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MILWAUKEE - A federal judge in Milwaukee has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to bar Republican U.S. Reps. Scott Fitzgerald and Tom Tiffany as well as Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson from the 2022 ballot because they supported Donald Trump leading up to the January 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The Capital Times newspaper in Madison reported Wednesday that U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman dismissed the case on Friday. He said the lawsuit wasn’t "procedurally proper." The lawsuit alleged the three Republicans violated the "Disqualification Clause" of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The clause prohibits anyone from holding...

Republicans who lead the Wisconsin Assembly voted Tuesday to call the state Capitol evergreen a Christmas tree and formally recognize National Bible Week, moves they said were necessary to ensure Christianity isn’t marginalized as the holidays approach. The 64-30 vote on naming the tree was a direct response to Gov. Tony Evers’ declaration last week that it would be called a “holiday tree.” Evers’ Republican predecessor Scott Walker, the son of a Baptist minister, declared the evergreen was a Christmas tree during his first term in 2011. “It seems like the only religion we’re willing to take shots at is...

Members of Mothers Against Gun Violence, March for Our Lives and other groups rallied outside the Wisconsin Capitol last week in support of Gov. Tony Evers’ modest proposals to address gun violence. It was cold. But the crowd was enthusiastic about delivering the message that it is time for state legislators to respond to the will of the people. They explained that: THE TIME WAS RIGHT TO ACT: Following the August mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, which left 31 people dead in one weekend, Evers proposed a pair of sensible moves: a bill to require background...

A battle is brewing in Wisconsin and you can weigh in with other Americans to stop this War on Christmas Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers does not like a Christmas tree being called a Christmas tree. So he is changing it. According to a Washington Post article, Gov. Evers has said the Christmas tree in the Capitol rotunda, as of this year, will be called a "holiday" tree. Thus the War on Christmas continues. Those like Gov. Evers don't like the fact that the Christmas tree is identified with the Christian faith. Republican Scott Fitzgerald, the state Senate majority leader and...

Part 280 of 278 in the series Wisconsin's Secret War MADISON, Wisconsin – After lengthy delays and an extraordinary session that extended into the wee hours of Saturday morning, the Republican-controlled Senate passed a bill that overhauls the rogue state Government Accountability Board. But does the final version of the bill, with a controversial amendment, protect and defend the constitution? At the end of the day, the cold feet coalition prevailed. The amended bill goes a long way in decentralizing the GAB, the agency that oversees Wisconsin campaign finance, election, ethics and lobbying laws. But while it divides the political...

MADISON, Wisconsin — This week the Wall Street Journal revealed just how expansive Wisconsin’s political John Doe investigation was, targeting not only Badger State conservatives but national political figures such as Jeb Bush and Newt Gingrich. Now Wisconsin Watchdog has learned the unconstitutional probe also went after state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald and other Wisconsin conservative leaders who may not be aware that they, too, were targets of a widespread spying operation. The information comes from the same sealed court documents referenced in the Wall Street Journal editorial board piece published Tuesday. Sources have shared with Wisconsin Watchdog the...

Madison— The head of the state's elections board has urged legislative leaders to slow down their plans to overhaul the agency, but top GOP lawmakers say they will unveil their restructuring plans next week. Gerald Nichol, chairman of the Government Accountability Board, in a letter to lawmakers raised concerns about restructuring the board 13 months before the high-turnout presidential election. His request to slow down fell on deaf ears. On Wednesday, aides to Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) said they reached a deal on the matter. They declined to provide details, saying they...

Madison— Republican legislative leaders kick-started the stalled Wisconsin budget Wednesday by leaving two controversial pieces out of the bill and brokering a deal on a third piece to hold down state borrowing for highways. Though GOP lawmakers are again moving ahead on the budget and scheduling a key committee vote for Thursday, the way ahead remains murky. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said he didn't have the support yet to pass the budget bill yet in his house and he and Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) could not give a firm timeline for passing out of the budget a financing...

Democrats appeared to have assumed control of the state Senate with results posted early Wednesday showing former Sen. John Lehman (D-Racine) defeating incumbent Van Wanggaard in a tight race. Republicans held on to three other state Senate seats in Tuesday's recall voting. Democratic challengers lost recalls bids against Sens. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) and Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls.). Rep. Jerry Petrowski (R-Stettin) was elected to fill the vacancy left by Sen. Pam Galloway (R-Wausau), who resigned earlier this year after opponents gathered enough signatures to initiate a recall election. All eyes Wednesday will be on the 21st District. Results posted early...

It looked like a wedding. Sixty or 70 guests at a luxury Caribbean resort, including the governor and a former Tampa mayor. A beaming bride in a white dress with a flower in her hair. A photographer flown in to take pictures of the smiling couple with aqua water behind them. But Attorney General Pam Bondi says no ceremony took place at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman on Saturday. And many questions remain about when and why Bondi made the last-minute decision not to get married. Did Bondi bow to conservative critics who felt her jaunt across seas was politically tone...

Madison - A 26-year-old woman was charged Thursday with two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts for allegedly making email threats against Wisconsin lawmakers during the height of the battle over Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair bill.Katherine R. Windels of Cross Plains was named in a criminal complaint filed in Dane County Criminal Court.According to the criminal complaint, Windels allegedly sent an email threat to State Sen. Robert Cowles (R-Green Bay) March 9. Later that evening, she allegedly sent another email to 15 Republican legislators, including Senate Majority Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau).The subject line of the second email was: "Atten.: Death Threat!!!! Bomb!!!" In...

Madison — The top GOP leader in the state Senate backtracked Tuesday, saying Republicans would lift fines and a contempt finding against Democrats - a move that will allow Democrats to vote in committee and may begin to heal wounds between the two parties.On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) said Democrats couldn't vote on bills in committee immediately even though they've returned from Illinois after a boycott of the Senate. That's because GOP lawmakers voted to hold Democrats in contempt of the Senate for the move, which for three weeks blocked a vote on Gov. Scott Walker's union...

MADISON - State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says the situation at the Capitol is "unsafe." Fitzgerald appeared on Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Wisconsin's Morning News.  He's concerned about the ability for business to take place inside the Capitol."Law enforcement is doing the best they can, but they're just undermanned," Fitzgerald said.The State Assembly is scheduled to be in session at 11:00 a.m. Thursday.  Fitzgerald says that could be tough under current conditions.  "They're (officers) are having a very difficult time cleaning out, not only the assembly wing, but the rotunda is still full of protesters."Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald is also urging caution.  "I...