>> I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
TONIGHT ON "HERE AND NOW," WE
HEAR FROM AN EXPERT ON SEXUAL
HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT, AS MORE
AND MORE WOMEN GO PUBLIC.
AFTER THAT A CLOSER LOOK AT THE
2018 GOVERNOR'S RACE.
THE LATEST ON THE CALL FOR MORE
POSITIONS AT THE STATE ELECTIONS
COMMISSION.
AND A CWD UPDATE IN THE MIDST OF
THE 2017 DEER HUNT SEASON.
IT'S "HERE AND NOW" FOR
NOVEMBER 24.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
>> DAY AFTER DAY, MORE AND MORE
REPORTS OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT,
EVEN SEXUAL ASSAULT, ARE IN THE
NEWS.
IS THIS THE TIPPING POINT OR THE
TIP OF THE ICEBERG?
WE ASKED ERIN THORNLEY-PARISI,
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RAPE
CRISIS CENTER IN MADISON, AN
EXPERT ON THESE MATTERS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
HERE.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
>> SO AS TO THAT QUESTION, DO
YOU BELIEVE THIS IS THE TIPPING
POINT OR TIP OF THE ICEBERG?
>> BOTH.
I THINK THAT IT IS THE TIP OF
THE ICEBERG AS FAR AS WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO FIND BECAUSE WOMEN ARE
FINALLY FEELING THAT --
EMPOWERED TO COME FORWARD, AND
THEIR JOBS ARE A LITTLE SAFER
BECAUSE PLACES LIKE CBS ARE
SPEAKING UP AND BEING PROTECTIVE
OF THEIR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE BEEN
SEXUALLY HARASSED.
I THINK THAT IT'S JUST GOING TO
BE KIND OF AN AVALANCHE.
BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE TURNING
POINT AS WELL.
YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT
THIS IS JUST ALLOWING A LOT MORE
PEOPLE TO FEEL FREE TO GET THE
HELP THAT THEY NEED.
>> SPEAKING OF THAT, WERE YOU
SURPRISED BY THE ME TOO TWITTER
RESPONSE?
>> I WAS.
INITIALLY I WAS VERY SURPRISED.
IT WAS KIND OF THIS -- I WAS AT
HOME AND JUST WATCHING IT AND IT
WAS TIKE A TICKER TAPE, LITTLE
HEARTS POPPING UP AND THE THE
RETWEETS AND IT WAS KIND OF
ASTONISHING.
IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO SEE ALL
OF THESE PEOPLE JUST COMING OUT
AND BEING ABLE TO TALK, FOR
ONCE, ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE AND
HAVE THEM BE BELIEVED.
THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART.
>> HOW DO ALL OF THESE REPORTS
KIND OF TRIGGER PEOPLE, THOUGH,
ABOUT THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED
TO THEM THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE
BURIED?
>> RIGHT.
IT IS VERY TRIGGERING FOR MANY
PEOPLE, AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE
GOOD PART IS IS THAT THERE ARE
HELP LINES LIKE OURS.
THERE ARE THESE ALL OVER THE
NATION.
THERE'S EVEN A NATIONAL HELP
LINE THAT PEOPLE CAN CALL AND
TALK.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S THE HARD
PART, IS THAT WE HAVE A HELP
LINE.
WE TAKE ABOUT 2500 CALLS A YEAR,
MAYBE 3,000.
THAT'S REALLY NOT THAT MANY
CALLS.
AND I ALWAYS WISH THAT MORE
PEOPLE WOULD CALL.
AND NOW I'M REALLY HOPING THIS
RESULTS IN MORE PEOPLE CALLING
AND SAYING I JUST NEED TO TALK
AND FIND OUT WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE
IF I WANT TO PURSUE THIS
LEGALLY.
>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT ME
TOO HASHTAG, BUT FOR EVERY ONE
THAT WAS POSTED, RECALL, ARE THERE AN
EQUAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT
AREN'T GOING THERE?
>> OH, SURE.
ONE OUT OF TEN PEOPLE REPORT
SEXUAL ASSAULT, SO I'M SURE
THERE WERE DOZENS BEHIND EVERY
HASHTAG.
>> WHY DON'T PEOPLE REPORT?
>> BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BELIEVED.
