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Club For Growth Attacks Thompson and Hovde in WI Senate Race

The battle to decide the Republican candidate for Wisconsin's open U.S. Senate seat is heating up. The Super PAC for the national organization Club for Growth, which supports Mark Neumann in the four-way primary, recently spent $700,000 airing an ad attacking Neumann's top challengers: multi-millionaire hedge fund manager Eric Hovde and former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson. Both have a significant lead over Neumann (the ad ignores the fourth primary candidate, Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald).

Former Walker Aide’s Sentencing Postponed for a Second Time – “Cooperation in Other Matters” Still Required

Darlene Wink, former aide to Scott Walker during his term as Milwaukee County Executive and one of several individuals from that office facing charges in a secret "John Doe" investigation into criminal corruption and embezzlement, has had her sentencing hearing postponed for a second time to make sure she follows through on a promise to assist the District Attorney in other related John Doe prosecutions.

WI Elections Board, Racine DA Slap Down GOP Claims of "Voter Fraud"

Law enforcement has found no evidence of "voter fraud" in the election that gave Wisconsin Democrats control of the state senate, despite right-wing media and legislators hyping the allegations to cast doubt on the only Wisconsin recall election won by a Democrat this year. The state elections board has also condemned "unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud" by Wisconsin Republican leaders.

Tar Heel Lawmakers Put Global Warming on Hold! (or, a Rising Tide Lifts No Votes)

Potential harm from sea level rise in North CarolinaIn a backward leap of anti-Copernican proportions, North Carolina's state legislature recently passed what may be the nation's first state-wide global warming denial legislation.

The legislature on July 2 effectively nullified the state's own science panel's report predicting a 20 to 55-inch rise in sea level. The statehouse also commanded scientists to wait until July 1, 2016, to make their next report (and only after it is approved/scrubbed by the powers that be).

University of Wisconsin Launches Historic Challenge to Adidas over Sweatshop Conditions for College-Branded Apparel

Darrell Bazzell and Brian VaughnBREAKING NEWS: The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents on Friday filed a precedent-setting breach of contract claim against sportswear brand Adidas, after the company failed to comply with anti-sweatshop provisions requiring they provide certain benefits to workers who produce goods that bear the mark of the university. This is the first time a U.S. university has sought to enforce a global anti-sweatshop code of conduct in a U.S. court of law.

How a Right-Wing Group Is Infiltrating State News Coverage

Editor's note: The Center for Media and Democracy is pleased to publish this important investigative work about a new and far-reaching effort to spin news about state legislation, which has been examined by Media Matters for America's Joe Strupp. CMD recently published two related stories, one on the Franklin Center's operations and one about ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council. Media Matters' original story is available here.

When Idaho state legislators proposed a seemingly uncontroversial bill to ban access to commercial tanning beds by minors earlier this year, IdahoReporter.com took up the issue with force.

Wisconsin Organizations Push for Election Transparency

A coalition of Wisconsin organizations, including the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), have asked state legislators to hold hearings on the need for greater transparency and accountability for political spending in Wisconsin. This call comes in the aftermath of a series of recall elections that saw over $100 million poured into the state, much of it from special interest groups that did not disclose their donors.

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