Monthly Archives: July 2022

Six candidates will face off in this summer's RepublicanParty primary for Assembly District 6.

The winner will gain the GOP nomination in the race to succeed Republican Gary Tauchen, 68, of Hartland, in Shawano County.

Tauchen announced in January that he plans to retire when he completes this term. He won a four-way primary to gain the Republican nomination in 2006, then was reelected seven times in the heavily Republican district.

The district includes much of rural Shawano County, as well as someof northwestern Outagamie County, and small parts of Waupaca and Brown counties.

Candidates were asked to adhere to word limits 50 words for biographical questions, 100 for issue questions. Answers were gently edited for grammar, style and accuracy.

The primary winner will face DemocratWilliam Switalla.

Age: 35

Address: 123 Givens Road,, Hortonville

Occupation: Yard coordinator at Fabick Rents, a Caterpillar-rental businessfor construction equipment.

Highest education level achieved: Lawrence University graduate. Majored in government (philosophy), and minored in history (Russian).

Relevant experience: Intern with the Republican Party of Wisconsin (RPW),Northeast region,2015;Outagamie field director for RPW, 2016;events chair, Republican Party of Outagamie County (RPOC) for approximately twoyears;chairman of RPOC approximately fouryears. Served twoterms as an8th Congressional District representativeto the RPW Platform Committee. Decade of farming experience in Shawano County. Raised in a family of small business owners (Larry and Nancys Drive In, Marion, 5-A businesses, Marion, Tigerton, New London).

Age: 42

Address: 216 S. Smalley St., Shawano.

Occupation: Legislative aide for Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Hartland, 2006-22.

Highest education level achieved: Masters of science in sports analytics and management, American University, Washington, D.C.,2022

Relevant experience: Former legislative staffer for Rep. Gary Tauchen, R-Hartland. Clerk for these Assembly committees: 2011-13, Campaign and Elections;2013-20,Rural Affairs and Small Business;2017-22, Agriculture.

Age: 43

Address:N3832 County F, Bonduel

Employment: Owns Big Sky Pet Transport, LLC.Founded Angels to HeroesLLC, anorganization that uses the outdoors to combat PTSD amongmilitary veterans and first-responders with the ultimate goal of preventing suicides. The groupalso donates trained service dogs.

Education: Attended Fox Valley Technical College to study diesel technology, and Northeast Wisconsin Technical College to study criminal justice/law enforcement.

Relevantexperience: FVTC Diesel Club treasurer and president. Served in the U.S. Coast Guard, 1997, 2003. Member, National Rifle Association,Wisconsin Gun Owners Association, AMVETS Post 10, American Legion Post 217 member.

Age: 33

Address: W14874 County M,Tigerton.

Occupation: Heating, ventilating and air-conditioningcontractor

Highest education level: High-school equivalent. Homeschooled

Relevant experience: Started and own a successful business with no debt. Raising three children whoare "socially desirable." Managing hisown campaign.

Age: 40

Occupation: President of A-1 Professional Supply, a maintenance and janitorialsupplier/Neubert LLC

Highest grade completed: Hortonville High School graduate

Related experience: Coach and coordinatorof several youth sports teams in the Fox Valley.Campaign volunteer for several school board, city council and county board conservative candidates.

Age: 30

Address: W3847 Old Dump Road, Bonduel.

Education: Bachelor's degree with adouble major in political science and Spanish

Occupation: Dairy farmer; co-owner and operator of Schmidt Farm.

Relevant experience: Former Shawano County Board member, Town of Hartland caucus chairman, planning commission member, poll worker.

ALBERT: I'm running for the state Assembly because too many times I have seen politicians make big promises to rural and working-class voters and then disappear until they need our votes again. Im an experienced leader who has taken on the elite as chairman of the Outagamie County Republican Party.

ARROWOOD:I am running to be the next representative to the Wisconsin Assembly, fighting to uphold the Constitution, protecting your individual rights and freedoms, and standing up against government overreach.

KOHN:I'm running for this office because I'm simply unhappy with the direction of our country and state are heading. Change needs to begin at the state level. I have a history of being someone who is wiling to speak out against wrongs and the ability to listen to ideas that create a positive change for all.

MICHAEL:There is a quote that says, "the only way for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing."I have seen evil in the past two years and I have seen men and women who should have done their duty to stop it and didn't. I'm running to change that.

NEUBERT:I am a father of three and I cant stand the thought of my kids looking at me in 20 years and asking, why didnt I do more? I will bring my conservative values and find common sense solutions that workfor everyone.

SCHMIDT:Im running for the state Assembly to fight for life, liberty and happiness as our founding fathers outlined: Life: Treat all life with respect and dignity. Liberty: Individual responsibility over bigger government. Happiness: The freedom to pursue your Wisconsin dream. Its time, "we, the people" restore our rights and freedoms.

ALBERT: I am a worker. I wake up every day and put my steel toes on one foot at a time like so many of you and get to work. That is what I have done on the farm, as chairman, and will continue to do if elected.

ARROWOOD:Experience.I have nearly 17 years of legislative experience and on-the-job training while working for the 6th Assembly District as the lead staffer for Republican Representative Gary Tauchen. My experience and knowledge of the legislative process make me the ideal candidate to succeed Rep. Tauchen in 2022.

KOHN: I'm the best candidate because of my life experience of being someone who has represented others. Whether it's operating an organization that combats the effects of PTSD and prevents suicides of military veterans and first responders or it's transporting pets across the country, I've always put others needs ahead of my own.

MICHAEL:I do not fear men. I fear only God. And at the end of the day I will give an account to him for everything that I have done. My integrity rests on that.

NEUBERT:I am a business owner and volunteer in several youth sports programs in the district. I am proud of the young athletes I work with teaching them dedication and teamwork. My years of experience running a successful business is the leadership we need representing us in Madison right now.

SCHMIDT: Im a constitutional conservative who is pro-life, pro-economic freedoms, and pro-Second Amendment, who will take our northeastern Wisconsin values to Madison. Scrap the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC). Pass a Parents Bill of Rights for transparency. Oppose any defunding of our law enforcement. Prevent future economic shutdowns.

ALBERT: The economy, election integrity, and inflation are the most discussed. A common issue I have heard at the door is the training requirements of volunteer fire departments and the stress it puts on them. Madison one-size-fits-all policies often work against rural communities, and this is no exception. Requirements should be tailored to the needs that rural departments have. We need to make Wisconsin business friendly again by phasing out the personal property tax business are burdened with as well as the state income tax which hurts all Wisconsin families. We must continue to address the deficiencies in our elections.

ARROWOOD:Biden's failures have led to the highest inflation rates in decades, impacting everything from the economy to crime to education to a general sense of malaise amongst voters.Making meaningful change for the better will require a course correction in policy, attitude, and embracing American exceptionalism as a strength rather than a sin.Wisconsinites need to keep more money from their hard work and believe their children will have a better life than they do now.Unfortunately, far too many have lost this optimism.Our rights and freedoms make this country the envy of others.

KOHN:I'm hearing the regular conservative issues (election integrity, inflation, gas prices, Second Amendment), but I'm hearing about a local issue of not enough volunteer fire department personnel. As a former volunteer firefighter and EMT, I understand the struggles of balancing training, employment, family life, and unexpected scheduling conflicts that all too often affect the required training. I will work with the Assembly and technical colleges to develop legislation that creates a volunteer certification for our rural volunteer fire and EMS departments to allow flexibility to get new recruits certified without compromising the effectiveness of the department.

