MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers announced today that he is appointing Kristin Cafferty to the Racine County Circuit Court. The appointment fills a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Michael J. Piontek, effective April 9, 2021. Cafferty will serve a term ending July 31, 2022.

“During her 25 years as an attorney in Racine County, Kristin Cafferty has devoted her career to helping people of all walks of life,” said Gov. Evers. “I know that she will continue to do so from the bench, ensuring that all Wisconsinites are treated fairly before the law.”

Cafferty has been a partner with Habush, Habush & Rottier, S.C. in Racine for 16 years. As a certified civil trial specialist, she has successfully represented Racine and Kenosha residents. Cafferty has served in leadership positions for many legal and non-profit organizations and is a former president of the Racine County Bar Association. Cafferty is also a long-time volunteer in the Racine community, including serving as a youth volleyball coach. 

“Kristin Cafferty will be an outstanding addition to the Racine County bench,“ said Hon. Emily Mueller, who served as a Racine County Circuit Court judge for 26 years. “I have known her for 25 years as a skilled and principled trial lawyer, a thoughtful and compassionate advocate for her clients, and a woman of great integrity.” 

Mueller, who still acts as a reserve judge, stated, “With her strong work ethic and deep commitment to justice, Kristin is well prepared to serve the citizens of Racine County and the State of Wisconsin.”

“In my career as an attorney, I have fought for justice for my clients, who come from diverse backgrounds, neighborhoods, and circumstances,” said Cafferty.  “I will apply the knowledge I have gained through my law practice, as well as my experiences as a mother and as a member of this community, to guide my approach as a judge. I thank Governor Evers for the opportunity to serve the community in an impactful way. I am equally committed to the fair and equitable administration of justice under Wisconsin law and a safe and prosperous community for all residents.” 

Cafferty is a graduate of Marquette University and Marquette University Law School.

Group to expand and improve efforts to build a state government that interacts with all communities and sectors.

Republicans are engaging reckless, unconscionable, life threatening behavior that will undermine the work of our heroic first responders, nurses, doctors, educators, and more to keep the people of Wisconsin safe.

President Trump failed our country through his mismanagement of the federal government’s response to COVID-19, and Wisconsin Republicans are failing our state.

MADISON – Today, the Wisconsin State Assembly will be taking up a resolution to repeal Governor Evers’ statewide mask order, which has been helping to keep Wisconsinites as safe as possible from COVID-19 and providing certainty to private businesses and public health departments all across the state. Wisconsin would become one of only ten states in the country without such a mask order during a critical time in the COVID-19 fight. Ahead of the Assembly floor session, Assembly Democratic Leader Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) released the following statement:

“We know that masks are effective, and that statewide mask orders make a difference in reducing transmission of COVID-19. That’s not up for debate.  This resolution will result in fewer people wearing masks than they are now. Fewer people wearing masks means more infections, more hospitalizations, and more people dying of COVID-19. This will be the first action passed by the legislature this session, and the first action on COVID-19 in 288 days. After campaign pledges on fighting COVID-19 and endless criticism of Governor Evers, the very first action passed by Republicans in both houses harms the public and undermines Wisconsin’s recovery. Just as President Trump failed our country through his mismanagement of the federal government’s response to COVID-19, Wisconsin Republicans are failing our state.

“Legislators are elected with the responsibility to look out for public safety and address challenges that threaten that safety. This resolution is making clear that Republicans are opposed to masks, period. There are no defensible excuses. And in their opposition, they are choosing their political party identity, choosing politics, or choosing ideology over the health and lives of Wisconsinites. Repealing this mask order will make it harder, and take longer, to get back to our Wisconsin way of life.

“Addressing public safety during a pandemic should not be political.  Republicans in other states across the country recognize this in supporting mask mandates that help reduce the spread of COVID-19 in their state.  Every major health and medical organization in the state* opposes this resolution.  Many of these are the people who treat COVID-19 patients and who have witnessed firsthand the unimaginable levels of sickness and death during the pandemic. It is really hard, knowing this, to understand the level of selfishness, ignorance, and defiance it takes to support this resolution. I strongly urge my Republican colleagues to do the right thing and vote against this shortsighted repeal.”

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*Below is a list of groups and organizations opposing repealing the statewide mask requirement:

·         American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) - WI Section

·         American Heart Association

·         American Lung Association

·         Association of Wisconsin School Administrators

·         Business Education Fund

·         Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin

·         Disability Service Provider Network

·         Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce

·         Kids Forward

·         LeadingAge Wisconsin

·         Medical College of Wisconsin

·         Oneida Nation

·         Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin

·         Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative

·         SEIU Wisconsin State Council

·         Specialized Medical Vehicle Association of Wisconsin

·         Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians

·         Wisconsin Academy of Ophthalmology

·         Wisconsin Assisted Living Association

·         Wisconsin Association for Justice

·         Wisconsin Association of Family and Children’s Agencies

·         Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards

·         Wisconsin Association of School Business Officials

·         Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators

·         Wisconsin Association of School Personnel Administrators

·         Wisconsin Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians

·         Wisconsin Council for Administrators of Special Services

·         Wisconsin Council of Churches

·         Wisconsin Dental Association

·         Wisconsin Education Association Council

·         Wisconsin EMS Association

·         Wisconsin Health Care Association Inc.

