Wisconsin ARA President and Senior Wisconsinite Slam Trump on the heels of 100,000 COVID-19 Deaths and the WEC Agreeing to Send Wisconsinites Absentee Ballot Request Forms

WISCONSIN - President of the Wisconsin Alliance of the Association of Retired Americans Gary Mitchell, and 79 year-old Christy Mougin, slammed Trump’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic as it has put older Wisconsinites and Americans in great danger, as well as emphasized the necessity for mail-in ballots. This comes on the heels of over 100,000 Americans perishing from COVID-19 and the Wisconsin Elections Commission, made up of three Democrats and three Republicans, tentatively agreeing to send Wisconsinites absentee ballot request forms.

Mitchell, a lung transplant recipient, helped his organization fight to have the witness signature requirement waived in the April 7th election. Mougin and her husband, who is on oxygen, both tried voting in the April election but were unable to because their absentee ballots never arrived and it would have put their lives in grave danger had they gone to the polls to vote in person.

Despite the chaos and new Coronavirus infections that stemmed from the April 7th election, Wisconsin Republicans and Trump have been fighting tooth and nail against expanding access to mail-in-ballots. Trump has continued to falsely claim that vote by mail is fraudulent, despite that fact that Trump himself votes by mail.. His attacks coincide with a number of polls showing older American preferring Joe Biden, including the most recent Marquette University Law School poll.

You can watch the full event here or see excerpts of Mitchells and Mougin’s remarks below.

Wisconsin Alliance President Gary Mitchell: “As we have surpassed 100,000 COVID related deaths in the United States, it is hard to forget how much this adversely affects older Wisconsinites...We’ve seen nursing homes under siege, children not being able to say a final goodbye to their parents, and couples who spent decades together torn apart by this deadly virus. What makes this pain worse is that we know it didn’t have to be this way. We know that President Trump ignored the warnings he got as far back as January, and that every step he has taken since then -- from sending PPE to China, encouraging people to drink cleaning supplies, to refusing to implement a national testing and tracing program, Trump has failed us at every turn. Neighbors, friends, and family members have died because of what he’s done -- and more will die who shouldn't because he’s still not taking this crisis seriously.

“As the recipient of a lung transplant, as a Wisconsinite, as a senior citizen, and as the President of the Wisconsin branch of the Association of Retired Americans, I am horrified at the great risk he poses to older Americans. And with an election around the corner, and with Trump’s failure to contain the virus, who knows where our country will be in five months. That’s why we are continuing our fight to make sure Wisconsinites, regardless of their age, can stay safe but also participate in our democratic process...Trump wants you to believe that this [mail-in ballots] will lead to fraud, but there is no evidence to support this -- it is a bald-faced lie. He wants people like me to risk our lives to vote. It’s wrong, it’s un-American, and it cannot stand.”

Christy Mougin, 79 year-old Wisconsinite: “I don’t think the Wisconsin Republicans will do the right thing and protect me. Now we are hearing President Trump saying that mass use of absentee ballots or mail-in votes in November would lead to election fraud. There is no basis for such a claim. He seems to think that keeping people away from voting might win another term for him. He wants people like me to decide whether to vote or to stay home and stay well.

“I grew up thinking that the United States of America was a democracy that encouraged all eligible voters to participate. That’s what we stood for-- not anymore. My first Presidential vote was in 1960 for John Kennedy. I never expected to see a President like Donald Trump who ignored the danger of coronavirus, then mishandled the government response, and finally denied any responsibility for the results. 100,000 dead-- many of them old and not in good health, like my husband, like me. Trump does not stand for the values or wellbeing of the American people. He seems to want to build walls and degrade immigrants, and above all tell us how great he is. His self serving policies and lack of personal responsibility are making America sad, cruel, and mean spirited. I have no hope that Donald Trump will do the right thing and protect me. June, July, August, September, October, November. Only that long until the election. Will I be able to vote then? Will you? Let’s do what we can to make sure that this election is for all the citizens of the United States.”

State Assembly District 90 candidate's priorities include funding for infrastructure and environmental resiliency, affordable healthcare for all, and restoring the strength of Wisconsin’s unions.

Voters in Wisconsin don’t have to wait to request a ballot for the November 2020 election. Follow the link provided by Treasurer Sarah Godlewski.