MICHAEL: The majority of concerns I get from people involvea yearning for justice. If someone commits a crime, they want to perpetrators of the crime to be punished. Whether it's stealing an election, illegal lock downs, innocent J6 victims. They want the lion of the law to have teeth and to prosecute injustice.

NEUBERT:The economy and inflation are by far the biggest concerns of District 6. Every day we see people struggle to make if paycheck-to-paycheck in this economic environment.I will fight for a conservative agenda that promotes economic development while cutting the red tapethat creates a barrier for so many of us every day. Providing the common sense solutions that represent northeast Wisconsin in Madison.

SCHMIDT:My residents greatest concernis election integrity. I believe we need to hold the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) accountable for breaking the law regarding ballot harvesting, election bribery, and third parties running our elections. We need to scrap the WEC and give the elections back to the local governments. Ban third party money entering our elections.

ALBERT: The economy and inflation. We must strengthen Wisconsins economy to weather the storm that Joe Biden and his policies have unleashed. With the tax policies outlined above, a pro-growth pro-employment agenda focused on training workers for the jobs that are readily available, reducing burdensome regulation, and limiting and shrinking the size of administrative government we can prosper through the economic storm churned out by Washington liberals.

ARROWOOD:Mental-health crisis is affecting children.The response to COVID-19 had numerous detrimental impacts on our schools and our children.Children of all ages need stability, opportunities, and, now more than ever, mental health support. Unfortunately, we may have inadvertently created another in response to one crisis. This is a personal issue for me, as I lost my mother to suicide at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown.The impact of suicide on families is genuinely horrible, and if, as a state legislator, I could prevent one family from that pain, it would be worth it.

KOHN:I believe the most pressing issue facing Wisconsin is the price of gas. As a small business owner, in the transportation industry,I know all too well how fuel prices are hurting our families.Fuel prices are driving up the cost of everything. There's not much the state can do for a downward economy,but we could look at reducing or eliminating the state income tax and state gas tax. That would help Wisconsin workers keep a little money in their pockets.

MICHAEL:Right now, it's fixing our elections. We still have machines that can be hacked. That means we will still have rigged elections in Wisconsin.

NEUBERT:Its critical we give people more of their paychecks back instead of sending their hard-earned money to Madison. Rising costs of food and energy are having profound impact on families. As a businessman, I know something about managing budgets and doing whats right for the taxpayer.

SCHMIDT:Wisconsins most pressing issue is election integrity. Why have we allowed third parties to administer the elections? Why do we allow the political elites to tell us what to do and buy ourcandidates and elections? When will "wethe people"rise up and push back against 2020s stolen elections?We need to scrap the WEC. Ban third-party money entering our elections. (Editor's note: Congress has certified Joe Biden as the winner in the 2020 presidential election.State and federal courts have ruled against former President Donald Trump in lawsuits over how the election was conducted, including rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court, the state Supreme Court and two federal judges.)

ALBERT: I am proud to be the only candidate endorsed by Wisconsin Right to Life. I will vote to keep as restrictive an abortion ban as can pass the Legislature. I will also fight to make sure we fund adoption. Why anyone who wants to open their home, their heart, and their family to a child in need should have to pay for the privilege baffles me. We should be funding support clinics to help mothers navigate any unexpected pregnancies. The pro-life issue goes way beyond the abortion debate. We support children and families, too.

ARROWOOD:I would not vote to repeal 940.04 (which makes abortions illegal in Wisconsin)from Wisconsin statutes. However, I would support adding exemptions for victims of rape or incest.

KOHN: I would not support repealing Wisconsin's ban on abortion and I would definitely support legislation that includes rape and incest as exceptions to the law. I believe life begins with a heartbeat. I believe in the values of Right to Life. I have a plan that fixes the family court and child support systems and giving equal rights to fathers. Child support needs to be based on the cost of raising a child, not a penalty on income.

MICHAEL:No. I believe that God created every human with intent and purpose and therefore holds infinite value at every stage of life. To murder a baby at twomonths gestation is to murder a baby at two years. Two wrongs don't make a right, and killing a baby in the womb that was conceived by rape is not fixing a problem, but creating another one.

NEUBERT:As a pro-life candidate I will be a defender of the unborn. I was very disappointed to read Gov. Evers and AG Kaul playing politics with the life of the most vulnerable among us. The recent Supreme Court decision hasnt changed current state law on the books. I have yet to see legislation to expand abortion I would vote to support, and I doubt we will in the future.

SCHMIDT:I will not vote to repeal Wisconsins ban on abortions, nor add exemptions to the law.Wisconsin has been a pro-life state since 1849. Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided and it should be up to the states to determine this issue. I am proud to continue to support and defend a culture of life in Wisconsin.

ALBERT: Violence in general needs to be addressed whether it's someone driving their car through a parade or someone suffering spousal abuse. Lax practices by certaindistrict attorneysin this statehave allowed violent offenders back into communities to hurt others again. This needs to stop. Mental health clinics and mental health reform should be a priority so those that are unwell can seek help and be supported. The weapons used to commit crimes are a symptom not a cause. I am proud to be AQ rated by the NRA and would support constitutional carry in Wisconsin.

ARROWOOD:The Second Amendment is an individual right that empowers citizens to arm themselves and protect themselves and their families from threats. Recently, surveillance video from the Uvalde, Texas,school shooting demonstrated the peril of outsourcing your protection. From my perspective, the stunning and sickening profiles of cowardice by local law enforcement in Uvalde make any effort to curtail the SecondAmendment a non-starter.Mental health and counseling must address some citizens' underlying issues, but not at the expense of due process.

KOHN:As the only military veteran running for this office, an NRA member, Wisconsin Gun Owners Association member,and someone who holds concealed carry permits from four different states, I would not support another senseless gun law. I support constitutional carry and I would vote to eliminate "gun free zones."I would support arming our educators as long as they are required to go through training similar to that of a law enforcement officer. I would oppose the "red flag laws" proposed by Tony Evers. We need to invest in mental health care reform,not more gun laws.

MICHAEL:There are more laws against guns now then there were 100 years ago, yet there are more shootings now than 100 years ago. It's not banning guns or creating more law. It's teaching moral laws. If children are taught that all mankind came from nothing, then mankind is worth nothing. But if children are taught that all mankind was created by God, then mankind has a code by which to operate.

NEUBERT:The random acts of violence that have impacted our communities in this country have been devastating. The disturbed individual who ran over those children and parents in Waukesha last year should have us asking, "What triggers this type of behavior to violently act out?" When individuals are in a mental-health crisis there have been opportunities to stop many of them. We need to assess why ourjudicial system, health care system and our culture that glorifies violence doesnt prevent this violence before they pick up a gun or start that vehicle. The Second Amendment shall not be

infringed.

SCHMIDT:I believe gun violence is a matter of the mind. No law nor regulation will end gun violence. It is an issue regarding morality. Having a strong, reliable support system keeps people accountable and strengthens social bonds in the community.I believe the Legislature needs to pass permit-less carry make Wisconsina Second Amendment sanctuary state. Eliminate gun-free zones and educate its citizens regarding firearm safety. Encouraging firearm ownership and establishing community ties with law enforcement is the best approach to address gun violence. Supporting and defending the Second Amendment is the peoples last defense against future tyranny.