·         Wisconsin Hospital Association

·         Wisconsin Medical Society

·         Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association (WPHCA)

·         Wisconsin Psychiatric Association

·         Wisconsin Public Health Association

·         Wisconsin Retired Educators Association

·         Wisconsin Society of Anesthesiologists

·         Milwaukee Public Schools

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/clean-drinking-water-faucet-s5.jpgWisconsin Conservation Voters say President Joe Biden’s executive orders Wednesday tackle the climate crisis at home and abroad.

http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/coronavirus-small-business1-s5.jpgLegislation will give small businesses and working families the help they need as our state continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Legislation to protect victims, originally authored by Senator Agard in 2017, sends a clear message that our government recognizes, believes, and stands with survivors.

Online hearing will feature 7th Congressional District. Commissioners to hear testimony on the ways Midwestern states draw fair maps.

MADISON – Tuesday, the People's Maps Commission announced Katie Fahey and Michael Li will provide expert testimony to the Commission during the online virtual public hearing on Jan. 28, 2021, beginning at 5:30 pm.

Fahey is the founder and executive director of The People, an organization that aims to support Americans in finding common ground and empower individuals to get involved in the political process. Li serves as senior counsel for the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program, where his work focuses on redistricting, voting rights, and elections. More information about the expert speakers is available HERE.

Following the experts' presentations, Wisconsin residents have the opportunity to provide public comment to commission members regarding how they have been impacted by legislative redistricting and share their ideas for how Wisconsin can work together to achieve fair maps. Anyone wishing to testify at a hearing must register in advance by visiting the People’s Maps Commission website HERE . The deadline for registering to comment during this hearing is 5:30 p.m. Tues., Jan. 26, 2021. Each speaker will have three minutes to speak. Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis, with priority to residents of Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District.

Although the Jan. 28th hearing will focus on the 7th Congressional District, all Wisconsin residents are encouraged to watch and participate. The hearing will be live-streamed on the Department of Administration’s YouTube Channel HERE.

For anyone unable to join online, written comments are strongly encouraged. All written comments can be submitted at any time using the feedback form available on the People’s Maps Commission website HERE. Written comments will be reviewed by the commissioners and are public record.

Selected by a three-judge panel, the Commission is a nine-member nonpartisan redistricting commission charged with drawing fair, impartial maps for Wisconsin. More information about the Commission, its members, and its activities is available HERE.

Every 10 years, each state redraws their legislative and congressional district maps using data from the decennial census. In addition to the data from the 2020 U.S. Census, the Commission will use the information gathered during the public hearing process to prepare new maps. It is then up to the Legislature to take up and approve the maps created by the Commission.

Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the People's Maps Commission will host the public hearings online for each of Wisconsin's congressional districts. Agendas and additional details will be announced in advance of future meeting dates. The hearing dates are as follows:

• Thursday, January 28th – 7th Congressional District
• Thursday, February 11 – 1st Congressional District
• Thursday, February 25th - 6th Congressional District
• Thursday, March 11 - 2nd Congressional District

Individuals interested in watching previous hearings can find the recordings HERE.

Republicans block lifesaving health measure to spite the Governor

WEST POINT, WI – Senator Jon Erpenbach (D-West Point) released the following statement Tuesday after Senate Republicans voted to strike down a lifesaving health protection.

“As of yesterday 5,699 Wisconsinites have died from this pandemic, yet some Republicans Senators refuse to take COVID-19 seriously. Masks saves lives. At a time when there is a more contagious strain of COVID-19 spreading through communities the last thing Wisconsinites need is non-medically educated Republican politicians turning a life-saving measure into a political statement. It’s dangerous.

“I am fed up with this pandemic as much as the next person. I am also fed up with Republican politicians that refuse to listen to the experts, refuse to do their jobs, and continually exacerbate the problem by not taking this crisis seriously.”

Many of the COVID-19 provisions passed with urgency last April expired months ago, even though significant health and economic challenges remain.

MADISON - Tuesday, the Wisconsin State Assembly took up a strong bipartisan compromise version of AB1, which received overwhelming support in the State Senate and which Governor Evers indicated he would sign. Instead of sending the bill to Gov. Evers for his signature, which would have delivered needed resources to help Wisconsin combat the pandemic, Assembly Republicans voted to further delay providing COVID-19 assistance to the people of Wisconsin.

Representative Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) released the following statement:

“Once again, the actions by Assembly Republicans will result in the people of Wisconsin having to wait for urgently-needed COVID-19 relief. After 286 days of inaction already, this additional delay is petty and dangerous. Wisconsin is experiencing a once-in-a-century emergency, and our constituents cannot afford to wait even longer for help from the state legislature.

“This bill passed the Republican-controlled State Senate with bipartisan support. Governor Evers said he would sign it. Let’s get it done. Compromise is a part of the process of getting things done, but given the actions of today, Assembly Republicans think otherwise.

“Many of the COVID-19 provisions passed with urgency last April expired months ago, even though significant health and economic challenges remain. The lack of urgency over the past eight months has been disappointing. But delaying and perhaps even jeopardizing a bipartisan bill from becoming law is inexcusable. The public wants their elected leaders to act, not play political games or assuage the Speaker’s ego. Today, Assembly Republicans let the people in our state down.”