Wisconsin
Wisconsin is the last state that may prosecute Trump’s fake electors, but AG Josh Kaul is mum
Video shows fake electors meeting in the Wisconsin Capitol
A newly released video shows the gathering of Wisconsin’s fake electors on Dec. 14, 2020, in the state Capitol.
Dane County Circuit Court records
After Arizona became the fourth state to bring charges against fake electors involved in the Trump campaign’s alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election Wednesday night, eyes turned to the three remaining states where the effort took place: New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
Officials in New Mexico and Pennsylvania have said they are unlikely to prosecute Trump allies who sent documents to then-Vice President Mike Pence purporting to certify Trump won the election in their state, because those fake electors placed certain limits on their claims. That leaves Wisconsin as the state most likely still to pursue charges.
Prosecutors had already filed charges in Michigan, Nevada, and Georgia. In Georgia, defendants include Trump himself, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. And Trump is facing federal charges in Washington, D.C. for conspiracy and obstruction related to the nationwide fake elector scheme. Trump has asked the Supreme Court to declare him immune from those charges.
The top law enforcement official in Wisconsin hasn’t tipped his hand on whether his office is investigating the issue at all, but he also hasn’t ruled out prosecution.
Gillian Drummond, a spokesperson for Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, said the department “does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation, except in unique public safety circumstances” but that Kaul “believes that those who committed crimes in an effort to unlawfully subvert the outcome of an election should be held accountable.”
Wisconsin was key in the Trump campaign’s fake elector scheme
Ten Wisconsin Republicans signed a document falsely saying they were “the duly elected and qualified electors” for the state, that they had met in Madison, and all had voted for Trump. But they weren’t duly elected or qualified because voters in Wisconsin chose Biden by a margin of just under 21,000 votes.
The fake elector scheme was largely rooted in on a memo that came out of Wisconsin, where a recount in the close race was underway, according to the U.S. Department of Justice indictment of Trump. The memo advocated that a slate of Trump electors should meet and vote for him in case Trump won the recount.
The indictment said Trump’s campaign and others “took the Wisconsin memo and expanded it” to states that Trump said he was contesting, “even New Mexico, where the defendant had lost by more than ten percent of the popular vote.”
Biden won the recount, and Wisconsin’s governor, Democrat Tom Evers, declared Biden’s electors the legitimate ones from the state.
The fake electors wrote in their certificate that they met and voted for Trump on Dec. 14, 2020, the same day that the state supreme court rejected the Trump campaign’s legal challenge. State officials continued rejecting the false claim that Trump won Wisconsin.
While the 10 Wisconsin fake electors have not faced criminal charges, two of the legitimate electors from 2020 sued them along with two lawyers, Jim Troupis and Kenneth Chesebro, involved in the scheme. The Republicans settled the case.
“This is a scheme to overturn the election that was launched here in Wisconsin and then metastisized to those other six states,” said Jeff Mandel, a lawyer with the left-leaning group Law Forward, which represented the legitimate electors. He called Troupis and Chesebro “the linchpins of the scheme for the whole nation.”
Electors in Pennsylvania and New Mexico unlikely to face charges
In Pennsylvania and New Mexico, the fake electors didn’t claim to be the real electors, only the electors whose votes should be counted if Trump succeeded in getting their states to reverse his loss − an important legal caveat.
Pennsylvania’s Trump electors wrote that their votes for Trump should only be counted “if, as the result of final non-appealable court order or other proceeding prescribed by law, we are ultimately recognized as being the duly elected and qualified electors.”
That language represented a watering-down of the original fake electors scheme that Trump’s campaign sought, and was something the campaign didn’t want catching on with other states, according to the Department of Justice’s indictment of Trump for his efforts to overturn the election.
“Though their rhetoric and policy were intentionally misleading and purposefully damaging to our democracy, based on our initial review, our office does not believe this meets the legal standards for forgery,” the office of then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro wrote in a statement to Lancaster Online. Shapiro, a Democrat, is now the governor.
Likewise, New Mexico’s Trump electors wrote that their filing was prepared “on the understanding that it might later be determined that we are the duly and elected qualified electors.”
