% >> THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF
% WISCONSIN RECENTLY CHANGED
% LEADERSHIP AGAIN, WITH THEIR
% FOURTH CHAIRMAN IN THE LAST FOUR
% YEARS.
% THE NEWEST CHAIRMAN IS NOT NEW
% TO THE PARTY.
% BRIAN SCHIMMING HAS BEEN HEAVILY
% INVOLVED IN G.O.P. POLITICS IN
% WISCONSIN FOR A LONG TIME.
% AND JOINS US NOW.
% THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.
% >> THANKS FOR INVITING ME.
% >>
% >> THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS BEEN
% A POWERHOUSE.
% HAS THE TURNOVER AFFECTED
% ELECTION OUTCOMES?
% >> OH, I DON'T THINK SO.
% WE DON'T SEE ANY SENSE OF THAT.
% WE JUST RE-ELECTED RON JOHNSON
% AFTER THEY DROPPED $150 MILLION
% OF THEIR MONEY ON HIM, AND
% CAPTURED A FEW NEW DEMOCRAT
% SEATS IN THE ASSEMBLY, PICKED UP
% A SUE M SUPERMAJORITY IN THE SE,
% ELECTED A NEW REPUBLICAN FOR
% CONGRESS SO I'D SAY BASED ON THE
% DOLLAR THAT WE'RE DOING PRETTY
% WELL FOR OURSELVES.
% AND SOME DISAPPOINTMENTS THIS
% YEAR BUT I'LL BE CERTAINLY
% SPENDING SOME TIME RAISING MONEY
% AS WELL, OF COURSE WITH THE
% REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
% COMING TO MILWAUKEE, WHICH WE'RE
% VERY EXCITED ABOUT, IT WILL BE
% GREAT TO HAVE THAT MUCH FOCUS ON
% WISCONSIN.%>> YOU WERE IN WAS
HINGTON LAST
% WEEK, SPEAKING OF OUR NEW
% CONGRESSPERSON.
% KEVIN MCCARTHY HAD TO GIVE UP A
% LOT OF POWER TO GET THE GAVEL.
% WILL IT AFFECT HIS FUNCTION?
% >> I WAS THERE THREE DAYS LAST
% WEEK.
% MY SENSE OF IT WAS NO, I THINK
% THEY GOT SOME CONCESSIONS IN
% KIND OF THE BACK AND FORTH OF
% THE LEADERSHIP ELECTIONS THERE.
% BUT LOOK, THE PLAY BOOK FOR THAT
% WAS SET BY THE DEMOCRATS.
% NANCY PELOSI THE LAST TWO TIMES
% HAD TO STRUGGLE TO GET THE VOTES
% TO GET ELECTED SPEAKER.
% MADE A NUMBER OF CONCESSIONS TO
% THE A.O.C. WING OF THE PARTY,
% AND IT SHOWED.
% AND IT FINALLY GOT TO THE POINT
% WHERE SHE LEFT.
% SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THAT,
% AND ANY ACTIONS THAT THEY'VE
% TAKEN SINCE KEVIN MCCARTHY WAS
% SELECTED SPEAKER, THERE'S UNITY.
% A LOT OF IT.
% >> IN WISCONSIN, THE GOVERNOR
% AND REPUBLICANS IN THE
% LEGISLATURE ARE TRYING TO MEET
% AND BUILD UP TRUST THAT'S BEEN
% LACKING.
% WHAT DOES COMPROMISE LOOK LIKE
% IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY
% FROM A REPUBLICAN BASE POINT OF
% VIEW?%>> WITH THE LEGISLATUR
E
% OVERWHELMINGLY REPUBLICAN,
% GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IN DEMOCRAT
% HANDS, I WORKED THERE A NUMBER
% OF YEARS AS CHIEF OF STAFF TO
% THE SPEAKER AND OTHER POSITIONS
% THERE.
% THE GOVERNOR NEEDS TO COME
% AWAYS.
% I THINK REPUBLICANS ARE WILLING
% TO COMPROMISE WITH THE GOVERNOR
% ON SOME ISSUES, NOT ON PRINCIPLE
% BUT ON SOME BIG LEGISLATIVE
% ITEMS, I THINK THEY'RE WILLING
% TO COMPROMISE BUT IT'S GOING TO
% TAKE THE GOVERNOR COMING IN TOO.
% THE GOVERNOR JUST FLATLY REFUSED
% TO MEET WITH THE LEGISLATIVE
% REPUBLICANS SEVERAL TIMES, MOST
% OF THE TIME, DURING THE LAST
% FOUR YEARS.%I HOPE THE GOVER
NOR NOW REALIZES
% THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE HERE TO
% STAY IN THE LEGISLATURE.
