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MJS Reports Sexual Misconduct Claims Against GOP Congressional Candidate PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Courtney Beyer   
Saturday, 26 September 2020 12:26

derrick_van_orden-at-rally-mjsDerrick Van Orden, the GOP Candidate for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District seat, bragged about sexually harassing two junior female officers in book according to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article.


WISCONSIN -- This afternoon, it was reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that Derrick Van Orden, the GOP Candidate for Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District, bragged about sexually harassing two junior female officers during his military service. This revelation comes as an excerpt from his book, "Book of Man: A Navy SEAL's Guide to the Lost Art of Manhood.”

In response, Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Courtney Beyer released the following statement:

“Derrick Van Orden’s actions and his response to this criticism are deeply disturbing. That he chose to brag about sexually harassing women demonstrates his inability to represent Wisconsinites in Congress with integrity. This behavior is absolutely unacceptable and disqualifying of anybody running for public office.”


KEY POINTS BELOW:

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: In book on 'the Lost Art of Manhood,' congressional candidate tells of exposing man's genitals to female officers

  • A retired Navy SEAL challenging a longtime Democratic congressman in western Wisconsin bragged in a 2015 book about revealing a male lieutenant's enlarged scrotum to unsuspecting female officers.

  • Derrick Van Orden, a Republican from Hager City running for a seat in the third congressional district, wrote about the incident in "Book of Man: A Navy SEAL's Guide to the Lost Art of Manhood."

  • Van Orden says he was providing medical instruction to two officers whom he refers to as "cute girls" in his book.

  • In the book, Van Orden writes about a five-day reconnaissance training mission during which he and other SEALS had to dig holes and burrow out to create "rabbit holes" among bushes and poison oak, which caused breathing problems and swelling — including on testicles.

  • After the training mission was over, he and the lieutenant traveled to Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego to get treatment, he wrote. The lieutenant was given a towel to put between his legs.

  • "Here's this lieutenant sitting behind a little curtain, spread eagle, (scrotum) huge as a cantaloupe, and his eyes swollen nearly shut," Van Orden wrote. "That's when I spotted two ensigns, who happened to be young girls in their early twenties."

  • "'Excuse me,' I said to the two cute girls, approaching them. 'Could I ask you something'" "'Sure,' one of them answered."

  • "After walking them over to the outside of the lieutenant's location, I whipped the curtain back. 'Have you ever seen anything like this?' I asked. They gasped in horror as they saw the LT in all of his glory. I'm sure they never wanted to have anything to do with a man ever again."

  • Van Orden did not describe the women as medical officers in the book.

  • Kind called the episode sexual harassment.

  • His sexual harassment detailed in his book is not something to brag about, it's something to be condemned," Kind said in a statement. "It's outrageous and wrong. These aren't the values I was raised with here in Wisconsin and it's not how my wife and I raised our two sons to treat others. This is not the behavior of someone who should be representing Wisconsin in Congress."

  • Ellen Haring, a retired Army colonel, West Point graduate, and professor at Georgetown University who specializes in research focused on women and gender in the military, said if the female ensigns were not medical staff the behavior would have constituted sexual harassment.

  • Haring said referring to the officers, who were his superiors, as "cute girls" is problematic.

  • "That’s ridiculously demeaning," Haring said. "He’s an enlisted Navy SEAL, who is he to call medical staff, women officers, 'cute girls'? That's a problem for me."

  • [Van Orden] also wrote he won't entertain a discussion of how this book "can be construed as misogynistic," noting he was raised by a single mother.

  • "I love my mother dearly and respect her as a human being," he wrote. "She is, in fact, one of the better fathers a guy could have."

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 September 2020 12:47
 
Suicide And Mental Health Disorders Major Problems PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by Palzewicz for Wisconsin, Chelsea Cross   
Saturday, 26 September 2020 12:06

depression-suicidebygun"We need to build on Obamacare to ensure universal health coverage," says Navy veteran and 5th CD candidate Palzewicz.

Read more...
 
Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of Wisconsin's Firefighters PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by GOV Press Wisconsin   
Saturday, 26 September 2020 11:47

firefightersSilent Procession Ceremony at the State Firefighters Memorial Park in Wisconsin Rapids honors firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice.


MADISON —​ Gov. Tony Evers ordered the flags of the United States and the state of Wisconsin to be flown at half-staff on Sat., Sep. 26, 2020, in honor of the Silent Procession Ceremony honoring firefighters who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their communities as members of the fire services at the Wisconsin State Firefighters Memorial Park in Wisconsin Rapids. 

tony-evers“Our firefighters go to work every day putting their health and safety on the line in order to protect their friends, neighbors, and communities,” said Gov. Evers. “On behalf of the state of Wisconsin, we are grateful for their selfless service to our state and honor their sacrifice.”

In addition to lowering the flags on Sat., Sep. 26, 2020, the Executive Order also lowers the flags on Sat., Oct. 10, 2020, in honor of Wisconsin Firefighters Memorial Day, as required by statute, during Fire Prevention Week Oct. 4 through Oct. 10, 2020.

