Yearly Archives: 2023

Newly released polling shows that former President Donald Trump holds a sizable lead over an array of Republican primary challengers.

A New York Times/Siena College poll released Monday shows that Trump has held on to his lead with 54% support from Republicans. In a distant second place is Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has 17%, followed by several candidates around 2-3%.

According to the new poll, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and former ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley all have 3% support.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and author and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy both have 2% support. Polls have varied significantly in how well lower-polling candidates are faring. Recent polls have showed either Ramaswamy or Pence polling higher.

Regardless, one trend is clear across polls: A major lead for Trump.

That poll comes after a CBS news poll released over the weekend shows 60% of Americans disapprove of the job President Joe Biden is doing as president.

Trump had a lead over DeSantis last year but saw his numbers shoot up after federal agents raided his Mar-a-Lago estate for classified documents, kicking off a string of legal problems for the former president.

Trump’s poll numbers, though, have seemingly been propelled by the targeting, which the former president calls a coordinated, corrupt attempt to keep him from winning the White House.

“Hillary Clinton deleted 33,000 Emails, many of them Classified, after getting a Subpoena from Congress,” Trump posted Sunday on TruthSocial, his social media site of choice. “Nothing happened to her, & stupid James Comey, then head of the FBI, stated that no reasonable prosecutor would prosecute this. Then why is Deranged Jack Smith prosecuting me when I did nothing wrong, as per the PRA? The answer is Election Interference - They are using the Department of Injustice in an attempt to Rig & Steal the Presidential Election on 2024. This is Prosecutorial Misconduct!”

(The Center Square) – Wisconsin will not see a law that keeps transgender girls out of female sports in the state.

Gov. Tony Evers on Tuesday took to Twitter to promise a veto of the legislation from Republican lawmakers that would put transgender athletes in their own category in Wisconsin high schools and colleges.

“Trans kids, people, and families are part of our world. And any time you want to mess with them, you’re going to get a veto from me. Pretty simple,” Evers said in a tweet.

Evers’ promise is not a surprise.

No one at the Wisconsin Capitol expected the governor to sign the Save Women’s Sports Act from Rep. Barb Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, and Sen. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown, who reintroduced the plan last week.

“This legislation will ensure that female athletes continue to have equal access to athletic opportunities and safe competition under the spirit of Title IX,” Knodl said at the time. “As the father of two daughters and former student athletes, I am committed to upholding a level playing field where female athletes can thrive, compete, and excel.”

Dittrich said the plan is about fairness.

“To every biological girl & woman out there, we see you,” Dittrich said on Twitter last week. “You matter! You don't have to keep giving your awards to boys & men. Our fed'l gov't made sure that you would be protected under Title IX. We reject this assault on your protected spaces & categories.”

Gov. Evers said questions about trans kids and young people playing girls’ sports is a political issue.

“It's wrong for us to take people that have different views, different ways of life, and mess with their lives. I find that atrocious. So, yeah, it is a national issue. It's an idiotic national issue. And it's disgusting,” Evers added.

There’s no word just when Wisconsin lawmakers will take-up the Save Women’s Sports Act, the legislature has largely wrapped-up its business for the year.

Seven Republican U.S. senators, led by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, introduced a joint resolution to condemn a federal policy created by the Biden administration through a federal agency rule-making process called the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Rule.

They did so as the Biden administration has held fast to its plan to facilitate the migration of and release into the U.S. of as many people as possible from all over the world. Biden spoke of the plan in January, which was devised in cooperation with other world leaders and publicly announced two years ago.

The rule created additional ways to funnel foreign nationals “into unlawful parole programs that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has set up without Congress’ consent,” the senators said in a joint statement. It went into effect May 11, the same day the public health authority Title 42 ended.

Joining Cornyn are Sens. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Katie Britt and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Ted Budd of North Carolina, Steve Daines of Montana and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Missouri.