ALBERT: Wisconsin election law is already very accommodating to voters. We have in-person voting for weeks in large municipalities and an absentee voting system that allows no questions asked mail in voting. We need to help rural clerks who cannot offer the same hours to their citizens for early voting like their big city counterparts. We need a uniform set timeframe for early voting and absentee voting, and we need to have a serious discussion about those timeframes. We need to get back closer to election day instead of election weeks or month.

ARROWOOD:Election security and reform are paramount issues to me. I support the recent Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling on ballot boxes, and the Legislature should strongly consider the recommendations by the Legislative Audit Bureau.Also, ending ballot harvesting, banning "Zucker-Bucks" from influencing local election policies, and other common-sense reforms would improve voter confidence in our election system.

KOHN:I would vote to eliminate the special voting deputies and support legislation that allows early in-person voting for those with disabilities to take place in the clerks'offices. I would like to see a transportation program set up, similar to what most counties have for elderly citizens to get to medical appointments,which would provide transportation to and from polling places during elections.

MICHAEL:Voting deputies. Nursing homes have voting deputies that get sent to them to assist the residents with voting. I believe that to be "definitely confined" should have very stringent rules to be allowed to be labeled as such, and then voting deputies can be sent to their residence.

NEUBERT:I believe everyone has the right to vote wholegally can do so. We need to make it easy for our seniors and those with a disability to proudly cast their vote legally. We need to tighten up our indefinitely confided laws so we do protect that process for those with disabilities versus seeing it abused as we witnessed by former state Sen. Patty Schachtnerin western Wisconsin.

SCHMIDT:Our current election process for disabilities and transportation challenges satisfies state standards. We dont need any more regulations nor new laws at this moment. Current law already mandates that all polling locations accommodate people with disabilities and absentee ballots eliminate those with transportation challenges.

ALBERT: I do support dismantling the WEC. We have seen that WEC as it is currently construed doesnt work. They deadlock on nearly everything and then staff writes their own guidance not supported by statute. I would put the power back in the hands of the peoples representatives elected at regular intervals. We have an election committee in both the state Assembly and the state Senate. They should be the decision-making body that the commission was. The secretary of state should act like the administrator to carry out the decisions of the committee and the administration of the elections.

ARROWOOD:The Wisconsin elections board made numerous controversial and incorrect decisions not based on the law or legal standing. These actions by WEC have led to a crisis of confidence in a large swath of Wisconsin voters. Restoring confidence in our elections must be a priority for the next Legislative session.Reform and accountability may require a of shift election administration to another office, such as the secretary of state. However, any change should have accountability via voters.

KOHN:Yes, I support dismantling the Wisconsin Elections Commission.I believe election oversight could be handled by the secretary of state, an elected official. Election certifications should be done by the state Assembly and the state Senate. This would give the power back to the people of Wisconsin and their elected officials, not a commission appointed by the governor.

MICHAEL:Absolutely,And the reason for that is: the Wisconsin Elections Commission is not an elected entity. It is assigned by the Legislature. So they cannot be voted in by the people. WEC should be abolished and the responsibilities for running elections should go to an elected official such as a secretary of state. An elected official holds the interest of the people more so than bureaucrats.

NEUBERT:We need a system that can manage our election process. We found that during the 2020 pandemic laws, rules andsystems in business and in government were tested. The Wisconsin Election Commission was unable to live up to the needs of the voters in 2020. We need to look at creating a new office managed by asecretary with term limits who has enforcement authority and oversight by the Legislature.

SCHMIDT:I support scrapping the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC). I believe we need to hold WEC accountable for breaking the law regarding ballot harvesting, election bribery, and third parties running our elections. We need to scrap the WEC and give the elections back to the local governments. Keeping our elections decentralized will make it harder for the political elites to cheat and steal another election.

Editor's note:President Joe Biden won the 2020 election, which has been called "the most secure in American history" by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, adding, "There is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes or was in any way compromised." In Wisconsin, Biden won by 21,000 votes, or 0.6 percentage points. Recounts in Dane and Milwaukee counties upheld the win. State and federal courts have ruled against Trump in lawsuits over how the election was conducted, including rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court, the state Supreme Court and two federal judges.

ALBERT: I believe it is likely Joe Biden did not win the 2020 election. I was the only county party chairman in northeastern Wisconsin to hold a "stop the steal" rally. There has been doubt cast on our elections for decades from both sides, we must get a handle on how our elections are conducted to ensure we all have faith in the outcome. I worked hard in Outagamie County to create a poll-worker program where we ensure that our Republican poll-worker positions are filled with actual Republicans. Having both parties present at the polls ensures honesty and transparency.

ARROWOOD:In 2011, I was the clerk of the Assembly Committee on Campaign and Elections.During that session, we passed 2011 Act 23, "Voter ID." I know the complexity of election policy.I am a strong advocate and proponent of election security.Unfortunately, some claim we can recall our electors and "decertify" the previous election.However, we cannot "un-ring the bell" of the 2020 election.Wisconsin voters want safe and secure elections, which should be the Legislature's priority. The only ways to remove a sitting president are resignation, impeachment, deathor invoking the 25th Amendment.

KOHN:I believe the 2020 election has shown us that voter fraud is real and it raised many issues with how insecure our electionsare. It left many Americans less confident than ever, with our election integrity.We need legislation that outlaws ballot drop boxes, ballot harvesting,and the use of private money in our elections. Voter ID became a requirement,and a voter law agency formed to address election laws.

MICHAEL:I would have to be living under a rock to believe that. And I don't. No, Biden did not win the 2020 election. I have made it my goal to find out how Trump "lost" the 2020 election in Wisconsin. Call me if you havequestions.

NEUBERT:Joe Biden is the president unless the 2024 voters say otherwise. The 2020 election restricted transparency in the name of COVID. This lack of transparency rightfully fueled speculation of fraud. This could have been prevented by simply following the law in places like Green Bay, Racine and Milwaukee. As I look forward, we need to make serious reforms to our election laws to restore integrity so voters can feel confident that their vote will count. That leadership and those reforms wont happen under Governor Evers. We need a Republican governor who will lead with common sense reforms.

SCHMIDT:I believeJoe Biden didnt win the 2020 presidential election legitimately. I believe Mark Zuckerberg spent $416 million to buy the election for Biden. (Editor's note: The money was used to hire election workers and there's been no proof that the donation was used illegally. Grants were given to more than 200 cities in Wisconsin, including many Republican ones.)

Contact Doug Schneider at (920) 431-8333, or DSchneid@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PGDougSchneider.

Originally posted here:

With Rep. Tauchen retiring, six candidates will meet in Republican primary in Assembly District 6 - Post-Crescent

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The New York Times published an op-ed Thursday that praised Republican governors for delivering positive economic results for the people of their states despite challenging national conditions. The article, titled "These Republican Governors Are Delivering Results, and Many Voters Like Them for It," was written by Republican strategist Liz Mair.

While Mair is a Republican, she is an anti-Trump Republican and has also been critical of Florida Republican Ron DeSantis in his fight with Disney. However, she noted a majority of the most popular governors across the country are Republicans.

"In states across the country, Republican governors are delivering real results for people they are physically more proximate to than federal officials," Mair wrote.

