The hits just keep on coming.
We’re not just talking about the weather.
Today’s Key Reads include updates on the circus that is the Wisconsin Elections Commission, another judge legislating from the bench, more violence from a facility run by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections, and political activists so emboldened that their advertising their lawlessness three weeks in advance.
We start with terrible news from Lincoln Hills.
Two Lincoln Hills staff members injured, one critically, during assaults by 16-year-old | WAOW
The Wisconsin Dept. of Corrections has confirmed two Lincoln Hills staff members were hospitalized Monday after being assaulted by a 16-year-old youth.
…The officer was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and was released later that night.
Shortly after the first assault, the DoC says the same 16-year-old assaulted a second staff member.
That staff member fell and hit their head on concrete. Authorities say they were taken to the hospital and are in critical condition.
9:30 am Update, and it’s not good news.
Lincoln Hills staffer dies after assault | Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A staff member at a youth prison in northern Wisconsin has died from his injuries after he was assaulted by a teen incarcerated there, according to Lincoln County Coroner Valerie Caylor.
The coroner said the 49-year-old man was confirmed to be brain dead after hitting his head on concrete as a result of the attack that occurred about 8 p.m. Monday at Lincoln Hills School for Boys. He was taken by helicopter to a hospital for treatment.
We’ve been following the brewing conflict set to take place next month in Milwaukee when it hosts the Republican National Convention. The self-proclaimed revolutionaries who have been planning their protests for months issued a statement and a map yesterday wherein they spelled out their plans to breach the perimeter of the hard security zone surrounding the event.
Revolutionaries vow to defy Secret Service and march into hard security zone during RNC Convention in Milwaukee next month | Dairyland Sentinel
The Revolutionaries proclaim they will defy the Secret Service in Milwaukee next month.
Last Friday, the US Secret Service set the boundaries of the hard and soft security zones for the Republican National Convention, which runs from July 15-18 in Milwaukee. The maps indicated areas where security measures would be enhanced as well as a hard security perimeter that could be crossed only by credentialed convention goers. The Secret Service also mapped out designated protest and demonstration areas.
This afternoon, the Coalition to March on the 2024 RNC issued a news release wherein they vowed to defy the security protocols.
As first posted by WisPolitics:
“On Friday June 21st, the City of Milwaukee and the US Secret Service released their map of the hard and soft security zones, as well as where their vehicle checkpoints will be during the Republican National Convention. These zones are unjust, and reflect the City and Secret Service’s determination to stonewall and shut down all forms of protest and dissent. We in the Coalition denounce these attempts and continue to plan to march within sight and sound of the RNC in July.
“We have been submitting permits for a march for over a year, to no avail. Our original route heads directly into the heart of the hard zone, but we have made new plans. Our revised route will still put us within sight and sound of the front doors of the Fiserv Forum. It also still crosses the hard security zone on Kilbourn Avenue, where we will pass in front of Pere Marquette Park. This park was not originally supposed to be included in the hard zone, and was in fact slated to be the site of the City-run speakers’ platform. We pushed back on this, as it is not within sight and sound. However, we are also pushing back on the inclusion of this park in the hard zone. It was included merely because of pressure from the Republicans on the City. It is only because of a last minute rental by the cowardly Republicans that this is being included in the hard zone, and we denounce the way the City continually bends to their will while stonewalling their own citizens. The Coalition and major endorsing organizations have a strong track record of keeping ourselves safe during protests, and we still look forward to a safe, family friendly march in July!“We have been submitting permits for a march for over a year, to no avail. Our original route heads directly into the heart of the hard zone, but we have made new plans. Our revised route will still put us within sight and sound of the front doors of the Fiserv Forum. It also still crosses the hard security zone on Kilbourn Avenue, where we will pass in front of Pere Marquette Park. This park was not originally supposed to be included in the hard zone, and was in fact slated to be the site of the City-run speakers’ platform. We pushed back on this, as it is not within sight and sound. However, we are also pushing back on the inclusion of this park in the hard zone. It was included merely because of pressure from the Republicans on the City. It is only because of a last minute rental by the cowardly Republicans that this is being included in the hard zone, and we denounce the way the City continually bends to their will while stonewalling their own citizens. The Coalition and major endorsing organizations have a strong track record of keeping ourselves safe during protests, and we still look forward to a safe, family friendly march in July!
…These protestors are gearing up for massive conflicts and the subsequent arrests that will follow. They’ve already announced a fundraising benefit concert to help pay for bail for those who will break the law.
They are gearing up for a clash with law enforcement. So much so that they are openly planning to defy the United States Secret Service and local law enforcement, even releasing a map of their defiant protest march route to the media, and their busy raising funds to fund these efforts.
As predicted, a Dane County judge has expanded electronic voting. Expect a bigger hammer to be dropped once the final ruling in the case is made.
Wisconsin judge rules in favor of electronic absentee voting expansion | The Center Square
Wisconsin voters with disabilities are eligible to vote via electronic absentee ballots starting this November, a judge ruled Wednesday.
In Disability Rights Wisconsin v. Wisconsin Elections Commission, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Everett Mitchell ruled in favor of DRW, issuing a temporary injunction that allows disabled voters to fill out ballots at home electronically.
…The Wisconsin Election Commission argued the changes would decrease election security because of such short notice to Wisconsin clerks, The Center Square previously reported. DRW had argued the changes were necessary to ensure citizens with disabilities have equal access to voting.
The Wisconsin Elections Commission staff doesn’t know from which district Speaker Robin Vos could be recalled, and they’re ignoring their own recall guidelines, but they have deemed the recall petitions sufficient to trigger a recall election. What a circus.
Enough signatures collected to force recall election for Wisconsin GOP leader, commission says | Associated Press
The Wisconsin Elections Commission will meet Thursday to vote on whether to order a recall election targeting Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. But the key question for the commission will be whether signatures to force the recall needed to come from the district Vos was elected to represent in the 2022 election, or if they should have come from his district created under new maps in effect for the 2024 election.
If the old maps are used, petition circulators gathered just enough signatures to force a recall, the elections commission staff said. If the new maps are used, they fell more than 3,000 signatures short.
The commission’s decision on whether to call the recall election can be appealed to circuit court.
…The elections commission asked the Wisconsin Supreme Court to clarify whether any recall election should take place in the district where Vos was elected to serve, or under new district boundary lines that take effect for the regular November election.
…If the commission decides to order a recall election, it would be held on Aug. 6. If more than two candidates run in a recall election, the primary for that would be Aug. 6, with the recall election Sept. 3.
The state’s regular fall primary election, where Vos will be on the ballot seeking another two-year term, is Aug. 13. Even if there is a recall election and Vos loses, he would only be out of office through the end of the year. He could win the general election and be back in office starting in January.
Mind you, this is the second time this group has attempted tor recall Vos this year. This temper tantrum has already wasted state resources, and could potentially cost Racine County hundreds of thousands of dollars more, just to keep Vos out of office for only a few months.
Unlike the tragedy that are the scandals with the Department of Commerce, and MPS, and the potential drama at the RNC next month, this is more of a comedy.
But nobody is laughing.