“The Biden administration’s rule is an unserious attempt at resolving the border crisis and is full of loopholes that the cartels will easily exploit to continue moving unlawful migrants into the United States and overwhelm our Border Patrol,” Cornyn said. “Rather than stop unlawful migration, President Biden is using this rule to funnel the migrants into unlawful parole programs, and this resolution would put an end to this shell game to hide an unprecedented level of illegal immigration.”

Among other things, the rule created a new parole program to allow up to 30,000 citizens each from Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Cuba to enter the U.S., or an additional 120,000 every month.

The parole program has since expanded to include citizens of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.

At the same time, the administration announced it was coordinating with the governments of Mexico, Canada, Spain, Colombia and Guatemala to expand entry to the U.S. “through a combination of expanded lawful pathways.”

Through the rule, DHS also launched the new CBP One mobile app, which a federal court in California just held is illegal. The administration has instructed foreign nationals to use the app to make appointments at CBP processing centers at land ports of entry before they arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Once they apply through the app, they arrive at their appointment, undergo a background check, and are released into the U.S., with some exceptions. They are given court dates to meet with an immigration official three to four years in the future. They are also given work authorization papers to begin working in the U.S. while they wait years for a court hearing to determine if they are allowed to legally remain in the U.S.

DHS and the State Department also opened processing centers in other countries for the first time in U.S. history, beginning in Columbia, Guatemala and Mexico. Citizens of these countries use the app to make appointments with an immigration specialist to help expedite their application before they ever leave for the U.S.

To facilitate the expanded parole program, DHS allocated $15 million to a new Case Management Pilot Program to provide voluntary case management and other services to noncitizens to increase compliance with court dates and accelerate processing times to help them stay in the U.S.

The rule allows foreign nationals to claim asylum at any place or time even after they’ve been denied asylum in a different country prior to their arrival in the U.S., the senators point out.

“The first two of these three pathways constitute an abuse of the DHS Secretary’s parole authority,” they said, “which under our immigration law is only to be used on a true case-by-case basis.”

The rule, which is full of loopholes and easily exploitable, they argue, “is not a serious attempt at resolving the crisis on the southern border, and it does nothing to deter migrants from unlawfully migrating to the U.S.”

While deterring migration to the U.S. may be the goal of the senators, it is not the stated goal of the Biden administration. At a summit in Mexico City on Jan. 10, Biden said, “We’re trying to make it easier for people to get here, opening up the capacity to get here.”

In his remarks in January, Biden said he’d previously agreed with world leaders to facilitate more people coming to the U.S. at a North American Summit in Washington, D.C. in 2021. The agreement, which has the support of 21 countries, was formalized in the 2022 Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection.

U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., reintroduced the Protect Equality and Civics Education (PEACE) Act, a bill that would block tax dollars from promoting Critical Race Theory within the Department of Education’s American history guidelines.

The legislation comes after a litany of examples have become public showing how federal tax dollars have been used to promulgate CRT, a philosophy that teaches the U.S. is a fundamentally racist nation and always has been.

States like Florida are also entangled in a battle over how U.S. history is taught.

“Critical Race Theory is an outrageous, Marxist teaching that has no place in our schools,” Rubio said. “I will not allow American history to be rewritten by the radical left. It is not only inaccurate but also dangerous. We need to protect our students from propaganda that seeks to divide and indoctrinate young children into believing they are inherently racist solely based on the color of their skin.”

The DOE’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education has increasingly embraced more progressive ideas on how race and American history is taught.

Rubio and Kramer’s bill specifically would ban the DOE’s American History and Civics Education program from promoting “divisive concepts” as defined by former President Donald Trump’s "Executive Order on Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping." President Joe Biden overturned that order, which applied to federal agencies, nonprofits or groups with federal contracts, after taking office.