SUPER SPENDERS: INSIDE THE DEMS' NEW $433,000,000,000 TAX HIKE AND CLIMATE CHANGE BILL

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, front right, signs Senate Bill 1, also known as the election integrity bill, into law with state Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, front left, looking on with others in the background in Tyler, Texas, Sept. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

"Now, its true that the party that controls the presidency nearly always gets whipped in midterm elections, and inflation would be a huge drag on any party in power," she wrote. "And its also true that among those governors are culture warriors like Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas."

"But people too often overlook the idea that actual results, especially ones related to pocketbook issues, can often be as important as rhetoric. Looked at that way, lots of Republicans some with high public profiles, and some who fly below the radar are excelling," Mair argued.

Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that red states like Florida and Texas are doing better in the post-pandemic economy than blue states.

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM CALLS TO REDUCE PRIVATE VEHICLES BY ELIMINATING OWNERSHIP

Ron DeSantis with Donald Trump. (Getty Images)

"Across the country, 13 of the 15 most popular governors are Republicans," Mair wrote. She also pointed to Republican governors in blue states being very popular.

She argued that policy choices governors made during the COVID-19 pandemic made a difference for many of them.

"For example, take a look at the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data on unemployment. In the 10 states with the lowest rates as of June, eight were led by Republican governors," she wrote. "In our federalist system, a lot of power still sits with states and not the federal government and determines much about citizens live."

Former President Donald Trump and Kari Lake, whom Trump is supporting in the Arizona gubernatorial race, attend a rally at the Canyon Moon Ranch festival grounds in Florence, Arizona, southeast of Phoenix, on Jan. 15, 2022. (Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

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Mair argued that "sound economic policy and focusing on the job, not theatrics, are delivering basic day-to-day results Americans want, need and will reward."

New York Times' podcast, "The Ezra Klein Show," noted how in Republican states housing is much more affordable compared to blue states.

Joe Silverstein is a production assistant for Fox News Digital.

Read more:

New York Times op-ed: Republican governors are popular because they deliver for their states - Fox News

Journalists gather outside the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, in Washington.|Evan Vucci/AP Photo

But wordlessness comes with its downsides:

As my POLITICO colleague Michael Kruse, the author of scores of political profiles puts it, They dont need us to get elected. And we dont need them to write about them. The stand-off between Republican candidates and the press is likely to expand before it contracts. But thats in the short term. Making the media the enemy has a way of boomeranging on politicians. See the careers of George Wallace, Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew for historical examples.

As interest rises in the 2024 election, and readers and viewers start paying closer attention to the race (what sane person besides politicians and the press are paying much mind to 2024 now?), the candidates will soften their hard lines and talk to the press once again.

Then again, there may be more wisdom in cutting off the press than accounted for here. As former Vice President Hubert Humphrey once wrote, It is always a risk to speak to the press: They are likely to report what you say.

During the 1972 campaign, Hunter S. Thompson wrote, Hubert Humphrey is a treacherous, gutless old ward-heeler who should be put in a goddamn bottle and sent out with the Japanese Current. Send political invective to [emailprotected]. My email alerts are accepting no new subscriptions. My Twitter feed will talk to anybody. Just sign up. My RSS feed believes the silence is the best policy.

Originally posted here:

Opinion | Unsolicited Advice for the Pouty Republicans Who Stiff Reporters - POLITICO

The top Republican on the House Veterans Affairs Committee on Wednesday expressed an openness to scrapping the Veterans Affairs Departments multi-billion dollar Oracle-Cerner Millennium electronic health record system, if serious deficiencies in the rollout of the new software are not addressed by the end of the year.

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., ranking member of the full committee, said that Congress has to set a deadline for the EHR system rollout, and if there isnt major progress by early next year, we will have to seriously consider pulling the plug. Bost added that he "will be writing legislation to do just that."

Bosts comments came during a House Veterans Affairs subcommittee hearing examining patient safety concerns that have been raised during the initial rollouts of the new EHR system at VA medical centers across the country. Members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee also grilled VA officials last week about delays and technical issues with the rollout of the new software.

Samantha Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for Bost, said after the hearing that the ranking member intends to introduce a bill before the end of the year.

The bill is in the drafting stage and the final product will depend on the initial progress, if any, that VA and Cerner make over the next few months addressing the serious problems at the initial rollout sites, Gonzalez told Nextgov. At this point, the Ranking Member is considering all legislative options, including reorienting or completely halting the project.

The VA signed a $10 billion contract with Cerner in 2018 to implement the new EHR system over a 10-year period, to replace its prior customized health information system, the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture, or VistA. The new EHR software is currently in use at five VA medical sites, but software outages, logistical delays and technical issues have hampered the rollout.

Earlier this month, the VA Inspector Generals office also issued a highly critical watchdog report, which found that the software implemented at the first site of EHR system rolloutthe Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center in Spokane, Washingtonimproperly routed more than 11,000 clinical orders for veterans to an unknown queue without the knowledge of clinicians. That glitch, according to the OIG report, resulted in direct harm to at least 149 veterans.

In addition to concerns about patient care, cost overruns have also raised additional questions about the deployment of the Oracle-Cerner EHR system. The cost of the softwares implementation has already grown to $16 billion over the course of the 10-year contract, and a new cost estimate provided to Congress by the Institute for Defense Analyses found that the EHR softwares implementation and maintenance expenses would be $50.8 billion over 28 years.

VA announced last week that it would be postponing future rollouts of the Oracle-Cerner software at new medical sites until January 2023 as it works to address concerns about the EHR systems deployment.

Bost said the EHR system as it exists now is already a bad investment at $16 billion, noting that the Oracle-Cerner effort is already 10 times more expensive than the VAs previously abandoned effort to modernize VistA.

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization, echoed Bosts sentiment and said that the legacy VistA system still works and is much less expensive than any of the alternatives.

Im not hearing a credible argument for continuing this effort other than bureaucratic inertia and profit, Rosendale said, adding that the responsible thing to do is to stop throwing money at Oracle-Cerner and make targeted investments to shore up VistA.

Mike Sicilia, executive vice president for industries at Oracle, told the committee that addressing issues with the EHR system was the companys top priority. He said that Oracle, which acquired Cerner seven weeks ago, has set up a dedicated war room of its senior engineers to make needed improvements to the software.

After reviewing all of the engineering issues, I have concluded that there is nothing here that cant be materially improved in reasonably short order, Sicilia said.

Democratic leaders on the committee, meanwhile, seemed to agree that VAs health system is in need of modernization, but they also expressed serious concerns about the ways in which both VA and Oracle-Cerner have addressedand been transparent aboutdeficiencies within the EHR software rollout.

Committee Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif., said that VA needs a modernized EHR system and that continuing with VistA is not sustainable in the long-term, but added that he will not sit idly by and allow this program to endanger veterans.

Read the rest here:

Top Republican to 'Seriously Consider Pulling the Plug' on VA's New EHR System - Nextgov

Biden makes first public appearance after negative COVID-19 test

President Joe Biden made his first public appearance after testing negative for COVID-19 but is still working out of the Oval Office.

Ariana Triggs, Associated Press

LANSING The biggest statewide race in the Aug. 2 primary is the Republican contest to see who will go up against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Nov. 8.

There are five candidates on the ballot, after five others were disqualified in May for submitting too many forged signatures, in a scandal the former candidates are blaming on unscrupulous signature gatherers and some of the companies that hired them.

