BREAKING: Wisconsin judge denies request by @WILawLiberty to block Gov. Tony Evers' statewide mask mandate.
@WILawLiberty "The legislature can end the state of emergency at anytime, but so far, it has declined to do so ..." St. Croix County judge R. Michael Waterman writes.
@WILawLiberty "As the statewide representative body of the citizens of Wisconsin, the legislature’s inaction is relevant and it weighs against judicial intervention, especially when the requested intervention will have statewide impact."
"It is with regret that the Judge held that the Governor of the State of Wisconsin can rule the state by decree for an unlimited amount of time with the acquiescence of the legislature," @RickEsenberg says.
.@GovEvers reacts to decision: "Today’s ruling is a victory in our fight against COVID-19 and our efforts to keep the people of Wisconsin safe and healthy during this unprecedented crisis ..."
@GovEvers "... As the number of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin reached 150,000 yesterday, we will continue doing everything we can to prevent the spread of this virus."
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BREAKING: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' administration issues a new order limiting gatherings, including limiting people in bars, restaurants and stores to 25% of capacity
Evers in media briefing says "There's no other way to put it, we are overwhelmed."
The order does not apply to campaign events, schools, outdoor events, health care facilities, and other exemptions.
“I think, unfortunately, more people are going to have to die before our policymakers accept we need laws and policies that improve the health and safety of our state" — when GOP lawmakers are personally tied to a person who died or been hospitalized, former CDC epidemiologist
“You can’t keep doing the same things and expect different results,” @plremington says
St. Croix County judge overseeing hearing in lawsuit to invalidate Wisconsin's statewide mask mandate asks whether the relief sought -- ending the health emergency -- is a violation of separation of powers because the Legislature holds the power to end the health emergency.
The lawsuit is filed in Polk County, but both judges in that country recused from the case.
WILL attorney argues a state government requiring residents to wear face masks is invasive, says plaintiffs are aggrieved of the invasion of their liberty.
.@GovEvers administration is asked why the virus situation in Wisconsin is worse than other states.
"This fundamentally stems from the ruling in mid May that restricted many of the tools that we have to mitigate this disease," Palm says.
@GovEvers Palm says Wisconsin has seen a "slow burn" that never reached a low enough level of infection to put the state in a better position now.
@GovEvers Evers says GOP legislative leaders' messaging on the pandemic has been inconsistent with the severity of the threat of the virus and has made it "damn hard" to get compliance.
"That sends a message of what we're trying to accomplish is baloney. It's not baloney," he says.
.@GovEvers in COVID-19 briefing with reporters says there are too many people acting like it's November 2019, before pandemic hit.
"We are nine months into this pandemic and right now it's not slowing down. It's picking up speed. We've got to put the brakes on this pandemic."
@GovEvers "Folks, it isn't safe. This virus is real and devastating our communities and will continue to do so until we all get on the same team," Evers says.
@GovEvers .@GovEvers says Wisconsin is seeing some cases in K-12 schools but "this is not what's driving" the outbreak.
BREAKING: New state audit shows 93% of the 41.1 million calls to DWD unemployment call centers between March and June were blocked, or received busy signals.
Not even 1% of the calls were answered.
6.2% of calls were abandoned by callers.
The audit is being released a week after @GovEvers fired DWD Secretary Caleb Frostman over the state's unemployment claim backlog.
DWD submitted a response to the audit dated Monday.
@GovEvers Sen. Rob Cowles, who co-chairs the audit committee, says the most troubling finding in the audit shows DWD may have withheld information from his committee.