% >> A FIRST
LOOK
TONIGHT AT THE
% GOVERNOR'S CALL
FOR
A
SPECIAL
% SESSION
THIS
WEEK
TO
TAKE UP
% GUN
CONTROL
LAWS.% THE
SESSION
DIDN'T
HAPPEN.% NO
DEBATE,
NO
VOTES.
% THE
CALL
WAS FOR 2:00
P.M.
ON
% THURSDAY.%AS
THE
HOUR
CAME AND
WENT
ONLY
% DEMOCRATS FILLED
THE
SENATE
% CHAMBERS AND
STOOD
IN
PRAYER.
% HOURS
LATER
INTO
THE
EVENING
% MAJORITY LEADER
SCOTT
% FITZGERALD GAVELED IN AND
OUT % OF
THE
SPECIAL
SESSION.
% THE
ASSEMBLY
ALSO
DECIDED
NOT % TO
DEBATE
OR
VOTE
OR
TWO
GUN
% MEASURES INCLUDING UNIVERSAL
% BACKGROUND CHECKS
AND A
RED % FLAG LAW.
% HERE
IS
THE RESPONSE
FROM
% GOVERNOR
EVERS.
% THEY JUST SAID
GO
JUMP
IN
THE
% LAKE BECAUSE
THEY
DIDN'T HAVE
% THE
COURAGE
TO
TAKE
A
VOTE,
% MUCH
LESS
HAVE
A
DIALOGUE
ON
% TWO
BILLS
ABOUT
UNIVERSAL
% BACKGROUND
CHECKS
AND
EXTREME
% RISK
PROTECTION
ORDERS
THAT WE % KNOW
CAN
SAVE
LIVES.
% FOR
HIS
PART
SENATE MAJORITY % LEADER
FITZGERALD
SAID
THIS.
% WE'VE
SEEN
LIBERALS
ACROSS
THE
% COUNTRY
RUN
ON
A
PLATFORM
FOR
% GUN
CONFISCATION AND
GOVERNOR
% EVERS
HAS LEFT
THAT
DOOR
OPEN.
% THE
SPECIAL
SESSION WAS
THE
% SECOND REJECTION
OF
THE
WEEK.% THE POLITICAL
BRAWLS
STARTED
% TUESDAY.%THAT'S
WHEN
STATE
AGRICULTURE
% DESIGNEE BRAD PFAFF
WAS
% SCHEDULED TO
BE
CONFIRMED BY
% THE
STATE SENATE.% BRAD
PFAFF'S
NOMINATION CAME
% WITH
THE ENDORSEMENT
OF
A
LONG
% LIST
OF
FARM
ORGANIZATIONS
% INCLUDING THE
DAIRY
BUSINESS % ASSOCIATION, WISCONSIN
% CHEESEMAKERS
ASSOCIATION, AND % THE
WISCONSIN
CORN
GROWERS.
% PRIOR
TO
THE
VOTE,
MAJORITY
% LEADER
SCOTT
FITZGERALD
% SIGNALED THAT
REPUBLICANS
WOULD % NOT
SUPPORT
THE
NOMINEE
EVEN
% THOUGH FIVE
REPUBLICAN
MEMBERS
% ON
THE
COMMITTEE THAT FORWARDED % PFAFF'S
NOMINATION
TO
THE
FLOOR
% HAD VOTED
IN
HIS
FAVOR.
% IN
ATTENDANCE
THE
GOVERNOR,
% WHICH
IN
ITSELF SIGNALED
THE % CONTROVERSIAL NATURE
OF
THE
% VOTE
THAT
REJECTED
A
CABINET
% NOMINATION BY A
GOVERNOR
FOR
% THE
FIRST
TIME IN
MODERN
STATE
% HISTORY.
% PRIOR
TO
THE
ROLL
CALL
% DEMOCRATS SPOKE ON
BEHALF
OF % PFAFF.
% >>
YOU
ARE GOING
TO
VOTE NO?
% THAT'S
SO BLATANTLY
POLITICAL.% WE'LL SEND
A MESSAGE
TO
THE
% GOVERNOR.%AND
WE'RE
GOING
TO TAKE
THE
% NUMBER
ONE ADVOCATE FOR
FAMILY
% FARMS
IN
THE
STATE
OF WISCONSIN % AND
CAST HIM
TO
THE
WIND.
% YOU
THINK THAT'S SENDING
A % MESSAGE
TO
THE
GOVERNOR?