One of the disqualified candidates, former Detroit Police Chief James Craig, is continuing to campaign as a write-in candidate.

On the Democratic side, Whitmer, who is seeking a second four-year term, is the only choice.

Republican challengers to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson were endorsedat a state party convention and do not compete in a primary.

Here is a look at the Republicans on the primary ballot.

Residence: Norton Shores, Muskegon County

Age: 45

Occupation: Dixon has worked in the steel industry and in media, including a stint as a conservative commentator on cable TV's "Real America's Voice."

Issues: Dixon is highly critical of Whitmer's handling of the pandemic, saying too many businesses were closed for too long and children suffered from a lack of in-person learning. She also says nursing home residents, including her own grandmother, suffered needlessly as a result of excessive restrictions on family visits. On education, Dixon believes Michigan's per-pupil grant should follow the student, including to private schools, which would require a constitutional amendment. She is alone among the five candidates in not calling for big cuts to higher education spending. Early in the campaign, Dixon said changes in election practices in Michigan created the potential for fraud, but did not say fraud affected outcomes. Later, she said she believes former President Donald Trump was the rightful winner of the presidential election. Dixon opposes abortion rights, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Education: Bachelor's degree in psychology, University of Kentucky.

Family: Married with four children.

Endorsements: The DeVos family, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, Police Officers Association of Michigan,Conservative Political Action Conference, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga, U.S. Rep Lisa McClain, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, former Gov. John Engler.

Website:https://www.tudordixon.com/

Free Press profile:https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/01/12/tudor-dixon-michigan-governor-republican-candidate/6002813001/

Residence: Allendale Township, Ottawa County.

Age: 41

Occupation: Real estate broker

Issues: Kelley was a leader in the fight against Whitmer's pandemic orders and also active in the "Stop the Steal" movement promoting, without evidence, claims that fraud tilted the election outcome in favor of President Joe Biden. Kelley, who faces misdemeanor charges arising from his presence at the Jan. 6, 2021 U.S. Capitol riot, says he would declare the COVID-19 pandemic over on his first day as governor, favor a reversal of the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage, and eliminate all government jobs related to "diversity, equity, and inclusion." He says he would also move the state to zero-based budgeting where each agency would have to justify its annual expenditures as if starting from scratch, sharply reduce Michigan's 6% corporate income taxand ban abortions except to save the life of the mother, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

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Education: Studied electronics engineering at Grand Rapids Community College, but did not graduate.

Family: Married with six children.

Endorsements: National Firearms Coalition, Michigan Coalition for Freedom, Michigan Health Choice Alliance PAC, American Patriots Forum, former state Sen. Patrick Colbeck, former state Rep. Kevin Green.

Website:https://ryandkelley.com/

Free Press profile:https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/07/19/ryan-kelley-republican-candidate-governor-michigan/7687125001/

Residence: Farmington Hills, Oakland County

Age: 64

Occupation: Retired pastor, police chaplain.

Issues: Rebandt says he wants to make the Bible the primary textbook in public schools a change that would be prohibited under the U.S. Supreme Court's current interpretation of the establishment clause of the constitution. He says he would eliminate state funding for public universities, though unspecified amounts would be allocated to students to use at the post-secondary school of their choice. He favors releasing more non-violent offenders from prison and says the state could save money by relying more on faith-based organizations to work with offenders. Rebandt says Trump was the rightful winner of the presidential election and filed a notarized statement with the Legislature alleging he witnessed illegal activity while observing the counting of absentee ballots in Detroit. Similar claims were rejected by Michigan courts.Rebandt opposes abortion rights, with no exceptions.

More: Most Michigan GOP governor candidates would have nixed $600M incentive GM received

More: GOP candidates for governor attack one another at Oakland University debate

Education: Bachelor's Degree in religious education from Pennsylvania's Summit University; master'sin religious education and master of divinity from Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia.

Family: Married with four grown children.

Endorsements: Southeastern Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, Michigan Health Choice Alliance PAC.

Website:https://www.ralphrebandtforgovernor.com/

Free Press profile:https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/07/11/ralph-rebandt-michigan-governor-candidate-republican/7687064001/

Residence: Bloomfield Township, Oakland County.

Age: 61

Occupation: Businessman.

Issues: Rinke would eliminate the state income tax, which brings in close to $13 billion a year. He has not specified what if any programs he would eliminate, but says significant recent increases in the overall budget would make the change more manageable and economic growth resulting from the change would generate additional state revenue. Though he has pointed to voter fraud and ran a TV ad about dead Democrats voting, Rinke is alone among the five candidates in declining to say that Trump was the rightful winner of the 2020 presidential election. He's critical of Whitmer's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic for reasons similar to those voiced by the other Republican candidates. Rinke would allow tax credits for donations to private schools. On abortion, Rinke also stands alone in the GOP primary field in favoring exceptions to an abortion banin cases of rape, incest, and to save the life of the mother.

Education: Bachelor's degree, Michigan State University.

Family: Married with three grown children.

Endorsements: Former gubernatorial candidate and Michigan State Police Capt. Mike Brown, Michigan-born rocker Ted Nugent, conservative broadcaster and author Hugh Hewitt, former state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker.

Website:https://rinkeformichigan.com/

Free Press profile:https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/04/04/kevin-rinke-michigan-republican-candidate-governor/6597335001/

Residence: Texas Township, Kalamazoo County.

Age: 44

Occupation: Chiropractor.

Issues: An early leader of groups opposing Whitmer's management of thepandemic, Soldano says he opposes vaccine mandates, even when imposed by private employers. Though he is the only GOP gubernatorial candidate who says he would have agreed to pay GM the more than $600 million in incentives the state has promised itto help attract $7 billion in investment and two new Michigan manufacturing plants, Soldano says he generally favors lower taxes and regulations over direct incentives. On education, hesays he favors parental choice and parental rights over "partisan teachers' unions," and, like the other four candidates, wouldban critical race theory. He wants to eliminate the personal income tax and further reduce corporate taxes but said any spending cuts would first be identified through "forensic accounting."Soldano believes Trump won the 2020 presidential election and opposes abortion rights, with no exceptions for rape or incest.

Education: Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, Western Michigan University.

Family: Married father of two.

Endorsements: This information has been requested from the campaign.

Website:https://garrettformichigan.com/home/

Free Press profile:https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2022/06/29/garrett-soldano-republican-candidate-michigan-governor/7566053001/

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.

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Michigan governor race 2022: Meet the Republican candidates - Detroit Free Press

Just 10 days into his congressional career, Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer broke with his party and voted with nine other Republicans and every Democrat in the House to impeach President Donald Trump over the Capitol riot.

Now, just days before his primary, Meijer is under pressure from a major Democratic group, which is spending $500,000 to spotlight John Gibbs, his pro-Trump, election-denying opponent.

Airing in Western Michigan this week, the 30-second ad from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), House Democrats' campaign wing, describes Gibbs, who worked in the Trump administration, as "too conservative" for the region and Trump's "hand-picked" candidate.

While the DCCC's messaging is negative, the ad pulls focus from Meijer and underscores Gibbs' conservative credentials shortly before voters have their say.

At a time when Democrats are warning voters that election-denying Republicans pose an existential threat to democracy, the party's role in a messy GOP primary has left multiple Democratic lawmakers angry and frustrated.