From that executive order:

“Divisive concepts” means the concepts that (1) one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex; (2) the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist; (3) an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously; (4) an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex; (5) members of one race or sex cannot and should not attempt to treat others without respect to race or sex; (6) an individual's moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex; (7) an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex; (8) any individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex; or (9) meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or were created by a particular race to oppress another race. The term “divisive concepts” also includes any other form of race or sex stereotyping or any other form of race or sex scapegoating.

The bill is one of several legislative efforts from Republicans to block federal funding for progressive projects like CRT and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has introduced the Combating Racist Training in the Military Act as well as the Stop Critical Race Theory Act.

The Center Square previously reported on similar funding at the collegiate level. Federal grant documents show that the U.S. Department of Education awarded roughly $2.5 million in taxpayer dollars to a Florida-based education program that trains future teachers and other professionals in critical race theory.

Another similar program, "The Research Institute for Scholars of Equity," received millions of dollars for “training” college students in critical race theory at several higher educational institutions.

Top Republicans in the U.S. House launched an investigation last year into reports that federal funding meant for COVID-related learning loss was spent to promote “equity warriors,” critical race theory teachings and more at local schools.

“Woke concepts like critical race theory only serve to spread division," Cramer said. "We are all created equal in God’s image, and any implication otherwise is just plain wrong. Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for liberal academic agendas.”

New legislation that would require AM radio capability in every new vehicle is gaining momentum.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation discussed the “AM For Every Vehicle Act” in an executive session and passed it out of committee this week, putting it one step closer to a potential vote.

“Minnesotans look to AM radio for everything from news and weather updates to music and sports scores,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said. “It’s critical to protect AM radio for our communities, but right now, it's on the chopping block.”

Proponents argue AM radio is crucial for weather and emergency alerts in times of crisis and is more resilient after infrastructure damage because fewer towers are needed.

The bill, which has nearly 30 cosponsors in the Senate and almost 140 in the House, would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to create a new rule requiring car manufacturers to put AM radios in vehicles without charging an extra fee for that capability.

“Each day, millions of Americans turn to AM radio to stay up to date on life in their community, engage on the issues they care about, or to be simply entertained during rush hour,” said U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas. “AM radio is a critical bulwark for democracy, providing a platform for alternative viewpoints and the ability for elected officials to share our efforts with our constituents.”

Electric vehicle manufacturers have raised concerns about the proposal, saying the drivetrain in electric vehicles creates frequencies that interfere with the radio waves.

As a result, AM radio has been phased out in electric vehicles by several automakers.

AM radio can be streamed through apps on a phone, but that requires internet access which could be limited in a crisis.

As part of the bill, the Government Accountability Office would also commence a study on whether AM radio, which uses waves that travel much further than FM waves, actually is better for informing the public in emergency situations than FM radio.

The bill has backing from industry experts, including Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, the National Association of Broadcasters, and National Association of Farm Broadcasters Nathan Simington.

“There is a clear public safety imperative here,” Rosenworcel said in a statement. “Having AM radio available in our cars means we always have access to emergency alerts and key warnings while we are out on the road. Updating transportation should not mean sacrificing access to what can be life-saving information.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the country’s decline is a choice but is not inevitable in a speech Wednesday to the American Legislative Exchange Council.

"This country is in a state of decline. Economic decline, military decline, cultural decline, and if we look at states that are governed by leftist politicians, wielding leftist ideology, those states are symptomatic of the larger decline in our country," the Republican candidate for president said at the organization’s annual gathering in Orlando.

DeSantis noted that states that have imposed anti-freedom policies are hemorrhaging businesses, residents and wealth.

"We see crime going through the roof in many of the urban centers in these areas, and their education system have declined dramatically as those policies have taken hold more and more," DeSantis said.

DeSantis pointed out that Florida has experienced the opposite over recent years and has continued to grow, despite the situation around the nation looking dire.

