Democracy

What Do Guns Have to Do With Immigration? For Gun Owners of America, Everything

by PRW Staff — June 18, 2013 - 7:39am

Topics: Right Wing, Democracy, Human Rights, International

-- By Katie Lorenze

Gun Owners of America (GOA) has declared immigration reform a gun issue, warning that under the “scamnesty bill” currently in the U.S. Senate, “you can say buh bye to your guns and buh bye to the rest of your freedom.”

News

U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Another ALEC Voting Bill

by Brendan Fischer — June 17, 2013 - 5:43pm

Topics: Democracy, Race / Ethnic Issues

Projects: ALEC Exposed

In a 7-2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has struck down an Arizona statute that imposes restrictions on voter registration, finding it conflicts with federal law. After becoming law in Arizona, the legislation at issue was adopted as a "model" by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

News

Mandatory Ultrasound Bill Moves from Conception to Passage in Just Ten Days

by Harriet Rowan — June 14, 2013 - 9:58am

Topics: Democracy, Health, Women

In ten short days, Wisconsin Republicans steamrolled a radical abortion bill through the state legislature to mandate ultrasounds and close abortion clinics, despite passionate opposition from Democratic Assemblywomen. The debate had many dramatic moments and video of the Senate President furiously gaveling down the opposition made national news.

Op-Ed

Wisconsin’s System Increasingly Rigged Against the Unemployed

by Laura Steigerwald — June 12, 2013 - 10:01am

Topics: Democracy, Labor

With the latest Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia index ranking Wisconsin 49th out of 50 in economic outlook, high unemployment in Wisconsin is a problem that is not likely to go away any time soon. But, instead of trying to fix the economy in Wisconsin, Governor Scott Walker's Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is finding new ways to disqualify the unemployed from collecting benefits. This is unlikely to do anything but compound Wisconsin's economic woes.

Press Release

CMD Files Open Records Suit Against ALEC Board Member Sen. Leah Vukmir

by Brendan Fischer — June 7, 2013 - 8:12am

Topics: Corporations, Democracy, Politics

Projects: ALEC Exposed, Wisconsin Protests

ALEC Asserting Immunity From State Freedom of Information Laws

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2013

CONTACT: Brendan Fischer, Brendan@prwatch.org

MADISON -- The Center for Media and Democracy filed suit Thursday against Wisconsin State Senator Leah Vukmir, a member of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the treasurer of ALEC's national board, over her failure to disclose ALEC-related materials under Wisconsin's public records law -- possibly because ALEC told her to keep the documents secret.

News

WI Legislature Fast-Tracking "War on Democracy" Bill, Business Lobby Misleads on Disclosure Provisions

by Brendan Fischer — June 5, 2013 - 3:51pm

Topics: Election 2012, Corporations, Democracy, Politics

Projects: Wisconsin Protests

Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin are fast-tracking a controversial bill to keep political donors secret, enact voter ID, and limit early voting, among other measures, with a vote scheduled for next week. The only public hearing on the bill was held Tuesday, where a representative of the business lobby made several misleading assertions about the bill's disclosure provisions.

News

Lois Lerner's "Hands-Off" Approach Likely Contributed to IRS Mess

by Brendan Fischer — June 4, 2013 - 8:18am

Topics: Democracy, Politics

The official at the center of the IRS mess, Lois Lerner, gave indications months ago that she was refusing to provide meaningful guidance about how to interpret and apply ambiguous rules for nonprofit political activity.

News

Federal Court Criticizes Wisconsin Republicans for "Peculiarly Furtive" Redistricting, Closes Case

by Brendan Fischer — June 4, 2013 - 8:01am

Topics: Democracy, Politics

A federal court hearing a challenge to Wisconsin's Republican-led redistricting sharply criticized the expensive, secretive, and "peculiarly furtive process" employed by the GOP in drawing and defending the maps, but announced a close to "this unfortunate chapter in Wisconsin political history."

News

Scaife-Funded Network Works Hard to Kill Immigration Reform

by PRW Staff — May 31, 2013 - 8:25am

Topics: Right Wing, Front Groups, Democracy, Human Rights, International, Lobbying

-- By Katie Lorenze

With immigration reform advancing through Congress, an anti-immigrant network funded by a small group of right-wing foundations is trying to kill reform by pressuring moderate Republicans and appealing to the party's xenophobic wing. The groups could stymie efforts by some Republicans to appeal to the country's growing Latino population by moving to the center on immigration.

News

WI Appellate Judge Upholds WI Voter ID, But Indicates Another Challenge Could be Successful

by Brendan Fischer — May 30, 2013 - 12:37pm

Topics: Democracy, Politics

Projects: ALEC Exposed, Wisconsin Protests

A Wisconsin appellate court has overturned one decision by a lower court finding the state's voter ID law unconstitutional, but the legislation remains blocked, with a separate challenge to the law pending before a different appellate court. Despite upholding the voter ID law, the judge deciding today's case appeared to imply that there could be a different outcome for a challenge that provides more evidence of the law's burdens on the right to vote.