THAT'S HANDS-DOWN THE MOST
IMPORTANT NING OR THING FOR THE MOST
PREVALENT REASON.
THE FIRST REACTION PEOPLE HAVE
IS DISBELIEF AND VICTIM-BLAMING.
AND WE JUST SAY TO A WOMAN WHO
SAYS I WAS, YOU KNOW, MY
BOYFRIEND RAPED ME LAST NIGHT OR
SOMETHING, WE JUST IMMEDIATELY
START TRYING TO EXCUSE HIS
BEHAVIOR.
WELL, MAYBE HE WAS DRUNK.
WELL, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, AND WE
COMPLETELY DISMISS THE EFFECT
THAT THAT HAD ON HER.
>> WHAT IS THIS LIKE FOR MEN WHO
WOULD NEVER BEHAVE THIS WAY?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S -- YOU
KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS ON
FACEBOOK AND I HAVE PEOPLE IN MY
LIFE WHO WOULD NEVER BEHAVE THIS
WAY.
AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS
FEELING DISAPPOINTED IN OTHER
MEN.
THEY ARE TRYING TO STEP UP.
THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY THINGS
NOW.
I THINK IT ALSO GIVES MEN THE
FREEDOM NOW TO SAY, HEY, CUT
THAT OUT.
HEY, DON'T DO THAT.
AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE JUDGED
FOR THEM BEING WIMPY OR WHATEVER
THE TERM MIGHT BE.
>> SO FAR, THESE REPORTS INVOLVE
KIND OF HOLLYWOOD OR POLITICAL
FIGURES OR STAR JOURNALISTS.
BUT THIS HARASSMENT IS CERTAINLY
NOT LIMITED TO BIG-NAME PEOPLE.
>> OH, HEAVENS NO.
WE ALL DEAL WITH IT.
I'VE DEALT WITH HARASSMENT
THROUGHOUT MY CAREER IN THE
DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT I'VE
WORKED IN.
NO.
IT'S EXTREMELY COMMON.
AND THIS IS -- IN MANY WAYS IT
HAS BEEN A WAY OF LIFE FOR
WOMEN.
AND SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT RIGHT NOW THIS KIND OF, YOU
KNOW, MASK IS BEING LIFTED UP
AND EVERYBODY IS GETTING TO SEE
THAT THIS DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN TO
ME.
IT HAPPENS TO EVERYBODY ELSE.
AND I THINK THAT ALTHOUGH I'M
SHOCKED THAT PEOPLE ARE SHOCKED,
YOU KNOW, MEN ARE FINALLY ABLE
TO SEE WHAT WE'VE BEEN LIVING
WITH OUR ENTIRE LIVES.
>> YOU SPOKE A MOMENT AGO ABOUT
HOW IT KIND OF GIVES MEN THE
FREEDOM TO SAY, HEY, CUT IT OUT,
THAT KIND OF THING.
BUT GENERALLY MEN AND WOMEN,
WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE DO IN THE
FACE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT?
>> THEY DO NEED TO STOP IT RIGHT
THERE, BECAUSE SEXUAL HARASSMENT
IS A FORM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.
AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS BAD
IN AND OF ITSELF, BUT IT CAN
ALSO LEAD TO MORE ADVANCED
SEXUALLY ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO JUST SAY,
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT TREATING
HER VERY WELL.
THAT'S INAPPROPRIATE.
WHATEVER WORDS FEEL RELEVANT TO
THE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU'RE IN.
YOU KNOW, WHICH CAN BE VERY
DIFFERENT IN A WORKPLACE THAN
THEY CAN BE, FOR INSTANCE, ON AN
ATHLETIC FIELD.
>> WHAT ABOUT THIS WHOLE IDEA
THAT IT'S JUST BOYS BEING BOYS
OR LOCKER ROOM TALK OR OTHER
KINDS OF THINGS WE'VE HEARD.
SO YOU COME FORWARD AND SAY,
HEY, CUT IT OUT, THAT'S
INAPPROPRIATE, YOU LOOK LIKE
YOU'RE NOT A TEAM PLAYER.
YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'RE ON THE
OUTSIDE.
>> I THINK THAT YOU MAY --
ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNGER BOYS,
THEY MAY FEEL THAT'S WHAT IT
MAKES THEM LOOK LIKE, BUT IN ALL
HONESTY THEY LOOK LIKE A LEADER.