% THEY CAN GET SOME THINGS DONE.
% I HOPE THEY DO.
% >> WE JUST SAW REPUBLICANS
% INTRODUCE A NEW FLAT TAX
% PROPOSAL BUT THEY DID IT AS A
% STANDALONE BILL, WHICH OBVIOUSLY
% IF IT'S PASSED, IT CAN BE VETOED
% BY THE GOVERNOR.
% DOES THAT MEAN IT'S MORE OF A
% STATEMENT OF VALUES TO PUT IT
% THAT WAY OR DO YOU THINK IT WILL
% STILL GO INTO THE BUDGET AS A
% FLAT TAX?
% >> I THINK SOME TYPE OF TAX
% REFORM WILL PROBABLY END UP
% GOING INTO THE BUDGET.
% THAT WILL BE DEPENDENT ON THE
% GOVERNOR.
% THE FLAT TAX IS ONE PROPOSAL,
% THERE WILL BE OTHERS I'M SURE
% BOTH IN THE SENATE AND THE
% ASSEMBLY.
% SO THERE WILL BE DIFFERENT IDEAS
% OUT THERE.
% I TRUST OUR LEGISLATORS TO GET
% THAT RIGHT.
% BUT IT WILL TAKE THE GOVERNOR
% SAYING LOOK, I'M WILLING TO LOOK
% AT WHAT IS HISTORICALLY A HIGH
% TAX STATE AND FIGURE OUT WAYS TO
% MAKE IT MORE AFFORDABLE FOR
% EVERYONE WATCHING THIS PROGRAM
% AND THE 6 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS
% STATE.
% SO I HOPE THE GOVERNOR COMES TO
% THE TABLE AND WORKS PRODUCTIVELY
% ON IT.
% >> SO IF THE BUDGET IS PASSED,
% IS THAT A WIN, KEEPING THE
% GOVERNOR FROM VETOING IT
% ENTIRELY, IS THAT A WIN?
% >> WELL, REMEMBER, THE LAST
% BUDGET, THE REPUBLICANS PASSED
% IT OVER MONTHS OF OBJECTIONS BY
% THE GOVERNOR, THEN HE ENDED UP
% SIGNING IT.
% SO I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S IN THE
% GOVERNOR'S MIND RIGHT NOW, BUT
% WE'LL SEE.
% I'VE BEEN THROUGH A NUMBER OF
% BUDGETS AS YOU HAVE, WATCHING IT
% AND PARTICIPATING UP IN THE
% CAPITOL.
% A LOT OF MONEY SLOSHING AROUND.
% I KIND OF ALWAYS SAY TO
% REPUBLICANS IN THE LEGISLATURE,
% IF THERE'S TOO MUCH MONEY IN
% MADISON, GET IT OUT OF HERE.
% AND SO I HOPE THAT'S THEIR
% EMPHASIS, IS FIGURING OUT WAYS
% TO GIVE MONEY BACK TO TAXPAYERS,
% BECAUSE IT'S THEIR MONEY.
% >> ROBERT SPINDELL, A REPUBLICAN
% APPOINTEE TO THE WISCONSIN
% ELECTIONS COMMISSION, RECENTLY
% SENT AN EMAIL THAT'S GOTTEN SOME
% ATTENTION.
% URBAN MILWAUKEE QUOTES SPINDELL
% AS WRITING, THIS GREAT AND
% IMPORTANT DECREASE IN DEMOCRAT
% VOTES IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE
% WAS DUE TO A WELL THOUGHT OUT
% MULTIFACETED PLAN.
% DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING THAT'S
% VOTER SUPPRESSION.
% >> I TELL YOU WHAT THE
% MULTIFACETED PLAN IS, AND THAT
% IS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF
% WISCONSIN AND THE REPUBLICAN
% NATIONAL COMMITTEE OPENING
% OFFICES ON THE NORTH SIDE AND
% PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN%
NEIGHBORHOODS, AND ON THE SOUTH
% SIDE, IN PROMINENTLY LATINO
% NEIGHBORHOODS, STAFFING THEM
% WITH PAID STAFF, WITH
% VOLUNTEERS.
% WE'VE BEEN AS ACTIVE IN
% MILWAUKEE, AND I'VE BEEN ON THE
% BOARD WITH BOB SPINDELL FOR A
% LOT OF YEARS.
