Tag: Wisconsin

Walker’s Point Intersection Getting Rainbow Crosswalks To Honor Milwaukee’s LGBTQ History

Read more at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

A Walker’s Point intersection will soon be bursting with color — new rainbow crosswalks.

The Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project announced Aug. 1 that the City of Milwaukee’s Paint the Pavement program has approved the crosswalks at the corner of South Second Street and West National Avenue.

They’ll be installed by Oct. 1. in honor of National LGBTQ History Month.

The crosswalks honor “the changemakers who’ve been creating safe spaces for our community for over eight decades,” a Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project news release said.

The project is entirely funded by donors, sponsors and grants. Artist Jeremy Novy, who has been decorating Milwaukee streets with his koi fish since 2006, will design the crosswalks. The koi fish will be part of the design, too.

Novy’s design includes all the colors associated with the LGBTQ community and conveys the message that Walker’s Point is everyone’s neighborhood.

“This is a place of belonging, and if you’re coming here, you have to be respectful,” said Michail Takach, the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project’s president and chair.

The Friendly Bar, Walker Point’s first known gay bar, opened in 1944. Fluid Milwaukee is located where the Friendly Bar once was, at 819 S. Second St.

“I think that a lot of people are shocked when we tell them that there have been places for gay people to go in Walker’s Point since 1944,” Takach said.

Now, Walker’s Point is home to the seven surviving queer spaces in the city, according to the History Project.

“I’m very excited by this, and I think it’s been a long time coming,” said Dave Wolz, owner of La Cage Nite Club, 801 S. Second St., which has been open since 1984.

The crosswalks are meant to show that Walker’s Point is a safe space for LGBTQ people.

“The neighborhood will have this new symbol of acceptance, belonging, inclusion and safety,” Takach said.

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Tammy Baldwin Denounces GOP Opponent’s Ads as Homophobic

This blog is originally appeared at LGBTQ Nation.

In a closely contested Senate race in Wisconsin, Republican candidate Eric Hovde is heavily investing in ads targeting incumbent Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and her longtime partner.

When asked by CNN if she believes Hovde aims to remind voters of her sexual orientation, Baldwin responded, “I think he is.”

The ads feature Baldwin’s partner, Maria Brisbane, who heads a private wealth management division at Morgan Stanley, questioning Baldwin’s ethics while subtly highlighting her sexual orientation.

One ad shows a woman in her kitchen stating, “Baldwin’s in bed with Wall Street,” referencing the senator’s relationship with Brisbane. In other instances, Brisbane is labeled Baldwin’s “girlfriend.”

All these ads convey a similar dual message, funded by a significant influx of cash from Republican sources and Hovde’s own wealth.

While Democrats are expected to outspend Republicans overall in the Senate race, Hovde and his supporters have reserved $51 million for advertising from October 1 through Election Day, compared to $39 million for the Democrats.

Hovde’s latest advertisement twists Baldwin’s previous statements against her, featuring a 2009 Senate hearing where she discussed domestic partner benefits.

“Married members must disclose important information about their spouse’s income, investments, gifts, and debts. Surely the public interest would require that these obligations apply to partners of gay and lesbian officeholders,” Baldwin states in a C-SPAN clip.

The ad’s narrator then contrasts this with a recent debate where Baldwin, addressing Hovde, said, “Stay out of my personal life,” highlighting that she and Brisbane are not married.

Baldwin further asserted, “And I think I speak for most Wisconsin women that he should stay out of all of our personal lives.”

Despite Baldwin’s arguments, she faces challenges regarding financial disclosures related to her partner. She clarified to CNN that, unlike a previous domestic partnership, she is not required to disclose Brisbane’s clients due to a lack of a legally recognized relationship. The couple does own a $1.3 million condominium in Washington together.

Baldwin condemned Hovde’s tactics as a dog whistle, designed to distract from his own financial conflicts tied to owning a $3 billion bank.