AND THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT
THEY'RE RECOGNIZE TO RECOGNIZE
LATER IN THEIR LIFE, IS THAT THE
PERSON WHO DOES STEP UP AND
PROTECT SOMEBODY, EVEN IF THE
PURPOSE IS NOT THERE, THEY'RE
JUST TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY,
THAT PERSON WHO STEPS UP REALLY
IS SHOWING LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
>> NOW, AT THE UNIVERSITY WE
WERE ALL MANDATED TO TAKE ONLINE
SEXUAL HARASSMENT TRAINING.
HOW IMPORTANT OR HOW UNIMPORTANT
ARE THESE KINDS OF ONLINE
TRAININGS?
>> I THINK THEY ARE IMPORTANT IN
JUST IN THAT WE HAVE TO CAST A
WIDE NET AND WE REALLY HAVE TO
COVER A LOT OF GROUND AND TALK
ABOUT THIS IN MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS.
SO I WOULD HATE TO SEE THAT GO
AWAY.
I WISH THAT THERE WAS MORE OF
IT.
>> MORE ROBUST KIND OF TRAINING.
>> YES.
YES.
>> I KNOW OBVIOUSLY IN CONGRESS
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT NOW.
>> YEAH.
>> AND HOW SHOULD -- BRIEFLY, WE
ONLY HAVE ABOUT A HALF A MINUTE
LEFT, BUT HOW SHOULD THAT
TRAINING LOOK?
>> IT SHOULD LOOK ALL ABOUT
HUMANIZING WOMEN AND ABOUT
RESPECTING WOMEN, SO THAT WE'RE
REALLY TYING IT ALL TOGETHER AND
SAYING NOT ONLY CAN YOU NOT
SEXUALLY HARASS WOMEN, BUT YOU
CAN'T TREAT WOMEN UNEQUALLY.
>> WE EXPECT TO CONTINUE THIS
CONVERSATION IN THE WEEKS AND
MONTHS AHEAD.
>> GREAT.
>> ERIN THORNLEY-PARISI, THANKS
VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IN TONIGHT'S CLOSER LOOK, THE
ELECTION FOR GOVERNOR IN
WISCONSIN IS NOW JUST SHY OF A
YEAR AWAY AND DEMOCRATS ARE
LINING UP TO RUN AGAINST SCOTT
WALKER.
TONIGHT, SOME INSIGHT INTO THE
RACE FROM A POLITICAL EXPERT,
THE TWO MAJORITY POLITICAL
PARTIES AND THE CANDIDATES
THEMSELVES.
>> REBECCA AND I ARE ASKING FOR
FOUR MORE YEARS TO SERVE AS YOUR
GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT
GOVERNOR, TO MOVE WISCONSIN
FORWARD!
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> WITH THAT ANNOUNCEMENT
EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE RACE IS
ON.
>> FOUR MORE YEARS.
FOUR MORE YEARS TO KEEP MOVING
THIS STATE FORWARD.
AND LOOKING AHEAD.
WE WANT A STATE WHERE EVERYONE
SHARES, EVERYONE SHARES IN OUR
ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, WHETHER YOU
LIVE IN A BIG CITY OR A SMALL
TOWN.
>> AND THE INCUMBENT FIGURES TO
POWER THROUGH.
>> SCOTT WALKER HAD A NEAR DEATH
EXPERIENCE AS A RESULT OF HIS
RUN FOR PRESIDENT.
>> UW-MILWAUKEE POLITICAL
SCIENTIST MORDECAI LEE SAYS THE
BOTTOM DROPPED OUT FOR SCOTT
WALKER AT THAT TIME, HIS POLLING
IN THE MID 30s.
>> TODAY, I BELIEVE THAT I'M
BEING CALLED TO LEAD BY HELPING
TO CLEAR THE FIELD IN THIS RACE
SO THAT A POSITIVE, CONSERVATIVE
MESSAGE CAN RISE TO THE TOP OF
THE FIELD.
WITH THIS IN MIND, I WILL
SUSPEND MY CAMPAIGN.
>> BUT HE'S BACK, HIS NUMBERS IN
A POSITION TO WIN.
