CAPiTOL EYE

Hefty contract

Ex-state supreme court justice to get $44k contract from Assembly Republicans

Former conservative Supreme Court Justice

Michael Gableman will be paid $44,000 through this fall to oversee an Assembly investigation into the 2020 election, according to a contract obtained by WisPolitics.com.

That’s more than four times what the investigators retained for the probe are scheduled to be paid, according to their contracts. Assembly Speaker Robin Blueberries available fOr Vos, R-Rochester, announced in late May that he planned to hire three retired police PiCking July 10 officers to review the 2020

Open every day election. He then announced at last weekend’s state GOP 9am-5pm convention that he had hired Gableman, who served on • Certified Organi blueberries C the court from 2008-2018, to oversee the investigation. • Call for Pre-Pick availability The contract shows Gable man signed it June 26, the • blueberries $3.00/lb, same day his hire was anyou pick nounced at convention. • 10 lbs. or more on State Dem spokeswoman u-Pick berries & Iris Riis ripped the hire, receive 30% Off particularly the decision to announce the hire before GOP party activists. Organic “The only reason for Robin Raspberries Vos’ sideshow is to sow $5.00 a Pound doubt in our democracy, and Ready To taxpayers shouldn’t be on Pick! 53788 the hook for a penny of it,” she said. Vos defended the hire and Minature Ponies & Pony Cart Rides! Gableman’s compensation, noting he will coordinate

Utech’s activities and write the final Rainbow Farm report. The third retired Call for information! 715-536-7271 3880 Rainbow Dr., Merrill 9 miles N. of Wausau on Hwy. K, officer Vos planned to hire has not yet been retained. Between three officers and Gableman, the state is in

E. 1/4 mile on Rainbow Dr. line to shell out more than $72,000 for the probe.

There’s already a Legislative Audit Bureau review of the 2020 election underway, and an Assembly committee has been taking testimony on last fall as well. Vos said the separate investigation will make sure “every lead is tracked down.”

“I think that for basically the cost of one state employee for a year, it’s pretty cheap to get four people to be able to do that and at the end have hopefully a conclusive result for the public to look at,” Vos said.

Evers and Oneida sign pact on sports gambling

Gov. Tony Evers has signed an amendment to the state’s gaming compact with the Oneida Nation allowing its casinos to offer betting on sports and other events, a first for Wisconsin.

In a press conference with Oneida Chairman Tehassi Hill, Oneida Vice-chairman Brandon Stevens and Administration Secretary Joel Brennan, Evers praised the move as an opportunity to increase employment and revenue opportunities for the northeastern tribe. The guv also said it’s a signal of the state’s continued partnership with the Oneida Nation and other tribal nations in Wisconsin.

“The Oneida Nation and all of Wisconsin tribal nations play a vital role in our state’s culture, our history, economy and of course, our future,” he said. “My commitment remains to continuing to strengthen our partnerships, respect tribal sovereignty above all and work together to tackle the challenges we face.”

The compact amendment now heads to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which will have 45 days to review the amendment before approving or denying it.

Stevens said the move will help increase tourism revenue for the tribe and the rest of northeastern Wisconsin as those who wager must physically visit the tribal lands if they want to pick up their winnings. Bettors would be able to place wagers online, but they would have to be on certain tribal lands to do so.

Evers OKs bill advancing opioid lawsuit settlements

Gov. Tony Evers has approved a bill to give the GOP-

controlled Joint Finance Committee final say over opioid lawsuit settlements despite his concern that at least part of the measure is unconstitutional.

The bill puts in place guidelines on how the state should handle lawsuit settlements from opioid manufacturers. It would also require 30 percent of the settlements to go to state coffers, with the remaining 70 percent split between local governments.

Evers said giving the Legislature authority to approve settlements reached by the executive branch violates the separation of powers doctrine.

“Despite these serious concerns, I am not willing to risk our ability to maximize the amount of settlement dollars available to Wisconsin by vetoing this bill in its entirety,” he said.

A group of 10 county executives praised Evers for signing the legislation, which they said “will have a profound impact on services for those individuals and families so deeply affected by opioid use.”

Biden visits La Crosse

President Biden in La Crosse praised a pending bipartisan infrastructure deal as a “blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America.”

In his second visit to the state since becoming president, Biden touched on the nation’s high road fatality rates and how car exhaust is one of the leading causes of air pollution in America.

He said the package would target these problems by promoting electric vehicles, public transportation and better rail networks. Biden, an avid Amtrak rider, said studies have shown that people would prefer to take a train on short trips over a car whenever possible.

“I bet any one of you could tell me what the most dangerous intersections in your home towns are,” Biden said at La Crosse’s Municipal Transit Utility. “Imagine if you could get from Chicago to La Crosse in two hours instead of four-anda-half. This is the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak.”

Amtrak’s expansion plans, if funded through federal infrastructure measures, would add new stops in Wisconsin cities like Madison, Eau Claire and Green Bay.

40008

DAILYDAILY PICK-UP PICK-UP && DELIVERYDELIVERY IN IN WAUSAUWAUSAU

2365

TRUST US FOR ALL YOUR HYDRAULIC REPAIRS

WE REPAIR:

• Hydraulic Cylinders • Pneumatic Cylinders • Hydraulic Tools • Rock Breakers • Hydraulic Generators • Power Units • Spike Drivers • Valves

& More!

Full Service Rock Breaker Repair Center