% HE'S BEEN THE CHIEF PROPONENT OF
% INCREASED ACTIVITY IN MILWAUKEE
% IN THE MINORITY COMMUNITY, SO
% PERHAPS THE STATEMENTS WEREN'T
% AS ARTFULLY PUT AS THEY COULD
% BE, BUT I DON'T DOUBT THAT HE
% MEANS THAT -- WHAT WE ALL MEAN
% AS THE PARTY AND I CERTAINLY
% MEAN AS THE PARTY LEADER, AND
% THAT IS THAT WE ARE ARE GOING TO
% CONTINUE TO WORK THOSE
% NEIGHBORHOODS AND OTHER
% NEIGHBORHOODS IN MILWAUKEE.
% I HAVE AN OFFICE IN MILWAUKEE
% FOR YEARS.
% WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK
% THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND FRANKLY
% WE UPTICKED A LITTLE BIT,
% REPUBLICANS DID GENERALLY IN
% MILWAUKEE, AND THAT'S GOING TO
% CONTINUE AND FRANKLY I WANT TO
% HIGHLIGHT MILWAUKEE AS THE
% REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
% COMES TO TOWN.
% SO IN FACT, I'VE BEEN MEETING ON
% THIS IN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, I
% WAS IN MILWAUKEE THE LAST COUPLE
% OF DAYS, SO WE'RE GOING TO
% CONTINUE OUR OUTREACH EFFORTS IN
% MILWAUKEE, AND I'M NOT GOING TO
% GET DISTRACTED BY THOSE KIND OF
% STORIES.%>> THERE IS A VERY I
MPORTANT
% SUPREME COURT ELECTION COMING
% UP, TWO LIBERALS, TWO
% CONSERVATIVES RUNNING.
% DO YOU ANTICIPATE THE PARTY
% GETTING INVOLVED IN THE PRIMARY?
% >> NO, I CAN'T IMAGINE A
% SITUATION IN WHICH WE GET
% INVOLVED IN THE PRIMARY IN THE
% SUPREME COURT RACE.%OF COURS
E THE PRIMARY COMING ON
% TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST.
% I THINK OUR ROLE AS THE PARTY
% AND MY ROLE AS THE PARTY
% CHAIRMAN STATEWIDE IS TO MAKE
% SURE, PAST THAT PRIMARY, THAT
% ONE OF THE CONSERVATIVES THAT WE
% HOPE WILL GET THROUGH, EVERY
% MODERATE TO CONSERVATIVE VOTER
% IN THIS STATE OUGHT TO KNOW
% ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
% THE CONSERVATIVES IN THIS RACE
% AND THE LIBERALS IN THIS RACE,
% AND THEY ARE, IN FACT, VERY,
% VERY LIBERAL.
% WE SAW THAT IN THE DEBATE, THAT
% HAPPENED THIS PAST WEEK, WHERE
% THEY WERE COMMENTING ON CASES
% THAT HAD BEEN BEFORE THE COURT
% OR MAY BE BEFORE THE COURT
% AGAIN.
% THAT IS -- NUMBER ONE, THAT'S
% FLAT OUT INAPPROPRIATE FOR THEM
% TO BE COMMENTING ON THOSE CASE,
% THE LIBERALS.
% SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE.
% BUT NUMBER TWO, I WANT TO MAKE
% SURE THAT FOLKS ALL ACROSS THE
% STATE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCES
% BETWEEN THE TWO CANDIDATE AND
% THAT'S A ROLE WE'LL HELP PLAY.
% >> WE'VE GOT ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT
% HERE.
% IN PAST SUPREME COURT ELECTIONS,
% IT'S RARE TO SEE TWO
% CONSERVATIVE CANDIDATES GO HEAD
% TO HEAD.
% IS THERE A CONCERN THAT THEY MAY
% UP EACH OTHER'S NEGATIVES BY
% SOME OF THE SNIPING THAT'S GOING
% BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THEM AND
% THEIR OPPONENTS AND EVEN THEIR
% SUPPORTERS?%>> RIGHT.%
THERE'S PROBABLY AS MUCH CONCERN
% ON THE LIBERAL SIDE BECAUSE
% THEY'RE HAVING QUITE A SHOOTOUT
% ON THEIR SIDE AS WELL, KIND OF A
% MILWAUKEE-BASED CANDIDATE VERSUS
% A MADISON-BASED CANNED TATE.
% CANDIDATE.
% SO I DON'T GET A LOT OF THAT
% CONCERN OUT THERE YET.
% THERE MAY BE AS WE'RE A NUMBER
% OF WAYS OUT FROM THE PRIMARY
% YET, BUT I SUSPECT THE LIBERALS
% ARE STARTING TO CUT AT EACH
% OTHER A LITTLE BIT AS WELL.
% SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
% BUT WE'LL BE UNIFIED AFTER
% FEBRUARY 21ST, THAT, I CAN TELL
% YOU.%>> ALL RIGHT.