MADISON - With the complete lack of transparency or coherent plan coming from the Trump administration, it is never too early to begin thinking about registering for your absentee ballot for the November 2020 election.

The good news is: voters in Wisconsin don’t have to wait to request your ballot. You can do it TODAY by following the link below.

TO REGISTER FOR YOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT, CLICK HERE!

I’ve seen firsthand just how important it is to request your absentee ballot well in advance. In fact, in this past spring election, I had to wait weeks before receiving my ballot. In an election as important as this we can’t afford to wait, let’s get to work on registering voters immediately.

Our campaign team is working tirelessly to make sure we have the resources necessary to get as many voters registered as possible.

Thank so much for your help on this,
Treasurer Sarah Godlewski

Trump Attacks Safe and Fair Elections Process.

MADISON, WI) -- As the Wisconsin Elections Commission is set to consider mailing 2.7 million Wisconsin voters absentee ballot request forms, Donald Trump is taking to Twitter to once again stir up conspiracy theories about mail-in ballots. Despite voting by mail himself, Trump proclaimed that Michigan is committing an “illegal” act by sending ballot applications to their residents, when in fact they are doing what Wisconsin is considering, and what Republicans already do in Iowa, Georgia, Nebraska and West Virginia - sending absentee ballot applications to eligible voters. His own RNC Chair says she has no problem with sending absentee ballot applications. What’s more is Trump is threatening to withhold funding from states in the midst of a pandemic. It’s not the first time he’s accused of using the powers of his office for personal political gain. 

Wisconsin saw the outcome of voters being forced to choose between their health and their vote as a new scientific report found there was an increase in Coronavirus cases directly tied to the April 7th election. Trump, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, and their conservative allies did everything in their power to force Wisconsinites to vote in person, with Trump going so far as to encourage people to go to the polls on election day. 

“Trump is throwing another temper tantrum because he knows his record is toxic to voters and he knows the momentum is with Democrats to defeat him in November,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Philip Shulman said. “Trump is already responsible for the more than 92,000 victims of the Coronavirus, many of whom would still be alive had he taken this pandemic seriously when experts warned him about it in January. Now he is threatening even more devastation by threatening to withhold funds from states who pursue absentee ballot-driven elections.”  

Trump has continually lied about voter fraud through the mail-in-ballot process, despite there being no evidence to support this. He even wasted taxpayer dollars to fund a commission tasked with investigating voter fraud, which ultimately disbanded because they could not find anything.

“Trump can’t tweet all he wants, but that won’t change the fact people are fired up to elect Joe Biden and other Democrats up and down the ticket -- and they will find a way to vote no matter what. Wisconsinites want to hold Trump accountable for his COVID-19 response, for his broken promises to lower health care and prescription drug costs, and his erratic trade wars that decimated farming communities and local economies. They understand that they can’t afford four more years of Trump.”

Donald Trump’s inaction and downplaying of the threat tied to mounting death toll and economic disaster by Priorities USA.

New movie by Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition highlights gerrymandering travesties and gives concrete ways to end them. After you’ve watched, join special guests for a panel discussion.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/trump-water-ad-s5.pngLCV Victory Fund, Priorities USA Action Launch Wisconsin Ad Campaign Revealing ‘Donald Trump has real consequences for our health’.

Senate leader steps down early to comply with law that requires lawmakers and other public officials to resign their seat if a potential employment opportunity could present a conflict of interest.

MADISON, WI – This morning, Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) submitted a letter of resignation to Senate President Roger Roth indicating her intention to resign from her position as State Senator at the end of the day (May 15, 2020) in order to explore career opportunities. Current state law requires lawmakers and other public officials to resign their seat early if a potential employment opportunity could present a conflict of interest with state government activities.

“While I wish I could finish out my term and continue representing the residents and communities in the 32^nd Senate District, I understand the clear boundaries set by state law that will require me to vacate my position in the State Senate earlier than anticipated. It has been my distinct honor and privilege to serve the residents of western Wisconsin both as a Senator for the 32^nd Senate District and previously as a Representative for the 95^th Assembly District.

“The Driftless Region is full of the kindest, most caring and hardest working people you’ll ever meet. I'm humbled by the fact that residents in western Wisconsin have repeatedly put their faith in me to be their voice and advocate for our shared values. I will never forget the people I’ve met and the relationships I’ve developed over the years.”