% NO.
% YOU
ARE
SENDING
A
MESSAGE
TO
% THE AG COMMUNITY.
% THAT
EVEN
THOUGH
THEY
HAVE
A
% GREAT
SECRETARY DESIGNEE, THAT
% DOESN'T MATTER
TO
YOU
BECAUSE
% YOU
WOULD
RATHER PLAY
POLITICS % THAN
LOOK AT
THE ISSUES,
% QUALIFICATIONS
AND
ABILITY.
% >>
MAJORITY
LEADER
FITZGERALD
% SAY
IT
WAS
PFAFF
PLAYING
% POLITICS IN
HIS
TIME AS
THE
% SECRETARY DESIGNEE.
% >> I
TOLD
THE
GOVERNOR.
% I
DON'T
THINK THERE
IS
ENOUGH % SUPPORT FOR
HIM
BECAUSE
OF
A
% NUMBER OF
MISSTEPS
THAT
HAVE
% HAPPENED ACTUALLY GOING
BACK
TO % FEBRUARY.%AND I
DON'T
KNOW
IF
HE
WAS % CAUGHT
OFFGUARD
OR
NOT.
% I DON'T KNOW
IF
THE
CHIEF
OF % STAFF
WAS
CAUGHT
OFFGUARD.
% WE
STARTED
A
DISCUSSION
AND
WE
% STARTED TO ROLL
THROUGH
THE
% INDIVIDUAL
ISSUES
THAT
EX
% ITIONED AROUND
PFAFF
AND
THE
% ISSUES
THAT IN
AND
AROUND
% AGRICULTURE.%>>
THE
FINAL
VOTE
TO
REJECT
THE
% PFAFF NOMINATION RAN
ALONG % PARTY LINES.
% THE
WILD
WEEK
AT
THE
CAPITOL
% SHOWCASING DIVIDED
GOVERNMENT
% COULD HAVE
ITS
LASTING
EFFECTS.
% IN TONIGHT'S
CAPITOL
INSIGHT
% WISCONSIN
PUBLIC
TELEVISION
% STATE GOVERNMENT REPORTER LAURA
% WHITE
JOINS US
FROM
THE
CAPITAL.
% LAUREL, THANKS
FOR
DOING
SO.% THIS
WAS
THE
WEEK
THE
GOVERNOR
% CALLED THE SPECIAL SESSION
ON
% GUN
LAWS.% THE MAJORITY
MADE QUICK
WORK
OF
% THAT.
% DESCRIBE THE
MECHANICS.
% HOW
QUICKLY
DID
THE MAJORITY
% DISMISS
THIS
SESSION?
% >>
SO
THE
SENATE
CONVENED
AND
% ADJOURNED THE
SPECIAL
SESSION
% THERE IN
ABOUT
30
SECONDS.
% THE ASSEMBLY
CONVENED
AND
% ADJOURNED IN
ABOUT
15
SECONDS.
% SO
VERY QUICK SPECIAL
SESSIONS % TO SAY
THE
LEAST.
% >>
REPUBLICANS CERTAINLY % SENDING
A MESSAGE
TO
THE
% GOVERNOR.
% >>
THEY
WERE.
% THIS
IS
SOMETHING
THAT WE'VE
% BEEN
EXPECTING FOR
A
LITTLE
BIT.
% REPUBLICANS KNEW
WHAT
THE
TWO
% BILLS
WERE
THE
GOVERNOR
WAS
% CALLING FOR
ACTION
ON
AND
% DIDN'T
HAVE
THE
SUPPORT
IN
% EITHER CHAMBER TO
PASS
THE
% BILLS.%THEY
DECIDED THEY DIDN'T
WANT
% DEBATE ON
THE MEASURES BECAUSE
% THEY KNEW
THEY
WERE
OPPOSED.
% IT
LED
TO PUSHBACK
FROM
% DEMOCRATS SAYING
THEY WERE
KIND
% OF
AVOIDING
HAVING A
% CONVERSATION ABOUT GUN LAWS
IN % WISCONSIN.
% >>
SO WHAT'S
THE
GOVERNOR'S
% MESSAGE
BACK
TO
REPUBLICANS % AFTER
THAT
DISMISSIVE
MOVE?
% >>
THE
DEMOCRATS
AND
THE
% GOVERNOR ARE
BOTH
SAYING,
YOU
% KNOW,
THESE
MEASURES
THAT
WE
% PUT FORWARD ARE
VERY POPULAR
% WITH
THE
PUBLIC.