"The decline of our country, though, is not inevitable," DeSantis said. "The decline is a choice. It's a choice we as Americans will be making in the ensuing months and years. I believe that Florida shows the way to reverse our nation’s decline, restore sanity to our society and usher into this country a new birth of freedom."

Since taking office in 2019, DeSantis stated that almost 25% of Florida’s total debt has now been repaid and that the Sunshine State has the lowest tax burdens per capita in the country.

"We have in Florida shown the way on how to have a strong, robust economy. Our economy is now ranked number one in the nation by U.S. news and world reports overall…We have a large budget surplus, a AAA credit rating," DeSantis said, adding that through Florida’s Debt Repayment Program, around $400 million in debt had been recently paid back.

Ranking highest for economic growth, Florida is also tops in business formation, unemployment rates — especially amongst the largest states — and education.

DeSantis noted that all of the success that has been achieved since 2019 would not have been possible if Florida had not bucked the trend when it came to COVID-19 measures and restrictions.

"We fought for the people of this state, when nobody else was willing to do it," DeSantis said, adding that this is why he won his reelection by a 1.5 million vote margin.

"If people see that you're willing to fight for them, if they see that you're willing to take arrows for them, they will come out and support you…they just wanna know you’re willing to fight for them," DeSantis said.

(The Center Square) – There could soon be more livestock and larger blue ribbon checks at Wisconsin’s local fairs.

The Senate Committee on Agriculture on Thursday held a hearing on a plan that would double the prize money for Wisconsin’s county and district fairs.

“They’re excited when they get that little check,” Lori Ripp with the Lodi Fair told lawmakers. “That $2 dollar premium may not mean a lot to just everybody. But $2 encourages them to try again.”

Ripp said local fairs are for everyone, and the events and contests they offer are for everybody.

The plan before lawmakers, SB 311, would double the state’s share of prize money for local fairs from $10,000 per fair to $20,000.

Susan Quam, vice president at the Dane County Fair, told lawmakers that extra prize money will help all fairs across the state do what they need to stay open and relevant.

“The state aid they receive for premiums that are given to all exhibitors is a very vital part of their financial strategy,” Quam said.

But just as important as the extra money, fair managers add, is that the new legislation removes Wisconsin’s rule that bans people from showing animals at two different fairs.

“We’re in a unique situation,” Marie Preuss with the Elroy Fair told lawmakers. “Our exhibitors come from school districts. So they may be able to show at another fair, and most do. This bill allows fairs to determine who their exhibitors are.”

Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection currently bans people from showing livestock at multiple fairs.

“Nowadays with fewer and fewer people in agriculture, many more exhibitors are showing a managerial animal,” Preuss explained. “They just don’t have that huge herd to go out and bring a second, or third animal to a different fair.”

There are 74 county and district fairs in Wisconsin that got state-subsidized prize money last year. DATCP’s numbers show the total for premium spending came to $456,000. The new plan would double that, meaning Wisconsin would be providing nearly $1 million for local fair prizes if the plan becomes law.

Former President Donald Trump faces additional charges including obstruction of justice in the federal case alleging he mishandled classified documents after he left the White House.

Special Counsel Jack Smith is charging Trump with two new counts of obstruction and one new count of willful retention of national defense information, according to multiple media outlets.

The latest charges stem from allegations that he attempted to delete surveillance video at his Mar-A-Lago home in Florida, which was raided by the FBI last summer.

Trump previously pleaded not guilty to 37 federal counts that allege he kept sensitive military documents, shared them with people who didn't have security clearance and tried to get around the government's efforts to get them back.

Trump says the charges are a witch hunt orchestrated by appointees of his political rival, President Joe Biden. Trump is the front-runner in the Republican primary for president and could face Biden again in the 2024 election.

President Joe Biden declined to answer questions Thursday about a potential pardon for his son, Hunter Biden.

After the president spoke about an unrelated topic at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, reporters shouted questions about a possible pardon for his son.

Biden turned his back and left the room.

