http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/staush-gruszynski-w-s5.pngLocal elected leaders and democratic leaders in Green Bay and Northeastern Wisconsin stand up for re-election of Democratic incumbent.

With Donald Trump’s approval rating in free fall, Trump's campaign and super PAC are scrambling to respond to Priorities USA Action consistently outspending them in key battleground states.

Washington, DC — Priorities is launching an updated version of its “Way Down” ad, running in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, which holds Trump accountable for his failure to protect the health and safety of the American people from the coronavirus pandemic that has now claimed more than 100,000 American lives. With reports that Trump’s chaotic administration has continuously mismanaged the crisis, it is clear Donald Trump has failed the American people and there is still no clear national strategy from the federal government to combat the virus. Even after the virus has claimed far more American lives than the lives of those from any other country in the world, Donald Trump continues to claim that the virus will “go away” while ignoring expert advice about mitigation.

After being largely inactive in battleground spending, the Trump campaign and its super PAC America First Action are scrambling to counter Priorities' ad spending that has been in progress for nearly a year. Priorities has consistently outspent Trump and his allies in battleground states, including since April, during which time Priorities has solely outspent all Trump entities combined in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. Since the beginning of April, Priorities spent about $10.9 million on TV and digital ads in MI, PA and WI compared to the Trump team's $10 million. Priorities is on track to spend more than $200 million by the end of 2020.

“We have lost over 100,000 American lives and 1 in 4 Americans are out of work. The Trump campaign and super PAC know that they cannot win by talking about Donald Trump's record, so they are turning to baseless attacks on Vice President Joe Biden,” said Guy Cecil, Chairman of Priorities USA. “Priorities will continue to tell the truth about Donald Trump and meet voters where they are on TV and digital platforms. The Trump campaign is scared because our ads are working. When Americans know the facts about this administration, they know that it’s time for new leadership in the White House.”

The amendment would overturn the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Citizens United v. FEC, so that limits could be placed on the vast amount of money in our political system.

Darlington, WI – On Tuesday, May 19^th, the Lafayette Board of Supervisors voted unanimously for a resolution that supports an amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  The amendment would overturn the Supreme Court decision, Citizens United v. FEC, so that limits could be placed on the vast amount of money in our political system.  The amendment would clarify that only human beings should have inalienable human rights and money is not the same thing as free speech.

Lafayette County joins with 163 other Wisconsin communities that have called for an amendment.  In total, almost 3.2 million people (56% of Wisconsinites) live in these jurisdictions.  Across the country, 20 state legislatures have voted for an amendment, as well as over 820 towns, villages, cities and counties.

“We cannot solve any of the pressing issues in front of our country as long as our politicians do not represent us, and they won’t until we get the big money out of politics,” said Darlington resident Nancy Fisker.

Multiple polls show over 90% of Americans, regardless of party, think special interest money has too much influence in American political campaigns.[1] Numerous polls show that Money in Politics is a top issue for voters.[2]

One volunteer, Bill Holland of Monroe, expressed frustration: “Citizens in 164 Wisconsin communities have passed resolutions calling for an amendment.  We need state legislators to put it on a statewide ballot, but they won’t even let the bills have a public hearing!”

Resolutions calling for a statewide vote on Citizens United have been introduced into the state legislature (AJR 11 / SJR 9).  The referendum would ask voters if they support allowing individuals and corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns.

Former State Senator Dale Schultz summed it up well. "We're talking about billionaires turning this country into a Russian-style oligarchy, where there are two dozen billionaires who buy the whole political process... we are awash in money because of Citizens United, and it puts good people in both parties in a difficult situation."[3]

The roots of the problem run deeper than Citizens United. Over a century ago Robert M. La Follette spoke out against corruption wrought by the "concessions and privileges" given to corporations by legislators. “Why,” he asked, “in a government where the people are sovereign, why are these things tolerated?”

Four in five Americans oppose the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. FEC decision, according to a Bloomberg poll. A New York Times/CBS poll found that 85 percent of Americans—including majorities of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents—believe we need fundamental changes to our campaign finance system or to completely rebuild it.

Matt Rothschild, executive director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, summed it up succinctly: “People across the ideological spectrum get it: All of our voices are being drowned out by those with big money.”

United To Amend is a bipartisan, all volunteer, citizens group.

Link to this press release.

For more information visit UnitedToAmend.org

Background material can be obtained here: pdf1, pdf2 and pdf3.

Photos: photo1, photo2, photo3, photo4, photo5, photo6 and photo7.

[1] https://mayday.us/data/20150925_gop_polling_results.pdf

https://mayday.us/data/20150925_dem_polling_results.pdf

http://www.texansunitedtoamend.org/uploads/5/0/8/1/5081028/representus_analysis.pdf

[2] http://wiuta.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Money-In-Politics-Polls.pdf

[3] Senator Dale Schultz presentation, March 7, 2014 at the L.D. Fargo Public Library, Lake Mills, WI.

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’.