aren’t Embracing Or Eschewing Labels Like ‘Progressive’ Or ‘Moderate.’” [Axios, 1/9/22]
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Barnes: “I Know That The Only Way We Can Govern At Our Best Is When We Have All These Varied Interests At The Table, All These Varied Experiences At The Table.” [Axios, 1/9/22]
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Barnes: “It’s Not About Labels. It’s About Who’s Been On Top, And Everybody Else Who’s Been Left At The Bottom.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/7/22]
FACT: Sen. Ron Johnson Has Voted Against Funding and Resources for Law Enforcement
- Senator Ron Johnson Voted Against The American Rescue Plan Act. [CQ, 3/6/21; Vote 110, H. R. 1319, 3/6/21]
- The American Rescue Plan Included $651 Million For The Community Oriented Policing Services Program, A Major Increase From The Previous Year. [NBC News, 7/8/21]
- The Evers-Barnes Administration Used To American Rescue Plan Funds To Allocate $56 Million In Federal Funds To Address Public Safety, Including Nearly $19 Million For Local Police Departments. [Wisconsin Public Radio, 3/15/22]
- Johnson Voted For FY 2013 Toomey Budget Plan that Experts Said Would Endanger Law Enforcement [CQ, 5/16/12; S.Con.Res. 37, Vote 99, 5/16/12]
- Johnson Supported Toomey’s Budget Proposal, Calling It “Serious,” Because “The First Step Should Be To Establish Hard Spending Caps To Instill Fiscal Discipline, And To Force Washington To Prioritize Spending.” [Office of Sen. Ron Johnson, Press Release, 5/10/11]
- Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Toomey Budget Would Endanger Important Programs Such As “Law Enforcement, Veterans’ Health Care, Education.” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 5/6/12]