“I disclose everything I’m required to,” she stated. “I think he’s trying to divert attention from his own questionable judgments.”

“Imagine him on the Banking Committee, regulating banks,” she added. “This is a serious conflict of interest he wants to deflect from.”

Hovde’s ad campaign also targets the transgender community, linking Baldwin to claims about allowing men to compete in women’s sports and supporting a clinic that allegedly provides transgender therapy to minors without parental consent, which has been proven false.

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Why Wisconsin Republicans are talking about impeaching a new state Supreme Court justice

This blog originally appeared at AP News.

In the midst of a highly charged political landscape, Wisconsin finds itself at the center of a contentious debate that has sent shockwaves through its political circles. The topic of discussion? The potential impeachment of a newly appointed state Supreme Court justice. As the echoes of partisan discord reverberate, this blog delves deep into the intricacies of why Wisconsin’s Republicans are considering such a dramatic move and the implications it holds for the state’s judicial system, its citizens, and the broader national discourse. Join us as we unravel the unfolding controversy and explore the factors fueling this unprecedented debate.

 Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Democratic-supported Janet Protasiewicz participates in a debate, March 21, 2023, in Madison, Wis. Even before the newly elected justice who gave liberals a one-seat majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court has heard a case, Republican lawmakers are talking about taking the unprecedented step of impeaching and removing her from office. And they have the votes to do it.

The Republican-controlled Legislature in Wisconsin is considering the impeachment of Justice Janet Protasiewicz, a newly elected liberal state Supreme Court justice, even before she has had the opportunity to hear a case. This move is highly unusual and has raised concerns about the politicization of the state’s judiciary.

The impeachment effort is taking place at a time when the state Supreme Court is being asked to review legislative electoral maps that were drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2011. These maps were instrumental in solidifying the Republican Party’s majorities in the state, with a 65-34 majority in the Assembly and a 22-11 supermajority in the Senate.

The situation raises questions about the separation of powers and the potential for political interference in the judicial branch. It underscores the broader national debate over the fairness and neutrality of the judiciary, particularly in cases related to redistricting and electoral politics.

The attempt to impeach a sitting justice is a rare and contentious move that has sparked debates about the role of the judiciary and the boundaries of political power in Wisconsin. It remains to be seen how this situation will unfold and what implications it may have for the state’s judicial system and political landscape.

Protasiewicz won election in April to a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court beginning Aug. 1. Her 11-point victory gave liberals a 4-3 majority, ending a 15-year run with conservatives in control.

During her first week in office, two lawsuits were filed by Democratic-friendly groups and law firms seeking to overturn Republican-drawn legislative maps.

WHY IS THERE TALK OF IMPEACHMENT?

Republican lawmakers, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, have raised concerns about Justice Janet Protasiewicz’s impartiality in redistricting cases pending before the Supreme Court. They allege that comments she made during her campaign suggest she has prejudged the cases. Additionally, they argue that her acceptance of nearly $10 million in campaign funds from the Wisconsin Democratic Party disqualifies her from participating in these cases.

It’s worth noting that the state Democratic Party is not a party to either of the redistricting lawsuits, but they support the legal challenges.

As of now, the court has not made a decision on whether it will hear the redistricting challenges, and Justice Protasiewicz has not indicated whether she will recuse herself from these cases, including the decision on whether to hear them.

If Justice Protasiewicz were to recuse herself, the court would be evenly divided with three liberal and three conservative justices. However, it’s important to note that conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn has previously aligned with liberal justices on significant cases, which has caused frustration among Republicans.

This situation highlights the complex and contentious nature of judicial appointments and the potential for political considerations to impact the independence and neutrality of the judiciary. It also underscores the ongoing debate over the role of money in judicial campaigns and the challenges of maintaining public confidence in the judicial system.

Click here to see full blog: https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-supreme-court-justice-impeachment-9b28383d30371c8c109b644f9b9a8d72

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