The questions came the day after Hunter Biden pleaded not guilty to tax-related charges after an unusual court hearing where his previously established plea deal fell apart. Hunter Biden’s plea deal, which was expected to be finalized Wednesday, was undone in court after last-minute disagreements over whether Biden faces further charges in the future for other alleged crimes still under investigation.

The prosecution and defense were working Wednesday to salvage the deal after an unusual last-minute disagreement about the details of the plea deal upended the proceedings. The legal teams took a recess to hammer out those details. When they did propose a new agreement, the judge would not accept it.

As previously reported, Congressional Republicans urged the judge to reject the deal until the court reviews testimony from IRS whistleblowers who alleged the Department of Justice improperly interfered in the investigation, including allegations that companies connected to the Biden family and their business associates received about $17 million from several foreign entities when Joe Biden was vice president.

(The Center Square) – There is predictable reaction at the Wisconsin Capitol to news that one of Madison’s largest hospitals is ending gender-affirming care.

Republicans at the statehouse on Monday cheered the decision, while Democrats raised concerns about the health and lives of transgender people.

In addition to the clinic in Middleton, SSM Health – formerly known as St. Mary’s Hospital – operates hospitals in Madison, Baraboo, Janesville, Waupun, Rippon, Fond du Lac, and Monroe.

It’s not clear if SSM health offered gender-affirming care at any of its other locations, or if any services at those locations will be impacted by the change.

“I applaud SSM Health’s brave decision to remain consistent with their faith values. It is one thing to perform these surgeries on adults, but making such painful and permanent changes to minors is particularly concerning. We are seeing a disturbing uptick in these surgeries that suggest social influences,“ Rep. Barb Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, said in a statement.

SSM Health has not yet formally announced its decision to end gender-affirming care for both children and adults, nor has the hospital offered any explanation.

But a Madison TV station reported over the weekend that the hospital is ending surgeries at its Aesthetic Center in Middleton because of pressure from the Catholic Church to have Catholic Hospitals end certain types of gender-affirming care.

The top Democrat in the Wisconsin Senate, Minority Leader Melissa Agard, on Monday said she’s worried about what SSM’s decision will mean for transgender people.

“SSM’s decision to stop providing this vital care is misguided and dangerous,” Agard said. “There is no question that gender-affirming care saves lives. I will always stand with the trans community as they continue to face obstacles while simply trying to live as their authentic selves. Being able to live a happy and healthy life should be a basic expectation of everyone living here in our community, and I will continue to speak out against SSM’s decision until all our trans friends and neighbors are able to do just that.”

Madison’s transgender alder, Dina Nina, added her reaction alongside Agard’s.

“As a transgender person, I’m incredibly disheartened that SSM Health would bow at the feet of fear mongers instead of trusting the advice of the American Medical Association. Instead of cowering to a loud minority, they choose to flippantly disregard the needs of their patients,” Nina said.

Madison’s diocese is also not commenting on SSM’s decision. The church decided back in March to oppose gender-affirming care at Catholic hospitals across the country.

U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., introduced a bill Tuesday that would deny automatic citizenship at birth to children born within the United States whose parents are not U.S. nationals.

The measure excludes "aliens lawfully admitted as refugees or permanent residents or performing active services in the U.S. Armed Forces," according to the congressman.

Gaetz introduced the "End Birthright Citizenship Fraud Act of 2023" in the U.S. House of Representatives to end what he called "unqualified birthright citizenship."

"Birthright citizenship has been grossly and blatantly misapplied for decades, recently becoming a loophole for illegal aliens to fraudulently abuse our immigration system," Gaetz said in a statement. "My legislation recognizes that American citizenship is a privilege – not an automatic right to be co-opted by illegal aliens."

Gaetz said the measure was needed to ensure "that citizenship is not treated as a loophole to be exploited but rather a privilege to be earned when legally migrating to our country."

The measure would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act.