% THEY
POINT
TO
MARQUETTE
POLL
% SAYING
THAT
EACH
OF
THOSE
TWO
% BILLS
HAVE
EACH 80%
SUPPORT
OR % HIGHER.%SO
THEY
ARE
SAYING
THAT
% REPUBLICANS ARE
ESSENTIALLY
% DOING THIS
KIND
OF AT
THEIR
OWN
% EXPENSE AT
THE POLLS
% POTENTIALLY
FOR
THE
NEXT
% ELECTION GOING
AGAINST IN THEIR
% VIEW
THE
WILL OF
THE
WISCONSIN
% VOTERS.
% >>
WHAT
IS
HAPPENING
ON
ANOTHER
% MEASURE
WITH
THE
DATCP
POSITION?
% >>
THE
GOVERNOR
ANNOUNCED
HE
% HAS APOINT AN
INTERIM
SECRETARY
% FOR THE
DEPARTMENT
OF
% AGRICULTURE.%RANDY ROMAN
SKI
WILL SERVE
IN
% THE ROLE.%WE
HAVE SOMEONE AT
THE HELM
OF
% THE
AGENCY
UNTIL
THE
GOVERNOR % MAKES HIS NEXT
NOMINATION
FOR
% THE PERSON THAT
WILL
HAVE
TO
GO
% THROUGH
THIS
CONFIRMATION % PROCESS FROM
SQUARE ONE.
% >>
SO
AGAIN
YOU
JUST
CALLED
HIM
% INTERIM AND EXACTLY WHAT
DOES
% THAT
MEAN?
% DO
WE HAVE
THAT
TIME FRAME?
% >>
NO.
% I
DON'T
THINK
ANYBODY
HAS
A
% STRONG IDEA OF
HOW LONG
HE
IS
% GOING
TO
BE
SERVING IN THAT
% ROLE
OR
WHO THE
GOVERNOR
MIGHT
% PUT
FORWARD
IN
A
MORE PERMANENT
% CAPACITY
FOR
DATCP.
% HE
SAID
IMMEDIATELY
AFTER
PFAFF
% WAS
VOTED
DOWN
HE
DIDN'T
HAVE
% PLANS
FOR
THE
AGENCY
BECAUSE HE
% WAS
SO
UPSET
BY
WHAT HAPPENED
% WITH
THE
SENATE.% THIS
IS
SOMETHING
THAT IS
% DEFINITELY
STILL
EVOLVING IN
% THE
GOVERNOR'S
OFFICE.
% >>
HAS
A
STATE
SENATE
REJECTION % OF A
NOMINEE
EVER HAPPENED
IN
% STATE
HISTORY?% WE'VE BEEN
READING
ABOUT
THAT.
% >>
WE
DON'T
HAVE A CONCRETE
% ANSWER TO
THAT.
% WE
KNOW
IT
HASN'T
HAPPENED
IN
% AT LEAST THE
LAST
30
YEARS.
% THAT'S AS
FAR
BACK
AS
THE
% LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU
% HAS
GONE
WITH THEIR
RECORDS
TO % 1987.
% THEY
SAID IT
WOULD
HAVE
BEEN % EVEN LONGER
THAN THAT.
% >>
HAVE
YOU
EVER
SEEN
OR
HAVE
% OTHERS
IN
THE
CAPITOL
CORE
EVER
% SEEN
A
GOVERNOR
IN
THE
CHAMBERS
% AS
THIS
KIND
OF ACTION
WAS
% TAKING PLACE?
% >>
NO.% THAT
WAS
INCREDIBLY
UNUSUAL.
% I
THINK
VETERAN
REPORTERS
WERE
% TALKING ABOUT HOW
THEY HAD
% NEVER
SEEN
IT.
% ACTUALLY
A
REPORTER
REACHED
OUT
% TO
A SENATOR
IN
OFFICE
FOR
MORE
% THAN
50
YEARS
SAYING
HE
HAD
% NEVER
SEEN
A
GOVERNOR
ON THE
% SENATE FLOOR
WATCHING
A
DEBATE.
% IT
WAS
A
REALLY
UNUSUAL
VOTE
TO % OUST
A
CABINET
SECRETARY
AND
% UNUSUAL
MOVE
FOR
A GOVERNOR
TO
% BE THERE WITNESSING THE DEBATE
% ABOUT IT.
% >> THANK Y