"There's always a danger of unintended consequences, and I certainly would have taken a different approach," Colorado Rep. Jason Crow told ABC News on Wednesday. "We should play our game on our terms, and I don't think approaches like that are usually productive."

"I thought it was a strange choice, and I called [the DCCC] and let them know," Michigan Rep. Elisa Slotkin told ABC News.

Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., a retiring moderate who also voted to impeach Trump, called the Democratic strategy "outrageous" and pointed to Meijer's votes across party lines on impeachment and to protect same-sex marriage rights.

"Peter's been a strong independent voice, and he's put the country first on a number of issues," Upton told ABC News. "He's not a rubber stamp."

Rep. Peter Meijer arrives at the U.S. Capitol, Nov. 4, 2021.

CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images, FILE

New York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, the chairman of the DCCC, defended the party's efforts on Wednesday. He argued that the ad was "telling the truth about John Gibbs being a dangerous extremist" and that Democratic candidate Hillary Scholten -- who will face either Gibbs or Meijer -- would "put people over politics" if elected to serve in the House.

In a brief interview in Washington on Wednesday, Meijer accused Democrats of putting "party interest" first.

"Everything they're saying in the Jan. 6 committee, everything about how my party is a threat to democracy -- and they are investing a half-million dollars to elevate and boost exactly the same thing that they're railing against?" he said.

It's pretty galling in the hypocrisy of it all. And just shameless given their high-minded rhetoric about how they are the party of democracy. Spare me that bull---," Meijer said.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., a retiring member of the House Jan. 6 committee, called the strategy "disgusting" in an interview with CNN, warning that it would help election deniers win.

Gibbs, who served in the Department of Housing and Urban Development under Trump, was unsuccessfully nominated to lead the Office of Personnel Management but faced criticism in the Senate over past comments and tweets, including speaking dismissively of Islam and promoting a conspiracy theory involving Democrats. (Gibbs said at the time that "I dont really see anything to apologize for. I was a commentator." At his confirmation hearing, he insisted, "In my service in the government ... Ive always treated people fairly.")

Democrats aren't just focusing on the right-wing candidate in Meijer's race. The party has tried to influence GOP primaries across the country -- where nominating more conservative options could create more favorable matchups in November and maintain their slim House and Senate majorities.

In California, an outside political group affiliated with House Democratic leaders tried spotlighting a pro-Trump Republican running against Rep. David Valadao, another one of the 10 GOP members who voted to impeach Trump. (Valadao survived his primary two weeks ago and advanced to the general election through Californias top-two system.)

In Colorado, the Democratic leadership-aligned Senate Majority PAC spent millions ahead of the primary last month to portray Joe ODea, a Republican seeking to unseat Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, as a moderate compared to the more conservative Ron Hanks -- which was ultimately unsuccessful. O'Dea said Democrats were "propping up Ron Hanks in a desperate attempt to save" Bennet in November.

And Democrats in Pennsylvania, ahead of the states GOP primary in early June, elevated Doug Mastriano, who was linked to Trumps effort to challenge the 2020 election and the Capitol attack. (Mastriano was at the Capitol that day but insists he left because of the violence.) He will face Democratic state Attorney General Josh Shapiro in November.

Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney speaks during a news conference in the Capitol, Feb. 8, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images, FILE

Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., tweeted this week that he was disgusted that the DCCC has been using its funds -- including membership dues paid by lawmakers -- to boost Trump-endorsed candidates, particularly the far-right opponent of one of the most honorable Republicans in Congress.

Helen Kalla, a spokesperson for the DCCC, told ABC News the group was laser focused on holding the House majority, which we will accomplish by fighting for every competitive seat.

[Minority Leader] Kevin McCarthy is an anti-choice insurrectionist coddler and conspiracy enabler, and we will do what it takes to keep the speakers gavel out of his hands, Kalla said.

View post:

Democrats blast the party for spotlighting challenger to Republican who voted to impeach Trump - ABC News

This past weekend, Florida governor Ron DeSantis and Sen. Marco Rubio, both of whom are up for reelection this fall, headlined the Republican Party of Floridas annual Sunshine Summit. Other high-profile Florida Republicans were also in attendance at the Hardrock Hotel & Casino event, which this year tried something new: after seven years of being open to the press, it limited which media could attend, giving inside-the-room access to right-wing outlets that give the governor positive coverage, Politico reports, adding that traditional GOP figures were largely replaced by the conservative social media influencers with massive followings who have recently moved to Florida and become some of DeSantis most vocal backers.

Many local and national mainstream outlets were unable to get press credentials, according to the Tallahassee Democrat, including the Miami Herald, Politico, Florida Politics, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. A Florida wire service, the Wall Street Journal, and Business Insider were among the few mainstream outlets allowed to cover at least some parts of the weekend:

"It has come to my attention that some liberal media activists are mad because they aren't allowed into #SunshineSummit this weekend, DeSantis spokeswoman Christina Pushaw tweeted Friday. "My message to them is to try crying about it," she continued, Then go to kickboxing and have a margarita. And write the same hit piece you were gonna write anyway." As the Tallahassee Democrat notes, Republicans continued to bash mainstream publications at the event itself, with DeSantis telling the Daily Wire that he wanted to avoid "a bunch of left-wing media asking our primary candidates a bunch of gotcha questions and his campaign spokesman, Dave Abrams, claiming the media tantrums about press credentials validates our presumption that fair coverage was never a thought for them.

Recent comments from DeSantis and others in the GOP speak to an emerging strategy, one that New Yorks David Freedlander defined Monday as actively courting the medias scorn while avoiding anything that may be viewed as consorting with the enemy. As Freedlander notes, Republicans for decades, going back to the Nixon years, have taken aim at the mainstream press, but the dynamic has ratcheted up since Donald Trumps political rise, evidenced by a lack of participation by Republicans in everything from political profiles to daily news storiesas well as comments from those advising them. I just dont even see what the point is anymore, an adviser to one likely GOP presidential aspirant told Freedlander. We know reporters always disagreed with the Republican Party, but it used to be you thought you could get a fair shake. Now every reporter, and every outlet, is just chasing resistance rage-clicks. Some, such as the Times Jeremy Peters, suggest that Republicans are dodging press scrutiny because they dont want to have to defend Donald Trump and his falsehoods about the election. Which could explain why one aide to a potential 2024 candidate told Freedlander that booking Steve Bannons podcast is more attractive than a sit-down with a mainstream outlet.

Freedlander cited Fox News host Tucker Carlsons recent remarks in Iowa as further evidence of the GOPs overarching view that approval from the mainstream press isnt just unnecessary but actually suspect. (A data-backed notion, apparently: GOP strategist Dave Carney said his teams research has found getting endorsed by a newspaper editorial board, even a local one, hurts Republicans in primaries rather than helps them, according to Freedlander.)

In a speech at the Family Leadership Summit last week, Carlsonwho, in what feels like a lifetime ago, once urged conservative media to be more like the Times when it comes to accuracyadvised Republican voters to be really wary of candidates who care about what the New York Times think and pay very close attention to how people react when things get out of control unexpectedly. Former South Carolina governor and likely 2024 presidential contender Nikki Haley tweeting that the murder of George Floyd was personal and painful for her, Carlson said, was case in point. You have no idea what you're talking about. You're trying to please the people whose opinions you actually care about at the New York Times, he said of Haley. I want a leader who can still think clearly when the other side really unleashes.

