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Wisconsin Elections Commission rules second Vos recall effort has failed

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Wisconsin Elections Commission rules second Vos recall effort has failed


For the second time this year, the Wisconsin Elections Commission has ruled conservative activists failed to gather enough valid signatures to recall Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos from office, this time finding that some of the signatures were collected after the legal deadline.

In a 4-2 vote, the commission found that 188 signatures were collected by the Racine Recall Committee outside of a 60-day window in state law. That’s despite a recommendation by  commission attorneys two days earlier saying recall organizers had collected enough signatures to force an election.

At issue were around 188 signatures collected on May 27, which was Memorial Day, and May 28. Because organizers gathered only 16 signatures more than required, subtracting 188 from that total sunk the petition.

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The motion to deem the recall petition insufficient was made by Commissioner Don Millis, who was appointed to his seat by Vos in 2022.

Before the vote, Commissioner Mark Thomsen, a Democratic appointee, urged his colleagues to vote against Millis’ motion “that saves his guy,” insinuating that Millis was protecting Vos. Thomsen noted that some members of the recall effort “probably want to put us in prison” because of past decisions, but he said the Wisconsin Constitution gives them the right to recall officeholders.

“Personally, I think the recall is a waste of time, waste of money,” Thomsen said. “But there is a constitutional right for these folks and for us to say we are going to throw the sufficiency out now on this technical rule is going to be a farce.”

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Millis pushed back on Thomsen’s claims and said his motion was “not trying to save anyone’s hide” and voting to exclude signatures collected outside the 60 day period was the right thing to do.

“This is not the first time that we have disagreed with (commission) staff on recommendations,” Millis said. “That’s why we have a commission and not a staff making these decisions.” 

A social media post from the Racine Recall Committee responding to the commission’s vote said the panel had “the elections commission of “silencing” “silenced” voters in Racine County.

They repeated claims of Vos protecting WEC Administrator Megan Wolfe, who the group and other conservatives have accused of bending election laws in 2020.

“Despite collecting well over the required signatures, the commission, led by Wolfe, ignored their attorneys’ recommendations to certify the recall petition,” the committee said. “Now, more than ever, we must vote out Robin Vos and demand the dismantling of the Wisconsin Elections Commission!”

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While Wolfe leads staff at the WEC, she is not one of the six voting members of the commission.

A spokesperson for Vos did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It could be difficult for Vos’ conservative critics to vote out the powerful speaker with no recall election on the books. Vos represents an overwhelmingly Republican district, and his GOP challenger in the August primary already dropped out of the race.



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President Trump endorses Tom Tiffany for Wisconsin governor

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President Trump endorses Tom Tiffany for Wisconsin governor


President Donald Trump has endorsed U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Minocqua, in his bid to be the next governor of Wisconsin.

Trump announced the endorsement Tuesday night, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that Tiffany had his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”

“He will fight to advance Common Sense Values, and put WISCONSIN, AND AMERICA, FIRST,” Trump wrote.

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The endorsement puts to bed the questions of whether — and when — Trump would weigh in on the GOP primary for governor.

Tiffany, who has represented northern Wisconsin’s 7th District in Congress since 2020, was considered an early favorite to clinch the Republican nomination against Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann, but recent fundraising numbers suggested Schoemann could put up a fight.

The backing from Trump has proven critical in Republican primaries across the country, and it’s almost certain to give Tiffany a boost. Four years ago, Trump’s endorsement helped propel businessman Tim Michels over former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch in the 2022 GOP primary for governor.

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But whether the president’s nod is a help or a hindrance in the general election is an open question, especially in a cycle that polling suggests could favor Democrats. Four years ago, Michels lost to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in the general election. And almost immediately after Trump’s endorsement Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Wisconsin looked to seize on the president’s support of Tiffany as a condemnation.

“We agree with Donald Trump—Tom Tiffany has been by his side for all of it: ICE murdering Americans in the streets, the Big Ugly Bill, ending funding for the Affordable Care Act, invading Greenland, and raising every day costs,” read a statement from state Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker. “Donald Trump just made Tom Tiffany the general election nominee, and we will stop him from bringing his chaotic and dangerous agenda in November.”

At least seven candidates are running in the Democratic primary for governor, where many of them have made attacking Trump central to their campaigns. The winner of the general election will replace Evers, who is not seeking a third term.

Trump’s announcement came as part of a slate of endorsements posted to his Truth Social platform late Tuesday evening. He also endorsed Michael Alfonso, who is running for Tiffany’s soon-to-be-vacant seat in Congress.

Alfonso is the 25-year-old son-in-law of U.S. Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy, who represented the 7th District before Tiffany. He’s one of four Republicans running to replace Tiffany.

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Trump called Alfonso “a young ‘STAR’.”

In a post on X, Alfonso wrote that it is his “greatest honor to accept this endorsement from President Donald J. Trump,” and pledged “to be a steadfast MAGA warrior.”



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Polaris to lay off 200 Wisconsin workers, close facility in Osceola

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Polaris to lay off 200 Wisconsin workers, close facility in Osceola



The move comes after Polaris announced it was separating from Indian Motorcycle.

Powersports company Polaris has announced it plans to wind down the operations at its facility in Osceola which specializes in manufacturing Indian Motorcycle.

The move impacts roughly 200 Wisconsin workers at the facility.

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On Jan. 27, during a fourth quarter and full year earnings call for 2025, Polaris said the company expects to sell Indian Motorcycle by the end of the first quarter of 2026 to Carolwood, a private equity firm based in Los Angeles. However the company plans to maintain some stake in the company.

Polaris officials said called the sale of Indian Motorcycle was a “difficult decision” and added it was a “move that we believe is best for Polaris and Indian Motorcycle.”

In a post on X, Wisconsin Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin said:

“We have seen this story in Wisconsin too many times – a private equity firm buys a company, hollows it out, & fires its workers, all to pad their profits. It’s simply wrong.”



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Prison ordered in western Wisconsin child porn case

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Prison ordered in western Wisconsin child porn case





















Prison ordered in western Wisconsin child porn case | News | wqow.com

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