Executive Order #91 is available here.

 
$8.3 Million for COVID-19 Testing at Wisconsin's Private, Non-Profit, and Tribal Colleges and Universities PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by GOV Press Wisconsin   
Friday, 25 September 2020 16:22

covid-19-testWe are seeing an alarming increase in positive cases of COVID-19, especially among 18 to 24 year olds in our campus communities.

Read more...
 
More Than $5 Million in CARES Act Funding To Go for Broadband Expansion PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by GOV Press Wisconsin   
Friday, 25 September 2020 10:02

internet-ruralThe broadband expansion grants will encourage the deployment of broadband in unserved and underserved areas of the state.


MADISON​ —​ Gov. Tony Evers announced Wednesday that more than $5 million of funding from the federal CARES Act will be awarded for the expansion of high-speed, broadband internet.  Funding will be awarded by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) to applicants from the 2020 broadband expansion grants that did not receive funding and are able to connect customers by December 30, 2020, and satisfy the requirements of the federal CARES Act.

The PSC houses the state Broadband Office, which administers the state’s Broadband Expansion Grant Program that provides grant funding to organizations, internet service providers, and local governments to expand in areas of the state that are underserved and unserved.

tony-evers“This pandemic further illustrates the need for additional funding to expand broadband. These dollars, along with our investments from the budget that I signed last year, will ensure that we are maximizing our expansion efforts to get folks connected,” said Gov. Evers.

“I want to thank the governor for this funding and his continued commitment to getting our state connected with broadband internet,” said PSC Chairperson, Rebecca Cameron Valcq. “I commit that we at the PSC will get this funding out quickly so projects can start construction as soon as possible.”

The CARES funding comes as the PSC is also accepting applications for a second round of $24 million in grants that was appropriated in the 2019-2021 state biennial budget. That application period closes December 1, and is expected to be awarded in spring of 2021.

The 2019-2021 biennial budget, which was signed by the Governor Evers last year, provided $48 million over the biennium for broadband expansion grants. For the 2020 round of funding, $24 million was made available. The PSC received 143 applications requesting $50.3 million for large and small projects. In March of this year, the PSC awarded 72 grants to extend high-speed internet access to as many as 3,182 businesses and 46,537 homes, including 39,778 locations that are currently unserved.

The broadband expansion grants aim to encourage the deployment of broadband in unserved and underserved areas of the state. Since 2014, 210 grants have been awarded, and have connected or are in the process of connecting over 7,000 businesses and 117,000 homes to high-speed broadband internet service.

The CARES Act funding is expected to be awarded to projects at an open meeting of the PSC in October. A list of project applicants will be made available on the PSC website in advance of that meeting.

 
Trump's China Policy has Failed Wisconsinites PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by WisDems Press, Philip Shulman   
Friday, 25 September 2020 09:17

wisc-dairy-farmMore than 2,000 dairy farms have closed, and farmers got virtually nothing for what the trade war has cost them. Manufacturers have also felt the burden of Trump’s trade war.

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 September 2020 09:37
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Gov. Evers Declares New Public Health Emergency Due to Surge in Cases PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by GOV Press Wisconsin   
Thursday, 24 September 2020 16:42

covid-19-uw-madisonArrival of fall, opening of schools and campuses, people heading to bars and gatherings spark unprecedented, near-exponential growth of the COVID-19 pandemic. "We need to continue wearing masks and practicing physical distancing," says Governor.

Read more...
 
State Makes $4 million in Loans Available to Aid Kenosha Businesses PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by GOV Press Wisconsin   
Thursday, 24 September 2020 08:59

kenosha-business-damaged-2020Businesses may receive up to $50,000 for clean-up, restoration, and repair costs

Read more...
 
How “Doing Nothing” Works for Politicians PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by Jeff Smith, State Senator District 31   
Wednesday, 23 September 2020 15:49

scott-fitzgeraldWe see politicians use a “Do Nothing” strategy to avoid responsibility or point fingers, says Sen. Smith in his weekly column.

Read more...
 
LWV of Wisconsin Engages in National Voter Registration Day PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by League of Women Voters Wisconsin   
Tuesday, 22 September 2020 16:35

vote-47-milwaukee-mbMADISON, Wis. – Today, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin (LWVWI) is joining the country in celebrating National Voter Registration Day in advance of Election Day on November 3, 2020.

“The first step to participating in our democracy is registering to vote, and we want this process to be both exciting and accessible for eligible voters,” said Eileen Newcomer, LWVWI voter education manager. “We are proud to be a part of this celebration of voting and hope to continue this energy through November.”

With a historic presidential election approaching, every eligible Wisconsin voter should be able to exercise their voice at the ballot box, and communities across the country are planning to use National Voter Registration Day to increase voter engagement. Partner organizations will coordinate hundreds of events on and offline nationwide, and leverage #NationalVoterRegistrationDay in all social media platforms to drive attention to voter registration.

