What Were Your State Legislators Up To This Weekend?

MADISON, Wis. — Do you know where your state representative was this past weekend? Reps. Janel Brandtjen and Chuck Wichgers weren’t with their constituents — they took a trip to “observe” Arizona’s sham election review alongside disgraced ex-Missouri governor Eric Greitens, who was forced to resign in 2018 amid allegations of blackmail and assault. The trip was spearheaded by Rep. Brandtjen, who proclaimed last December that there was “no doubt” that Donald Trump won Wisconsin.

Arizona Republicans are fishing for anything surrounding debunked conspiracy theories about the election, including bamboo fibers in the ballots. The “audit” is being run by Cyber Ninjas, a firm that has absolutely zero experience reviewing elections. Countless nonpartisan election experts have warned the exercise is a danger to democracy, and Maricopa County’s own GOP election administrator has said there is “no legitimate reason” for having the audit.

The Wisconsin GOP’s pilgrimage to Arizona comes after Vos and legislative Republicans announced their own sham investigation into the election, run by an election conspiracy theorist and former police officer who was banned from the polls in 2008. A recount, a report from Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security, and multiple court rulings proved that the 2020 Wisconsin election was secure time and again.

While $2.3 billion in federal school funding is at risk in Wisconsin, Republican lawmakers’ main priority remains trying to investigate nonexistent voter fraud and pass voter suppression bills. Wisconsin’s GOP lawmakers have proposed at least fourteen election-related bills aimed at limiting absentee voting and targeting nonpartisan election workers.

“It’s very telling that in Wisconsinites’ time of need, GOP lawmakers dropped everything to go participate in a sham election review thousands of miles away, all to prove their allegiance to the GOP and rile up support for their voter suppression bills,” said Democratic Party of Wisconsin Rapid Response Director Kayla Anderson. “The state legislature’s focus right now should be working to secure the federal funds for schools that are at risk due to the GOP’s irresponsible actions – instead they’re searching for mythical bamboo in Arizona. The 2020 election was safe and secure. It’s time for lawmakers to get over it and get to work for Wisconsinites.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.