The office New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez performed an investigation but said the conditional language “prevents the filing of criminal charges.” Instead, Torrez, a Democrat, asked the state legislature to pass new laws safeguarding the state’s elections.
Charges in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan and Nevada range from forgery to racketeering
The grand jury in Georgia handed down the most sweeping and serious case involving the fake elector scheme. The case charged 19 people — including Trump, Meadows and Giuliani — in a racketeering case under a law usually reserved for Mafia bosses.
The Arizona grand jury charged 18 people — including 11 fake electors, Meadows and Giuliani — with crimes including conspiracy and forgery. The indictment lists Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, charged 16 people with counts that included conspiracy to commit forgery and publishing a false record. The indictment named Trump as an unindicted co-conspirator.
In Nevada, a grand jury indicted six fake Trump electors, several of whom were state Republican officials.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin’s Hidden Gem State Park Has A Lakeside Beach, Swimming, And 715 Acres To Explore – Islands
While perhaps not one of Wisconsin’s most well-known state parks, a 715-acre park boasts a mile of Lake Michigan beach and a secret lake that was once a limestone quarry. Harrington Beach State Park, situated just 40 minutes north of Milwaukee by car, offers visitors a stellar lakeside destination and a diverse menu of recreational opportunities. From swimming the cool, clear waters of one of the Great Lakes to hiking along one of several nature trails winding through the hardwoods, Harrington Beach State Park offers a little something for everyone. As a bonus, visitors can stand atop a bluff overlooking 26-acre Quarry Lake as a small, seasonal stream flows around their ankles and empties into the lake.
Though it’s not Wisconsin’s Largest State Park, Devil’s Lake, Harrington Beach State Park still offers guests so much to do that it’s likely worth a multi-day visit. Campers headed to the park can choose among 69 campsites in the park’s family campground, 31 of which have electric hookups. The park also offers large groups the opportunity to camp together in its massive group campsite that can accommodate up to 30 visitors and has room for 14 vehicles in its parking lot. One note: the group site does not have electricity. The park, much like Kohler-Andrae State Park — a Lake Michigan paradise with beaches and nature trails – gives visitors lots of options upon arrival, which means park visitors tend to spread out and do what interests them most.
The water is an obvious attraction at Harrington Beach State Park
With more than a mile of Lake Michigan shoreline and the hidden Quarry Lake at the end of a short nature walk through the woods, Harrington Beach State Park’s watery resources are an obvious attraction for visitors. While boating and swimming are allowed on Lake Michigan from the park’s beach, there is no boat launch and there are no boat rentals at the park. Most park guests who want to launch a kayak or a stand-up paddleboard at the park just do so at the beach. Floatation devices are required on every watercraft, and boaters should know that strong winds from the west can push them away from the beach. And, of course, swimmers should be aware of the conditions, too. Even strong swimmers can struggle when the wind whips the lake into a froth, and Lake Michigan is notoriously cold.
For those who want to check out Quarry Lake, know that it’s not a swimming lake. However, for anglers, the old dolomitic limestone quarry is a solid fishery for trout, crappie, bluegills, and panfish. The lake carved out of the limestone bedrock is about 45 feet deep. What’s more, anglers of all ages can borrow fishing equipment from the park office. Fishing is also allowed from the beach or from a watercraft on Lake Michigan. Anglers should know the rules and have the proper licenses before heading out for a day of fishing. Wisconsin has a lively fishing history, as it’s home to the national Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and is the birthplace of the “world’s largest musky,” which stands sentinel outside the museum in northwest Wisconsin.
Take a hike or a ride and enjoy Wisconsin’s scenic assets
For nature lovers and wildlife watchers, Harrington Beach State Park has 7 miles of trails winding through the woods and along the waters. Hikers and strollers alike have several options, and most of them are short and easy hikes. For instance, the mile-long Bobolink Loop Trail offers a leisurely hike through the marshes in the park and takes hikers past Puckett’s Pond picnic area, which is a great place to take a break and enjoy the scenery. The Lakeview Trail parallels Lake Michigan for eight-tenths of a mile before cutting inland and offering a view of Quarry Lake. And, of course, there’s the Quarry Lake Trail that circles the whole lake and is just a mile long, making for a great family stroll through the woods.
