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Quotes of the week
I do not want to see us nationalizing elections. I do believe it’s fitting and proper to set some basic standards for federal elections, like only citizens can vote.
– U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, on President Donald Trump’s call for Republicans to nationalize and “take over” elections.
Resign or we’ll do it for you.
– U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, repeating calls for Homeland Secretary Kristi Noem to resign. Moore is among the House Democrats pushing for Noem to be impeached.
This week’s news
— Dem U.S. Reps. Gwen Moore and Mark Pocan both opposed a government funding package this week as they push for more guardrails to hold the Department of Homeland Security accountable.
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GOP House members from Wisconsin all voted in favor of the package, which was approved 217-214. President Trump signed it into law yesterday, ending a partial government shutdown that began over the weekend. The package included full-year funding for the government through September, with the exception of DHS funding, which was extended until Feb. 13.
Dems largely opposed the package as they urged measures to ensure accountability for DHS following the killing of two American citizens in Minneapolis last month by U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
Moore, D-Milwaukee, said her constituents are concerned about ICE’s “increasingly cruel tactics directed at too many communities around the country, including our neighbors in Minnesota.”
“DHS is rogue and needs meaningful change, and unfortunately, simply maintaining the status quo will not meet the moment or respond to the cries from our communities,” Moore said. “I will continue to push for legislation that actually helps make our communities safer and bring real accountability and reforms to DHS.”
Pocan, D-Town of Vermont, in a comment to WisPolitics also labeled ICE “rogue.”
“Given the recent actions of ICE, any thing that doesn’t strengthen the hand to improve public safety from a rogue agency doesn’t make sense. Unfortunately Republicans don’t seem to understand the intensity of the concerns our constituents have,” Pocan said.
Both Moore and Pocan have signed onto articles of impeachment against DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said he was “extremely disappointed” the funding package didn’t include Republicans’ SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote.
Fitzgerald, who voted to pass the funding bills, said “election security is critical to delivering results for Wisconsin families.”
“However, reopening the government was absolutely necessary as a prolonged shutdown does not help the country,” Fitzgerald said. “This shutdown occurred because Democrats are demonizing ICE. ICE agents put their lives on the line every day and are working tirelessly to enforce our immigration laws and keep our communities safe.”
This week’s House vote came after the U.S. Senate last week approved the funding bills with the shorter term funding extension for DHS. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Madison, voted in favor of the package while U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, voted against it.
Baldwin has called for Noem’s resignation and said she is open to impeachment.
“We need to stop ICE’s lawlessness, and this deal puts us on the path to do that,” Baldwin said following the vote. “This agreement makes sure our troops are paid, schools are funded, and we avoid a broad government shutdown, all while giving us a two-week deadline to rein in Kristi Noem and ICE.”
Johnson has opposed government funding bills due to concerns about excessive government spending.
— Dem challenger Rebecca Cooke outraised GOP U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden in the fourth quarter and cut his cash-on-hand advantage by more than half, according to their latest filings.
Cooke, who runs a nonprofit, reported nearly $1.2 million in receipts over the final three months of the year with $435,581 in expenses and more than $2.5 million in the bank.
Cooke’s fundraising included more than $1 million from individual donors, with $337,132 of that through unitemized donations from those giving less than $200.
Van Orden, R-Prairie du Chien, reported $931,453 in receipts, $461,156 in expenses and more than $2.7 million cash on hand.
His fundraising included $583,936 from individuals with $162,985 of that from unitemized donations, which are often viewed as a measure of a candidate’s small-dollar operation.
Van Orden listed $240,165 in transfers from committees, $95,500 from PACs and $5,000 from political parties.
Cooke reported $72,050 from PACs and $36,000 in transfers from authorized committees.
At the end of September, Van Orden had $440,104 more in the bank than Cooke. That advantage was down to $184,863 at the end of December.
Meanwhile, Dem Emily Berge, president of the Eau Claire City Council, reported $115,022 in receipts, $122,206 in expenses and $69,808 in the bank.
Van Orden is a top Dem target this fall with the Cook Political Report listing western Wisconsin’s 3rd CD as a toss-up. U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil’s southeastern Wisconsin seat is rated “lean Republican,” with the state’s other six seats either solid Dem or Republican.
Van Orden was the only Wisconsin incumbent outraised by a challenger during the quarter.
See more on House members’ fundraising in Monday’s AM Update.
— U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany says he will be an “independent voice” when asked whether President Trump’s endorsement could hurt him during the general election.
“I make up my own decisions, and I will continue to do that,” Tiffany told WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “I agree with so much of what President Trump has done, but if there’s something I disagree with, I express that also, so I’ve always been an independent voice out there, and I will continue to be because this is about one thing, and that is making Wisconsin one of the great states in America once again.”
Tiffany, R-Minocqua, said he learned of Trump’s endorsement the same way everyone else did, through his social media post on Truth Social.
“I was eating dinner and they put the phone in front of me and said, ‘Take a look at this,’” Tiffany said. “So it was a surprise as far as the timing for me, too.”
Posts of the week
ICYMI
Wisconsin Public Radio: Sen. Baldwin says ending ‘roving patrols,’ masked agents must be part of DHS funding bill
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Rep. Tony Wied way ahead of Democratic challengers in campaign funds
The Hill: House Republicans unveil election reform bill dubbed Make Elections Great Again Act
AP: Trump endorses Rep. Tom Tiffany in Wisconsin’s open governor’s race, leading GOP rival to drop out
Politico: Democrats are ‘neutering’ immigration enforcement, Ron Johnson says
WKOW: Rep. Mark Pocan partners with Voces de la Frontera to send message to ICE
Wisconsin Public Radio: Wisconsin US Sen. Ron Johnson opposes Trump’s call for Republicans to ‘take over’ elections
TMJ4: Rep. Moore calls for ICE funding pause after fatal Minneapolis shooting