LEE CALLS HIM A POLITICAL
EVER-READY BATTERY.
>> I THINK WE SHOULD RECOGNIZE
THAT THE WAY HE CLAWED HIS WAY
BACK TO POLITICAL VIABILITY IS A
VAITION OFINDICATION OF HIS POLITICAL
SKILLS.
ONE HAS TO RESPECT WHAT AN
ADEPTABLE ANDANADAPTABLE POLITICIAN HE IS.
>> NOT SO SAY THE CANDIDATES
WE'VE INTERVIEWED, WHEN ASKED
WHAT SETS THEM APART FROM EACH
OTHER, STARTING WITH TONY EVERS,
WHO HAS WON THREE STATEWIDE
RACES FOR SUPERINTENDENT OF
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
>> I WON 70 OF 72 COUNTIES.
>> SOMEONE WHO'S HELPED
COMPANIES SOLVE PROBLEMS AND
ACCESS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A
YEAR.
IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT SKILL SET.
>> THEY ALL HAVE AT LEAST ONE
THING IN COMMON.
THEY SEEM VERY COMFORTABLE
OPERATING WITHIN THE POLITICAL
SYSTEM AS IT CURRENTLY
FUNCTIONS.
AND I'M NOT.
>> I THINK BEING AN ADVOCATE FOR
THE MIDDLE CLASS, I THINK I'M
BEST-SUITED TO TAKE OUR CASE
INTO THAT BUILDING AND MAKE SURE
THAT THE MIDDLE CLASS IS BEING
HEARD.
>> I COME TO POLITICS LATER IN
MY CAREER.
I WORKED IN HEALTH CARE.
I SPENT TEN YEARS AS A
UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR.
>> I WAS THE CHAIR OF THIS PARTY
FOR FOUR YEARS, FOR TWO TERMS,
RETIRED OUR DEBT.
WE ELECTED A DEMOCRATIC GOVERNOR
AND MAJORITIES TO THE
LEGISLATURE.
>> WE ALL HAVE THE SYTION VISION FOR A
PROSPEROUS WISCONSIN.
>> I'VE BEEN A FIREFIGHTER FOR
20 YEARS GIVING BACK TO MY
COMMUNITY.
WE LEAD.
WE DON'T DIVIDE.
WE UNITE EACH OTHER.
WE HAVE ONE COMMON GOAL, TO HELP
EACH OTHERS.
>> THE REPUBLICANS SPENT ALL
THEIR TIME DOING WHAT'S RIGHT
FOR THE WEALTHY AND FOR GIVING
HANDOUTS TO CORPORATION.
IT'S TIME WE BRING POLITICS BACK
TO THE PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO STAND
FOR, TALKING ABOUT THOSE ISSUES.
WE ALREADY ARE.
OUR CANDIDATES ARE DOING EXACTLY
THAT.
>> I THINK THE CONFIDENCE THAT
WE DERIVE IS FROM THE STRENGTH
OF OUR CANDIDATE AND THE
STRENGTH OF OUR MESSAGE.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT
IN THE FACT THAT GOVERNOR WALKER
WHEN HE HAS THE CHANCE TO LAY
OUT HIS REFORMS AND LAY OUT HIS
MESSAGE FOR THE VOTERS, IT'S A
COMPELLING MESSAGE, WHEN YOU GET
TO TALK ABOUT HOW THE STATE HAS
COME BACK FROM WHERE WE WERE IN
2017 AND HIS PLANSTEN AND2010 AND HIS PLANS TO MOVE US
FORWARD.
>> MORDECAI LEE SAYS CAMPAIGN
WATCHERS SHOULD EXPECT A
CONTINUED PLAY TO THE MIDDLE
FROM SCOTT WALKER.
>> I THINK HIS LAST BUDGET WAS
THE LEAST IDEOLOGICAL BUDGET IN
THE SENSE OF, YEAH, HE REFUSED
TO INCREASE THE GAS TAX AND IT
WAS A SOFT TO THE IDEOLOGICAL
PURIST.
ON THE OTHER HAND, HE INCREASED
FUNDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION,
WHICH IS A VERY POPULAR THING TO
DO.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
SEEING THIS TIME AROUND IS A
GOVERNOR RUNNING FOR REELECTION
AS A MODERATE REPUBLICAN AS
OPPOSED TO AS AN IDEOLOGICAL TEA
PARTY REPUBLICAN.
