MADISON – Senator Eric Wimberger (R-Oconto) and Representative Robert Wittke (R-Caledonia), co-chairs of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, issued the following statement after announcing a public hearing on April 23, 2025 to discuss the contents of Reports 25-05 and 25-06, the recently released audits of “diversity, equity, and inclusion” activities across Wisconsin’s state agencies and the University of Wisconsin System:
“These new reports show millions of dollars spent to propagate hateful rhetoric to divide Wisconsinites in our halls of government and universities. The agencies and colleges pushing these DEI initiatives need to be held accountable. We look forward to shining a light on these wasteful practices at next week’s hearing.”
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee, co-chaired by Senator Wimberger and Representative Wittke, approved the audits in May 2024. Nonpartisan auditors from the Legislative Audit Bureau then began investigating the money and staff hours spent to support a variety of DEI initiatives in Wisconsin’s state government and across the University of Wisconsin System. Reports 25-05 and 25-06 were completed on April 11, 2025.
The summaries and full reports can be viewed here for Report 25-05 and Report 25-06.