“After almost 20 years in the Legislature, the time is right for me to close this chapter and take on new challenges. To everyone I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside, interacting with, and learning from, thank you from a very full and grateful heart!”

Legislative staff will continue to serve residents of the 32^nd Senate District through the end of the year. Individuals who have legislative questions or who need assistance accessing state services can contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 608-266-5490.

“Wisconsinites are suffering more than ever and Donald Trump couldn’t care less,” say Dems.

MADISON, WI -- Thursday it was reported that over 36 million Americans have lost their jobs due to Trump’s failed response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Wisconsin, a recent report highlighted that “since March 15, the Department of Workforce Development has seen more than 500,000 applications for unemployment insurance and nearly 1.5 million weekly claims.” Trump ignored warnings as early as January about the impending Coronavirus pandemic, wasting the time needed to contain the virus and put in place an economic plan that would have prevented the pain millions of Americans are now facing.

The massive job losses have led to millions of people losing their health insurance. In Wisconsin, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that roughly 446,000 Wisconsinites have lost their health care coverage due to job loss. This crisis has been going on for months, and Wisconsinites previously called on the Trump administration to safeguard health care access. The pain being felt by Wisconsinites is growing exponentially, and yet Trump has refused to stop attacking their health care, going so far as to continue his attempts to strip protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

“Wisconsinites are suffering more than ever and Donald Trump couldn’t care less,” Democratic party of Wisconsin Spokesperson Philip Shulman said. “He fueled this crisis by ignoring our intelligence community as far back as January while taking to heart every lie President Xi and the Chinese government fed him. Instead of taking actions like implementing a national testing and contact tracing strategy, Trump continues to waste time by going on Twitter tirades and fielding conspiracy theories that led him to encourage people to drink household cleaning products. He has made it clear he has no interest in solving the Coronavirus pandemic and is clearly ineffective at being president. Wisconsin and our country can’t afford another four years of Trump, and November can’t come soon enough.”

Self described obstetrician/gynecologist, mom, and advocate with northeast Wisconsin roots to run in District 88 covering UWGB, Ledgeview, Bellevue and rural areas surrounding.

GREEN BAY - Politics as usual have failed us, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The COVID-19 pandemic has only sharpened our need for responsive and responsible leadership. Our communities deserve leaders who listen, leaders who understand us, and leaders who don’t put our lives on the line so we can exercise the most basic of our constitutional duties — the right to vote. My name is Kristin Lyerly, and I am running for State Assembly, District 88, because I am that leader.

My roots and my heart are in Northeast Wisconsin. My mom’s parents were dairy farmers near Fond du Lac, back when family farms were a way of life in the Badger State. My uncle still owns the farm, although the cows are long gone. My dad was a foreman in the tool and die industry in Kaukauna, until that moved out of town. His entire family worked at the paper mill. My parents’ dream for me and my sister, a bank teller in Oshkosh, was to go to college, and they fought to get us there. I graduated from the University of Minnesota and then came home to the University of Wisconsin for medical school and residency training in obstetrics and gynecology, along the way earning a Master’s Degree in Public Health — as well as a student loan debt burden I am paying off to this day.

As a physician, I have the privilege of listening to my patients every day and helping them find solutions to complicated, individualized problems. These experiences fuel my work in healthcare advocacy, which lends itself naturally to a broader role in leadership, especially when healthcare is front and center. My passion for nurturing healthy communities, bolstered by leadership roles within my hospital and professional organizations and experience as a small business owner, give me a unique perspective that is sorely missing in our Legislature. The voice of medicine is absent from the body that determines much of what happens in your exam room, which is nonsensical at best and devastating — even deadly — at worst. I will be that voice, telling your stories and working with you to solve the problems that are closest to your heart and closest to your home.

I also care deeply and personally about our public education system. Our four sons have always attended public schools, and we couldn’t be prouder of our oldest, who is studying to become an elementary school music teacher at UW-Stevens Point. When we talk about issues at home, climate change is one of our greatest mutual concerns, although the conversation often drifts to the brazen, unacceptable behavior that continues to divide our communities and prevent us from moving forward together. We need to get beyond partisan politics to strengthen our communities by building relationships and bridging divides.

I look forward to hearing from you, listening to your stories, and meeting you in person, when we are able to do that again. I truly believe that, in the words of Paul Wellstone, “we all do better when we all do better.” Let’s start doing better, together.

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Kristin Lyerly for State Assembly

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