>> HIS AGENDA DOESN'T WORK.
HE WAS BIG AND BOLD AND MADE ALL
KINDS OF PROMISES, THE JOB
CREATION.
HE STILL HASN'T DELIVERED ON
THAT.
IT'S SEVEN YEARS LATER.
>> THOUGH NOT MAKING IT A
CENTERPIECE OF HIS CAMPAIGN,
WALKER DID SIGN THE $3 BILLION
DEAL ON A POTENTIAL 13,000 JOBS
WITH FOXCONN, SOMETHING
DEMOCRATS CALL A RECKLESS
GIVEAWAY.
ASIDE FROM THE ISSUES, LEE SAYS
PERSONALITY PLAYS A ROLE.
>> WHAT THE DEMOCRATS NEED IS
SOMEBODY WHO'S GOOD ON THEIR
FEET, WHO'S GOOD VERBALLY AND
WHO'S GOT THE DISCIPLINE TO ONLY
SAY WHAT SHOULD BE SAID AND NOT
START IMPROVISING OR SAYING
THINGS ON AN AD HOC BASIS.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FIND
SOME WAY TO ARTICULATE A REASON
THAT PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE FOR
THEM.
>> ARTICULATING MESSAGES ON BOTH
SIDES WILL BE AIDED BY A CHANGE
IN WISCONSIN LAW THAT NOW MEANS
CANDIDATES OF ALL STRIPES CAN
COORDINATE WITH INDEPENDENT
SPENDING GROUPS.
AND MORDECAI LEE SAYS WITH,
QUOTE, MONEY BEING THE MOTHER'S
MILK OF POLITICS, THIS CHANGE
WILL OPEN UP THE FLOODGATES.
>> THIS IS SO REVOLUTIONARY IN
TERMS OF ITS IMPACT ON WISCONSIN
POLITICS, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO
SEE THE FIRST $100 MILLION
CAMPAIGN IN WISCONSIN.
WE'RE GOING TO SEE WALL-TO-WALL
TV ADVERTISING.
WE'RE GOING TO EXPERIENCE THINGS
WE'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE.
>> NOW TO MORE STATE POLITICAL
NEWS.
WISCONSIN WAS ONE OF 21 STATES
TARGETED BY RUSSIAN HACKERS IN
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
NOW THE STATE ELECTION
COMMISSION WANTS MORE STAFF.
THE COMMISSION IS ASKING THE
LEGISLATURE FOR THE FUNDING.
ELECTIONS COMMISSION
ADMINISTRATOR MICHAEL HAAS IS
HERE WITH DETAILS.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
>> SURE.
>> SO WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING?
>> WE ARE SEEKING THREE
ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT ARE
PROGRAM POSITIONS FOR OUR
AGENCY.
AND IT IS PARTLY ABOUT ELECTION
SECURITY, BUT NOT ALL ABOUT
ELECTION SECURITY, NOT ALL ABOUT
THE RUSSIANS.
THERE ARE SOME BASIC POSITIONS
THAT WE FEEL OUR AGENCY NEEDS IN
ORDER TO FULFILL ALL OF ITS
RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE
STATUTES.
>> WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DON'T GET
THESE?
>> WELL, I THINK IT'S GOING TO
PUT US IN A LITTLE BIT OF A
BIND.
AS YOU KNOW, UNDER THE BUDGET
THE LEGISLATURE APPROVED, FIVE
OF THESE POSITIONS, WHICH WERE
ACTUALLY CONTINUING POSITIONS
AND THE GOVERNOR'S VETO REDUCED
THAT, SO BOTH OUR COMMISSION AND
THE LEGISLATURE RECOGNIZE THAT
WE NEEDED FIVE POSITIONS TO
CONTINUE WHAT WE ARE ALREADY
DOING.
IF WE DON'T HAVE THESE THREE
POSITIONS IN ADDITION TO THE
ADDITIONAL STEPS WE'RE PLANNING
TO TAKE, I THINK EVENTUALLY
WE'RE GOING TO BE FALLING BEHIND
AND WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THAT
ALREADY.
>> FALLING BEHIND HOW?
