Wisconsin
Wisconsin GOAT committee; Republican investigating DEI program funding
MILWAUKEE – A new Wisconsin state assembly committee is looking to eliminate wasteful spending in state and local governments.
Its first focus: diversity, equity and inclusion. But it’s drawing diverse opinions.
‘GOAT’ committee
The backstory:
The state assembly recently created a new committee modeled after the federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) which was created to lower any wasteful spending.
Republican Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said he wanted to do something similar with the state, through the newly-formed Governmental, Oversight, Accountability and Transparency Committee (GOAT).
GOAT is after receipts to see how local governments spend money.
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State Rep. Shae Sortwell (R-Two Rivers), is vice chair of the committee.
Republicans challenge DEI
Sortwell is sending open records requests to all 72 counties and the 50 biggest municipalities asking for details on how they are spending money on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
What they’re saying:
“The goal is to find unnecessary spending in state government, so that we can cut taxes, lower costs and be able to reprioritize and make sure we’re spending money on the things that the people of Wisconsin actually want us to be spending money on.”
Sortwell said GOAT won’t just focus on DEI. He said any aspect of government spending will be reviewed for fraud and waste.
“It’s adding up and costing the taxpayers a whole lot of money. How much money? We don’t know, because they haven’t shown us that information yet.”
Expressing concern
The other side:
That caught the attention of Democrats on the committee, like State Rep. Angelina Cruz (D-Racine). Cruz notes the committee has not met once, or had any lawmakers bring a bill forward.
“From my perspective, it’s a complete waste of taxpayer money and an abuse of power to go after local municipalities over a petty personal project to specifically target already disenfranchised populations,” Cruz said. “I think that they are conflating their chair positions with positions of power in a committee that has not been clearly defined yet.”
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Dig deeper:
Waukesha, Racine, West Allis and Kenosha all confirmed to FOX6 News they’ve received the request and will respond.
The City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County have not yet.
The Source: FOX6 News talked with elected officials.
Wisconsin
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.
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.
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.”
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2026, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
Wisconsin
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.
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.”
Wisconsin
Prison ordered in western Wisconsin child porn case
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