MADISON, Wis. – Today, Representative Ryan Clancy (D-19) joined several colleagues — including the entire socialist caucus — in voting against a slew of bills amplifying and expanding criminal penalties in Wisconsin. Those bills ranged from punishing shoplifters to forcing Milwaukee Public Schools to host and pay for armed police officers to requiring the revocation of parole, probation, and extended supervision when a person is charged with a crime.
All of the bills passed, with all of the Democratic caucus’ proposed amendments rejected.
Rep. Clancy issued the following statement:
“Once again, the Wisconsin legislature was forced to spend our time and resources considering badly written, badly conceived bills that will harm people and waste public resources. Legislative Republicans refuse to acknowledge that mass incarceration and prison overcrowding is even a problem, let alone one they’re interested in solving. It’s wildly irresponsible to even consider increasing penalties and interfering with the very few tools of leniency we have with a prison system holding 5,000 more people than intended. But here we are.
Sadly, Legislative Republicans aren’t just proposing bad bills on public safety and corrections, they’re openly misleading the public and their colleagues about the contents and impacts of those bills. Specifically, I was forced today to correct Speaker Robin Vos’ assertion that AB 85 would revoke people’s parole, extended supervision, or probation if they commit a crime — in fact, and very obviously, it’s triggered when someone is merely charged with a crime.
I was also forced to correct Rep. Cindy Duchow on her assertion that Milwaukee Public Schools is the only district in Wisconsin without school resource officers. That’s absolutely not true. Even worse, I was cut off by Republican leadership mid-correction, further demonstrating their shaky commitment to the truth.
I certainly hope that Speaker Vos and his colleagues across the aisle actually read the bills they pushed today. I can assure you that I have, and they’re terrible.”