Read more from the original source:

Will Republicans Shut Out the Press in 2024? - Vanity Fair

Note: The Daily News invited each of the Republican primary candidates for the 35th District State Senate seat to submit a 500-word statement about their candidacies.

Im honored to represent Bay and Midland counties as your state representative.

COVID started after my first year in Lansing, during which I helped over 800 constituents get their unemployment, and Dr. John Pfenninger wrote my leadership may have saved many lives.

In May 2020, our lives became defined by how we responded to catastrophic dam failures.

As chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, I secured $256 million for recovery and reconstruction, hand-delivered a letter to Vice President Pence urging a federal disaster declaration, and a state Capitol news service nominated me for House Member of the Year.

After digging mud out of dozens of basements, Im committed to making our community whole, a major reason Im running for the Senate.

Now, record-high inflation, gas, and groceries are piled on top of COVID and flooding, making it impossible for many to make ends meet.

Thats why I voted to suspend the gas tax for six months, cut the income tax, exempt $40,000 of retirement income from taxation, and introduced legislation to repeal the annual gas tax increase that started this year -- part of a tax hike passed in 2015! I also voted to reduce prescription drug costs.

As senator, Ill work to protect families from Bidens open borders disaster letting dangerous gangs and fentanyl flow into America. Sadly, we set a state record last year for drug overdose deaths.

Ive worked to restore voter confidence in our elections, voting to require a photo I.D. to vote, prohibit connecting voting machines to the Internet, and make it a felony to falsify an absentee application.

With violent crime skyrocketing, your right to defend yourself and your family has never been more important.

Im the only candidate endorsed by the NRA, and I oppose restrictions on the rights of law-abiding citizens which have no impact on criminals who break existing laws. Democrat-controlled cities with the strictest gun laws have the highest gun violence.

As chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs and State Police, I strongly advocated for veterans and secured more funding for law enforcement. Im the only candidate endorsed by Fraternal Order of Police.

Ive also voted for record-high school funding, auto insurance reform thats saved drivers hundreds of dollars per vehicle, and secured $11.5 million for Midland Center for the Arts and the new Midland Community Center.

Im also the only candidate endorsed by Associated Builders and Contractors, Michigan Retailers, and Roads+, which represents county road commissioners who know my commitment to repairing our infrastructure. Im also endorsed by Right to Life of Michigan.

Thanks to Midland County campaign chairs Jon and Tina Lynch and to Amy, Laura, and Bob Moolenaar for their support -- plus County Treasurer Kathy Lunsford and Commissioners Eric Dorrien, Jim Geisler, Steve Glaser, Jeanette Snyder, and Gaye Terwillegar.

As a strong conservative with a proven record, Im the strongest, best-positioned Republican to defeat the Democratic woman running in November. I ask for your vote.

Read more:

Annette Glenn: I'm the strongest, best-positioned Republican to win in November - Midland Daily News

The book tour is now an obligatory ritual for authors looking to shift copies. Domestic life must be upended and families appeased as they set off on a grand tour of bookshops, literary festivals and TV studios hoping to prove they can talk as well as they write.

Malcolm Nance is different. He was in Ukraine, fighting a war against Russia, when his publisher told him to head home to America to help sell his latest book, They Want to Kill Americans: The Militias, Terrorists, and Deranged Ideology of the Trump Insurgency.

I didnt want to but I found out that live appearances were contractual, he says ruefully via Skype from San Francisco, his voice sounding a little croaky.

Nance, a career counter-terrorism intelligence officer and pugnacious media pundit, joined the International Legion of Territorial Defense of Ukraine in March. He explains that, having spent the previous month there as a military analyst, he felt compelled to defend democracy and could not stand by as innocent civilians faced slaughter.

Nance confidently reels off the names of Ukrainian generals, key battlegrounds and pieces of military hardware. He is a former navy senior chief petty officer who knew what it was like to be under fire in Afghanistan and Iraq. But he is also a 60-year-old grandfather. Has life on the eastern front been scary?

He says: The thing that is hairiest of all is artillery. One incident we had at three in the morning I was tweeting and I guess the Russians didnt like what I was tweeting when they hit us with extremely large calibre weapons, long range too, fired from southern Russia into the north-east. They didnt kill any of us but they missed us by a hundred metres.

Thats a dangerously close hit. The building shook, the ceiling started to collapse. There was a skyscraper nearby and glass was falling everywhere from 10 storeys down. We were trying to get everybody to the bunker. Our little war puppies, our little battle dogs, were panicking its the biggest fireworks you have but your job is to remain calm.

The international legion is a combat force of three battalions and several hundred personnel. It is defending a significant portion of the frontline and has suffered casualties. When Nances presence was made public in April, he was told that the Kremlin had denounced him as a mercenary, soldier of fortune and legionnaire enemy number one.

When a head of Ukrainian intelligence informed him, Vladimir Putin knows your name now, Nance responded: Cool!

Having given up a five-figure-a-month salary as a pundit on the liberal MSNBC cable news network, he is earning the same wage as other Ukrainian soldiers: $630 a month. So I am definitely not a mercenary. If anything, Im paying them. Ive bought so much gear, trucks.

I have wonderful donors who have helped us out greatly and we get what we need because its faster than the logistics pipeline. In a year, well get what we need if were waiting on the Ukrainian army and the US government, but now we need things now, so we just buy them.

Nance is also donating $100,000 from the advance for his book to ensure the legionnaires have the equipment they need. The volumes cover an ersatz gallows erected outside the US Capitol on 6 January 2021, with a skull and crossbones flag and Trump flag nearby makes clear that the existential threat to democracy is not confined to eastern Europe.

I call Ukraine the eastern model in the battle for the defense of democracy and the United States is the western wall, he reflects. The western wall is crumbling.

In They Want to Kill Americans, Nance argues that the threat from domestic terrorists, the Republican party and former president Donald Trump is even worse than you already think. He suggests that an insurgency was under way well before January 6 and that the 74 million people who voted for Trump were by definition expressing hostility towards American democracy.

In his introduction, Nance describes the book as a warning: the US may again come under a wave of terrorist attacks but this time from within its own borders. Significant numbers of Americans, he argues, are radicalizing, arming and planning to kill their compatriots to install a dictatorship.

To some it will sound like hyperbole. But dozens of Trump acolytes who promote his lies about the 2020 election and themselves winning Republican primaries are hoping to take control of election machinery in key states. Trump himself recently said he had made up his mind about whether to run for president again in 2024 (take that as a yes).

And this week a survey by medical and public health scientists at the University of California found that one in five adults in the US, equivalent to about 50 million people, believe that political violence is justified at least in some circumstances.

They are our neighbors and they are collectively called the Titus, which stands for the Trump Insurgency in the United States, Nance says.

The Republican party is an insurgent party, no longer interested in government but using the levers of power to damage government and destabilize government and reflect the wishes of the armed insurgents, the militias, even the terrorists. They themselves are the knife at the throat of American democracy.

Then, he says, there is the average Trump voter. In the insurrection at the Capitol, the actual militiamen were a fraction of the people that were there. Forty thousand people showed up at the Mall, 10,000 laid siege to the Capitol and fought the police, and 2,000 entered the building in force. Maybe 10% of them were militiamen.