"The United States is one of two developed nations that currently grants automatic citizenship so expansively to children born within its borders," according to the text of the bill. "Unqualified birthright citizenship provides a strong incentive for illegal immigrants to cross the southern border of the United States.

The text of the bill said illegal immigration comes at a cost for U.S. taxpayers: "Illegal immigrants who crossed into the United States to give birth, often return to Mexico, sending their children across the border daily to attend American public schools, crowding out American students and taking advantage of American tax dollars."

Hunter Biden’s plea deal, which was expected to be finalized Wednesday, was undone in court after last minute disagreements over whether Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, faces further charges in the future for other alleged crimes still under investigation.

The prosecution and defense were working Wednesday to salvage the deal after an unusual last-minute disagreement about the details of the plea deal upended the proceedings. The legal teams took a recess to hammer out the details, and it remains unclear how the case will proceed.

Hunter Biden’s legal team announced last month that he would plead guilty to to two federal misdemeanor tax-related charges.

As The Center Square previously reported, public court documents show that Biden also faced a charge related to possessing a gun while being a drug user. Previous reports indicated the firearm charge would be subject to a pretrial diversion agreement, which meant Hunter Biden's team cut a deal and will likely not see prison time for the gun charge.

Lawyers on either side seemed to disagree about whether Hunter Biden could be charged for more crimes related to this case that are still being investigated.

Congressional Republicans have urged the judge in the case to reject the deal until the court reviews testimony from IRS whistle blowers who alleged the Department of Justice improperly interfered in the investigation including allegations that companies connected to the Biden family and their business associates received about $17 million from several foreign entities when Joe Biden was vice president.

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(The Center Square) – There are new questions for school leaders in Eau Claire after a parent requested to see the statement read to her kids about a teacher’s transition from a man to a woman.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty on Tuesday said it is asking a judge to force the Eau Claire Area School District to hand over the statement read to students on the second to last day of school.

“All orchestra students at Northstar Middle School were required to report to the orchestra room during homeroom. Once there, they found orchestra teacher Jacob Puccio, a school counselor, and the District’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion director, Dang Yang,” WILL said in announcing its lawsuit against the district. “Students were told that Puccio would be undergoing a gender transition from male to female. In addition, a scripted statement was read to multiple classes of elementary and high school music students in the district, including North High School and at least three elementary schools (Sam Davey Elementary, Locust Lane Elementary, and Northwoods Elementary). The statement was crafted by the District specifically to ensure that students received information in a particular way, but to date, parents have no details about what their children were told.”

One of those parents, Leah Buchman, said she doesn’t like being in the dark about this kind of a conversation.

“All I am asking is for the school district to provide what was told to my children and their peers in the classroom,” Buchman explained. “As a parent, it’s my responsibility to help my kids understand all that life throws their way, and I do not understand why it has taken the school district so long to update parents.”

WILL’s lead attorney on the case, Cory Brewer, told The Center Square the issue here is not the teacher’s transition.

“Public schools are government entities subject to open records laws. A scripted statement read aloud to students in multiple classes is exactly the kind of record that should be disclosed to the public” Brewer explained.

Eau Claire Schools said it cannot release the statement because there’s now an internal investigation into the announcement.

"After the events of June 5 and the inquiries received from certain parents, it was decided that there should be a formal investigation of the events of that day (and the planning that preceded that day) to determine if there were any missteps under school district policy," Eau Claire Schools said in a statement. "With the summer season upon us, the investigation has encountered some issues with witness/employee availability. Work on the investigation is ongoing."

But Brewer said there was no investigation when the statement was written or delivered to the kids.

“School districts shouldn’t be hiding anything from parents, but that is how the District chose to handle this,” Brewer added.

This is not the first time WILL has gone to court against Eau Claire’s school district over a case that deals with the school’s trans policy.

WILL sued the ECASD last year over the district’s policy of not telling parents about their children’s gender transition in school.