For cyclists, bikes are allowed on all of Harrington Beach State Park’s trails except for Quarry Lake Trail and White Cedar Nature Trail, which are for hikers only. The most popular biking path in the park is the Service Road Trail — it’s paved and winds through the woods along the park’s eastern edge, with connections to the park’s campsite. The park is also close to a much larger trail system: the Ozaukee County Interurban Trail, which includes 30 miles of bike paths that go all the way to Milwaukee County, allowing you to see more of Wisconsin. No matter what brings visitors to Harrington Beach State Park, there’s plenty to keep them busy. And, with its proximity to Milwaukee and beautiful campgrounds, it’s a great little secret retreat from the city.
Wisconsin
Gov. Evers declares energy emergency for state of Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. (WSAW) – Gov. Tony Evers has declared an energy emergency in the state of Wisconsin.
Executive Order #282 relates to persistent challenges caused by a pipeline disruption within the Midwestern pipeline distribution system, coupled with high demand from severe winter weather for residential heating fuel, including heating oil and propane.
The order will allow for the swift and efficient delivery of these products throughout the state.
“The health, welfare, and safety of our neighbors depend on access to fuel for home heating, so I’m declaring this energy emergency to ensure folks and families across our state have the fuel they need to stay warm and safe,” said Gov. Evers.
According to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s Office of Energy Innovation, multiple suppliers report challenges such as long lines at terminals and having to drive further distances to collect needed products.
Executive Order #282 will provide a waiver of certain state and federal hours of service restrictions, allowing suppliers to get caught up from the pipeline and weather-related delays.
The waiver remains in effect through January 2, or as long as drivers transporting residential heating fuel are responding to the emergency, whichever is shorter.
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Wisconsin
Dem leader Greta Neubauer backs redrawing Wisconsin congressional maps
Tony Evers signs Wisconsin legislative maps ending GOP gerrymander
Republicans in Wisconsin have enjoyed lopsided majorities in the Legislature under gerrymandered maps drawn in 2011.
MADISON – Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, said she supports redrawing Wisconsin’s congressional maps, a matter currently before the state Supreme Court.
Neubauer’s comments came the day after former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, a Democratic candidate for governor, similarly signaled his support.
“I think that the current congressional maps are gerrymandered. Everyone knows that Wisconsin’s a purple state. It should be about 50-50. We’ve got six Republican congresspeople and two Democratic congresspeople,” Neubauer told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an end-of-year interview covering a variety of topics. “So I think that these maps are not fair, and I do hope that they will consider whether new maps should be drawn.”
Last week, the state Supreme Court’s liberal majority appointed two three-judge panels to hear lawsuits from liberal groups challenging Wisconsin’s congressional lines before the 2026 elections.
President Donald Trump earlier this year pushed Republican-leaning states to redraw their congressional maps in order to add GOP-held seats in the U.S. House. The effort prompted some Democratic-leaning states to embark on their own efforts to add blue seats.
Wisconsin, where partisan control is divided between Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and a Republican-led Legislature, has not followed suit.
Evers, in a September interview with the Journal Sentinel, said it would be a mistake for Wisconsin to engage in the partisan arms race of attempting new congressional maps. Not only would it be “bad politics” for Democrats, he said at the time, he also didn’t think the party could pick up enough seats to make a difference.
The state’s current congressional lines were drawn by Evers. The state Supreme Court approved his set of maps in 2022 because it made the fewest changes compared to ones submitted by Republicans and others.
Conservative justices on the state’s high court strongly objected to the recent orders sending the lawsuits to three-judge panels, noting that the court has previously rejected challenges to Wisconsin’s congressional districts.
In its Nov. 25 orders, the liberal-led court concluded the two complaints constitute “an action to challenge the apportionment of any congressional or state legislative district” under a 2011 state law that requires such challenges to be heard by a panel appointed by the state’s high court.
Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com.
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