That means that there was an entire insurgent wing of average Americans that want to take part in the violence and are intimidating people with their firearms at these rallies and protests.

Americas diversifying demographics, highlighted in bold by the election of Barack Obama, the first Black president, have fanned flames of white supremacy and grievance that never went away. Trump took away the shackles of civility and decency and offered the thrill of saying the unsayable.

He removed all of the restraints and said its OK to be racist openly, its OK to hurt people, its OK to get in their face. Its OK to call an average person just walking down the street or doing their job in elections anti-American, not American.

Nance, whose previous books include Defeating Isis, An End to al-Qaeda and The Terrorists of Iraq, draws a provocative comparison. Isis has this ideological belief that was quite simple: unless you are in our group, you are no longer a Muslim and we can kill you. Youre all infidels until you re-pledge yourself to our variation of Islam: join us, pray the way we pray, behave the way we behave, support our operations.

The same thing with the Republican party behaving very much like Isis: ideological purity and creating a terror state or an insurgency where the country now is used for what they want. They dont care about the other 65%.

Joe Biden has said he was motivated to run for president by the sight of white supremacists marching in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017. He has given speeches vowing to shore up democracy against existential threats from China, Russia and domestic extremists. But Nance does not think the president and his allies are rising to the occasion.

They have no urgency right now, he warns. This is a firehouse on fire and youre sitting in the truck waiting for the call. Get out and fight the fire. The entire structure can collapse around you.

They need to be screaming as loud as I am and they need to be speaking in stark terms like I am. Joe Biden needs to say to the attorney general or fire the attorney general and get somebody there I will not tell him what to do but by God he will defend American democracy. You will hold people to account and this administration will hold people to account and we wont let this heinous attack on democracy take hold.

But a lot of people there are institutionalists and they want to come back and try to reach out and show comity with their peers. These people are sharpening knives in their House and Senate office groups. They dont care about civil discourse. They are planning to seize power or be elected into power and then never relinquish it again.

The congressional committee investigating January 6 has pointed the finger firmly at Trump and given plenty of hints about premeditation and culpability to nudge the attorney general, Merrick Garland, towards a criminal prosecution.

Nance, who is Black, continues: This was a seditious conspiracy. Theres an entire article in the constitution about this. They could close and engage upon the Capitol and beat cops because their skin was their camouflage. Now the whiteness of their skin is the excuse that you cant hold them to account but you can shoot Black men with no weapon 90 times in the back.

So no, the justice department should make it clear: equal under the law. This whole Oh, well, we cant do this in the election season bullshit? They did it for years in the election season. Breaking the law is breaking the law so we hold people to account.

At the start of this year the Washington commentariat overflowed with speculation that America, bitterly polarised, awash with guns and steeped in a history of violence, could even plunge into a second civil war. Since the supreme court decision overturning a womans constitutional rights to abortion has made the division between blue and red states even more concrete.

What does Nance think? If it happens, it wont be a second civil war. Itll be an insurgency, which is a series of incidents, and those incidents will look like attacks: people seizing governors mansions but this time the governors are on their side, or taking statehouses and the state uses the national guard to support them.

Therell be a challenge between federalism and states rights and theyll point to the supreme court that says we have states rights. The supreme court practically ruled that the supremacy clause [giving federal laws priority over state laws] doesnt exist and, even if it does, theyre going to argue it doesnt and back it up with guns. Thats where youre going to see what appears to be a simmering civil war but it will really be an insurgency.

With that, Nance has to go and catch a Wednesday flight. He leaves on Saturday night for Warsaw, Poland, and expects to be in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, by Monday before heading back to the eastern front. His 30-year-old daughter, with whom he lives, did not like the idea; his wife of 15 years, Maryse Beliveau-Nance, died from complications of ovarian cancer in 2019.

Someone asked, what would your wife say? And I say, my wife talks to me all the time and this is the one subject that Ive received no negative feedback about. But I also know if Im in the middle of an attack and I see my wife say, Hey, its time to go, buddy, Ill just turn around, turn in my kit and go home.

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Malcolm Nance: The Republican party is an insurgent party - The Guardian

MADISON, Wis. A Wisconsin judge said Thursday that a Republican-ordered, taxpayer-funded investigation into the 2020 election found absolutely no evidence of election fraud, but did reveal contempt for the states open records law by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and a former state Supreme Court justice he hired.

Dane County Circuit Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn awarded about $98,000 in attorneys fees to the liberal watchdog group American Oversight, bringing an end in circuit court to one of four lawsuits the group filed. Voss attorney, Ron Stadler, said he was recommending that Vos appeal the ruling.

The fees will be paid by taxpayers, which is why the judge said she was not also awarding additional punitive damages against Vos. Costs to taxpayers for the investigation, including ongoing legal fees, have exceeded $1 million.

I think the people of the state of Wisconsin have been punished enough for this case, Bailey-Rihn said. I dont think it does anyone any good to have punitive damages placed on the innocent people of this state.

All of American Oversights lawsuits stem from records requests it made to Vos and Michael Gableman, a former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice hired by Vos in June 2021 to investigate the 2020 presidential election won by President Joe Biden. Vos ordered the investigation under pressure from election loser Donald Trump, who continues to falsely claim there was widespread fraud in Wisconsin and that Bidens win should be decertified, which is impossible and which Vos has repeatedly refused to support.

Even Gablemans attorney said decertification was pointless.

Bidens victory by nearly 21,000 votes has withstood recounts, multiple state and federal lawsuits, an audit by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and a review by a conservative activist law firm, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. An Associated Press review of Wisconsin and other battleground states also found far too little fraud to have tipped the election for Trump.

Vos and Gableman have suffered a series of defeats at the circuit court level in the American Oversight lawsuits. Along the way, both were found to be in contempt for refusing to comply with court orders to turn over records. Bailey-Rihn, presiding over her last hearing before retiring, expressed frustration Thursday.

This has been a long and torturous process to get here, she said. The reality is, whatever records there were, they were either destroyed or they werent kept. The problem for this court is no one knows when those records were destroyed.

State law requires lawmakers like Vos to retain records after an open records request for them has been filed. They can, and do, delete records if there is no pending open records request.

Gableman testified in another case that he routinely deleted records that he thought were not a part of the investigation. That resulted in American Oversight filing a fourth lawsuit alleging those deletions were against the law. That case, along with two others, is still pending.

A judge next month was to consider whether Gableman had fulfilled requirements to vacate an earlier contempt order for not turning over records. And in another case, Vos faced an Aug. 4 deadline to turn over additional records requested by American Oversight.

This whole case has been about trying to shine a light on government, Bailey-Rihn said. What it revealed, she said, was that in the early days of Gablemans probe, he was being paid $11,000 a month by taxpayers to sit in the New Berlin library to learn about election law because he knows nothing about election law.

Were all citizens of this state and this country, and we want our elections to be fair and not tainted by any sort of election fraud, the judge said. We have absolutely found out from this case there was absolutely no evidence of election fraud.

She said Vos and others have shown they believe they have no obligation to comply with the state open records law, they dont understand it, they dont follow the attorney generals guidance and they leave it to people who arent trained on the law to deal with it.

Thats one thing the citizens of this state have learned to their detriment, Bailey-Rihn said.

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Republican-ordered probe found 'absolutely no' election fraud in Wisconsin - Press Herald