The League encourages all voters to ensure they are registered at their current address by checking their registration status at www.myvote.wi.gov. This is especially important for first time voters, voters who have recently moved, voters who have not voted in a while and/or voters who have not voted since their voting rights have been restored after completing a felony sentence.

LWVWI is not letting the pandemic stop us from providing registration assistance this fall. Many Leagues across Wisconsin have socially distant registration drives planned for National Voter Registration Day or are taking part in virtual voter registration events. Find an event near you and learn more about opportunities to join us and volunteer here.

Wisconsin voters can register and vote on Election Day because Wisconsin has Election Day registration; however, the League recommends voters register in advance. Wisconsin residents can register to vote online at myvote.wi.gov, or by mail, until October 14, 2020.

The League invites Wisconsinites to join us in celebrating National Voter Registration Day by checking their registration status, attending a registration event and asking their friends and family if they are registered and ready to vote. We also encourage people to reach out to the League of Women Voters to find out how they can help with voter registration and join the voter service teams in their community.

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The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin is a nonpartisan political organization that advocates for informed and active participation in government. There are 20 local Leagues in Wisconsin. More information at lwvwi.org.

Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2020 16:41
 
Gov. Evers Appoints Jon Richards, Reyna Morales to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court PDF Print E-mail
News
Written by GOV Press Wisconsin   
Tuesday, 22 September 2020 09:12

justice-statueMADISON — Gov. Tony Evers announced today that he is appointing attorney and former state representative Jon Richards and long-time attorney with the State Public Defender’s Office Reyna Morales to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court. The appointments fill vacancies created by the departures of Judges Jeffrey Conen and David Hansher, respectively.

“It is critical that we have judges who understand the unprecedented challenges facing our state and nation. Both Jon Richards and Reyna Morales have long, distinguished careers addressing systemic problems and fighting for justice,” Gov. Evers said.

reyna-moralesMorales has been an attorney with the State Public Defender’s Office since 1997. She has represented thousands of indigent clients on a variety of matters, including felonies, misdemeanors, termination of parental rights, mental health commitments, guardianships, juvenile cases, and civil cases handled by the Public Defender’s Office. In addition to her commitment to her clients she has spent a significant amount of time mentoring, training, and working within the community in a variety of roles.

“I am profoundly grateful to Gov. Evers for the extraordinary opportunity to serve all the people of Milwaukee County as circuit court judge. I pledge to administer justice with integrity, fairness, and impartiality,” Morales said. 

Morales has served as a board member for the Wisconsin Hispanic Lawyers Association, Felmers O. Chaney Advocacy Board, and Marquette University Law School Alumni Association. She also volunteers her time participating in Law Day activities at local schools and as a judge for mock trials.

“It is fitting that during National Hispanic Heritage month Gov. Evers appointed accomplished public defender Reyna Morales, who will bring experience, fairness, and diversity to the bench,” said Justice Rebecca Frank Dallet.

jon-richardsRichards has practiced civil law for more than 25 years, representing working families, non-profit organizations, and small businesses. He is a partner with Ziino, Germanotta, Knoll & Christensen in Milwaukee. From 1999 to 2014, Richards represented Milwaukee in the Wisconsin State Assembly, including serving on the Joint Committee on Finance and chairing the Assembly Health Committee. He was the lead Assembly author of the statewide smoking ban and worked with the families of victims of gun violence to expand background checks for gun purchases. His work has been recognized by the State Bar of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, Association of State Prosecutors, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Planned Parenthood and Equality Wisconsin.

“Now more than ever, we need to address the racial disparities in our justice system and recognize that there are barriers that stand in the way of justice,” Richards said.  “I am honored to be appointed by Gov. Evers to apply the law both accurately and fairly while ensuring that constitutional rights are protected. I believe everyone who appears in court should be treated with dignity and respect, and I will do so as a judge. We need to make greater use of alternatives to prison, such as drug treatment courts and other diversion courts, and address the root causes of crime and violence. I look forward to bringing to the bench the understanding I have developed through 25 years of private practice, as well my time as a lawmaker, of how economics and power shape the issues and people appearing before the court.”

Richards is highly involved in the community; as a volunteer attorney for tenants through the Eviction Defense Project and for survivors of human trafficking through Lotus Legal Clinic, as the director of the Take Back Meds coalition to prevent drug abuse and the contamination of Lake Michigan, as a “big brother” with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Milwaukee, as a member of the American Constitution Society and through serving on the boards of the Medical Society of Milwaukee County, Woodlands School and the  Brady Street Area Association.

“Jon understands the needs of vulnerable people in Milwaukee County and has been doing important work, both as a lawyer and as a member of the community, to address the challenges so many Milwaukee County residents face,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “I am confident that Jon will be a judge who takes his responsibility to the community seriously and who will work effectively with others to create the changes in the justice system that Milwaukee County needs.”

Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2020 09:26
 
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