The News: A Wisconsin-based taxpayer association, represented by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL), filed a new lawsuit challenging the Wisconsin Supplier Diversity Program, a procurement program that spends over $250 million each year purchasing supplies and services based on race. White, Middle Eastern, and most Asian small-business owners are ineligible for this program simply because of their race.
Administered through the Wisconsin Department of Administration, the program awards some minority-owned businesses a 5% bid preference across all state procurement and contracting — including engineering and architectural services, building construction services, state-funded highway construction, and general procurement. The lawsuit filed today follows a recently successful effort by WILL to challenge race-based scholarships previously awarded by the state. The Supplier Diversity Program is also the subject of a federal race-discrimination complaint, which is pending with the Trump Administration.
The Quotes: WILL Managing Vice President Dan Lennington stated, “Governor Evers doles out government contracts to businesses based on race. He’s spent nearly $1.5 billion on this massive DEI scheme, all on the taxpayers’ dime. This has to end now.”
The Client: Citizens Defending Liberty is a membership association of Wisconsin taxpayers who want to see their money spent lawfully. Recently, the Wisconsin Supreme Court confirmed that taxpayers can sue to stop the illegal programs funded with state tax dollars.
Apart from this program being illegal, it also drives up government spending. According to multiple studies, government contracting programs that grant preferences based on race increase costs to the taxpayers by sometimes more than 25%.
Our argument: As stated in the Supplier Diversity Program qualifications, only businesses owned by certain minorities can participate and receive preferential treatment. The Evers Administration’s classifications exclude businesses owned by whites, North Africans, and most Asians. According to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the Constitution “requires all individuals to be treated equally without regard to one’s race, ancestry, origin, or ethnicity.” Rabiebna v. Higher Educ. Aids Bd., 2026 WI 20, ¶ 23.
Why Now: This is the latest in a series of WILL lawsuits challenging race-based government programs. WILL has represented over 80 clients from 26 states to challenge programs that divide up Americans by race. WILL’s victory against race-based scholarships earlier this year opened the door for more litigation to similar programs. Read more on that decision here.
Read more:
Complaint, July 2026
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