DOJ spent more than $61K on promotional items since 2015

In addition to the challenge coins promoting the agency’s “Kicking Ass Every Day” motto, Attorney General Brad Schimel’s Department of Justice has also bought candy blood clots, pistol cases and custom fortune cookies including the message “The time is right

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McCabe to formally launch guv bid Sept. 12

Mike McCabe, the former executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, is set to formally launch his campaign for guv Sept. 12 with an event at the north-central Wisconsin farm where he grew up. McCabe’s backers have been passing out

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DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp leaving for EPA role

Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp is stepping down to take a job at the U.S. EPA, Gov. Scott Walker announced today. Stepp will be the deputy administrator for Region 7, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska along

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State Superintendent Evers formally launches guv bid

State Superintendent Tony Evers, formally launching his bid for governor, tells WisPolitics.com he’d be open to raising the gas tax to address Wisconsin’s long-term transportation needs while pulling back on some credits for businesses to ensure the state can invest

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Discussions continue on possible budget deal

Republicans Tuesday continued to detail a possible budget deal, including about $160 million in bonding for roads on top of what’s in the Foxconn bill and a new fee on hybrid and electric cars. But even as Gov. Scott Walker

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Assembly approves Foxconn bill 59-30

The Assembly Thursday green-lighted the $3 billion Foxconn incentive package, after rejecting a series of Dem amendments over more than six hours of debate. The 59-30 vote sends the bill to the Senate, which has already referred it to the

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Assembly to take up $3 billion Foxconn bill

The Assembly is on the floor today to vote on the $3 billion Foxconn bill. Members are also taking up a resolution aiming to condemn the “ideology of racial hatred that was witnessed by the world” over the weekend in

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Senate approves Foxconn bill 20-13, with Cowles voting against it

The state Senate Tuesday approved 20-13 an amended $3 billion incentive package for the Taiwanese tech company Foxconn, with GOP Sen. Robert Cowles opposing it and Dem Bob Wirch voting for the proposal. Democrats called it a corporate giveaway to a foreign company, slamming projections that the state wouldn’t break

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Groups at odds over budget provision on short-term home rentals

A group that represents the tech company Airbnb says it’s opposing a budget provision that would add requirements to homeowners who want to rent out their property on the platform. The Travel Technology Association wrote to lawmakers Monday warning of the “unintended consequences” of a tax provision that the Joint

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UpFront

‘UpFront’: Zamarripa says Ryan may offer hope for ‘dreamers’

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Janesville, may offer hope for the protection of young immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children, said state Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa. The Milwaukee Dem, who represents a majority Latino district, said the Trump administration’s move to rescind DACA — the Deferred Action for

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JFC approves amended budget, sends to full Legislature

Republicans put the final touches on their version of the state budget late Tuesday, as the Joint Finance Committee added provisions that would repeal the AMT, create new tax breaks for broadcasters and nix a series of tax cuts Gov. Scott Walker originally proposed. The amended budget cleared the committee

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DOJ spent more than $61K on promotional items since 2015

In addition to the challenge coins promoting the agency’s “Kicking Ass Every Day” motto, Attorney General Brad Schimel’s Department of Justice has also bought candy blood clots, pistol cases and custom fortune cookies including the message “The time is right to make new friends.” In all over the last two-and-a-half

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JFC approves transportation package, amended Foxconn bill

The Joint Finance Committee Tuesday approved a GOP transportation package that calls for cutting 200 DOT jobs and pre-empting some local regulations of quarries used for road and construction projects. The committee also approved an amended version of the $3 billion Foxconn bill 12-4 along party lines that would require

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State initially offered Foxconn $1.1 billion in subsidies

Wisconsin more than doubled its incentive package for Foxconn after initially offering the Taiwanese manufacturer $1.1 billion to bring jobs to the state, according to records obtained by WisPolitics.com and confirmed by the guv’s office. Along with pushing the state’s share of the incentive package to $2.85 billion, Wisconsin went

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McCabe to formally launch guv bid Sept. 12

Mike McCabe, the former executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, is set to formally launch his campaign for guv Sept. 12 with an event at the north-central Wisconsin farm where he grew up. McCabe’s backers have been passing out “save the date” flyers for the Sept. 12 launch along

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DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp leaving for EPA role

Department of Natural Resources Secretary Cathy Stepp is stepping down to take a job at the U.S. EPA, Gov. Scott Walker announced today. Stepp will be the deputy administrator for Region 7, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska along with nine tribal nations. Her last day at the DNR

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JFC approves K-12 education plan, $1 billion state building budget

The Joint Finance Committee voted 12-4 along party lines to change Gov. Scott Walker’s K-12 education plan by adding a boost for low-spending school districts and increasing the income cutoff for students in the statewide voucher program. Dems slammed the proposal late Monday afternoon, saying the additional $639 million provided

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UpFront

‘UpFront’: Evers says Foxconn a ‘Hail Mary,’ not a fair deal

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers said on “UpFront with Mike Gousha” he would renegotiate the Foxconn deal if he’s elected governor in 2018. Evers, the state’s DPI superintendent since 2009, said he would renegotiate whichever parts of the deal could be renegotiated. “I don’t think it’s a fair deal for

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Physicians, WMC clash over workers’ compensation proposal

Physicians and a key business group are clashing over a new workers’ compensation proposal that would significantly change how doctors are paid. Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce says companies get overcharged by providers and hospitals for medical expenses to treat their injured employees — and that adding a fee schedule for

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State Superintendent Evers formally launches guv bid

State Superintendent Tony Evers, formally launching his bid for governor, tells WisPolitics.com he’d be open to raising the gas tax to address Wisconsin’s long-term transportation needs while pulling back on some credits for businesses to ensure the state can invest in priorities like education. Evers said unlike Scott Walker, who

Read More »

Discussions continue on possible budget deal

Republicans Tuesday continued to detail a possible budget deal, including about $160 million in bonding for roads on top of what’s in the Foxconn bill and a new fee on hybrid and electric cars. But even as Gov. Scott Walker said there was a deal “in principle,” the Legislature’s top

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UpFront

‘UpFront’: Moore calls for Trump to be removed from office

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Milwaukee, questioned President Donald Trump’s mental health and said he should be “removed (from office) as soon as possible.” “I think Donald Trump has come undone,” Moore told “UpFront with Mike Gousha, produced in partnership with WisPolitics.com. “He is exhibiting all of the signs of a

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Assembly approves Foxconn bill 59-30

The Assembly Thursday green-lighted the $3 billion Foxconn incentive package, after rejecting a series of Dem amendments over more than six hours of debate. The 59-30 vote sends the bill to the Senate, which has already referred it to the Joint Finance Committee for another public hearing. Three Dems who

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Assembly to take up $3 billion Foxconn bill

The Assembly is on the floor today to vote on the $3 billion Foxconn bill. Members are also taking up a resolution aiming to condemn the “ideology of racial hatred that was witnessed by the world” over the weekend in Charlottesville, Va., Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said yesterday. Calling

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