>> WELL, A LOT OF OUR JOB HAS TO
DO WITH SUPPORTING CLERKS AT THE
LOCAL LEVEL SO THAT THEY CAN RUN
ELECTIONS.
AND WE MAINTAIN THE VOTER
REGISTRATION DATABASE, WHICH
CREATES POLL LISTS, MAKE SURE
VOTERS ARE IN THE RIGHT PLACE.
THERE'S JUST A LOT OF STEPS FROM
A CANDIDATE GETTING CERTIFIED TO
BEING ON THE BALLOT TO ELECTION
DAY AND WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE
CLERKS OOND AND EVENTUALLY THE THINGS
WE'RE FALLING BEHIND IN ARE
GOING TO SHOW UP AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL.
>> WHAT IS THE STATUS ON ANY
KIND OF NEW SECURITY MEASURES TO
PROTECT THE INTEGRITY OF THE
ELECTION?
>> ONE OF OUR BIG PROJECTS IS
OUR ELECTION SECURITY PLANNING,
WHICH WE UNDERTOOK THIS YEAR.
ACTUALLY, IT'S A CONTINUATION OF
WHAT WE HAD BEEN DOING, BUT IT'S
OBVIOUSLY A LOT MORE PROMINENT
NOW.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT IRONIC IN THAT
WE'RE PROBABLY ONE OF THE
SMALLEST STATE AGENCIES AND YET
WE ARE IN THE POSITION OF TRYING
TO ENSURE THAT ALL THE LOCAL
CLERKS, 1853 LOCAL CLERKS AROUND
THE STATE, HAVE THE I.T.
SECURITY THAT THEY NEED TO KEEP
PERSONAL INFORMATION SAFE AND TO
KEEP VOTER INFORMATION AND
ELECTION INFORMATION SAFE.
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER STATE
AGENCY THAT HAS REALLY TAKEN ON
THE TASK OF WORKING WITH LOCAL
OFFICIALS TO PROTECT DATA THAT
EVENTUALLY COMES TO THE STATE.
>> HOW CONCERNED ARE YOU HEADING
INTO ANOTHER ROUND OF ELECTIONS
ABOUT, I MEAN EVEN RUSSIAN
HACKERS?
>> IT'S ONE OF OUR -- ONE OF
MANY CONCERNS.
AND IT'S CERTAINLY BEEN MORE IN
THE NEWS LATELY.
WE ARE PUTTING IN A LOT OF NEW
STEPS, WORKING WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY,
AS WELL AS THE STATE DEPARTMENT
OF ADMINISTRATION, WHICH REALLY
DOES A GREAT JOB PROVIDING
CYBERSECURITY AT THE STATEWIDE
LEVEL.
BUT NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE ANOTHER
HEADLINE THAT OUR STATE WAS THE
TARGET OF HACKING, MUCH LESS
THAT ANYBODY WAS SUCCESSFUL IN
BREACHING A SYSTEM OR GETTING
ACCESS TO DATA.
>> NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE
GOVERNOR HAD SAID THAT HE
THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS THE
ELECTIONS COMMISSION COULD GET
BY AND MAKE DO WITH KIND OF TEMP
OR CONTRACT EMPLOYEES.
WHAT ABOUT THAT?
>> WELL, THERE'S SOME TRUTH TO
THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, WE DO APPRECIATE
THERE WAS A BIG STEP IN THE
BUDGET THAT BOTH THE GOVERNOR
AND THE LEGISLATURE SUPPORTED,
WHICH WAS TO MAKE MOST OF OUR
STAFF, WHICH IS
FEDERALLY-FUNDED, INTO STATE
PERMANENT POSITIONS, BECAUSE
THOSE FEDERAL FUNDS ARE RUNNING
OUT WITHIN A YEAR.
SO THAT WAS A BIG BOOST TO THE
STABILITY OF OUR STAFF AND THE
AGENCY.
WE DO CURRENTLY USE SOME
CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR I.T.
DEVELOPERS, FOR INSTANCE, AND WE
ARE PLANNING TO AT CERTAIN
POINTS IN THE PROCESS TO BRING
ON A HANDFUL OF TEMPORARY STAFF.
THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH SOME THINGS
FOR US, BUT THERE ARE SOME
LYRMT LIMITS TO WHAT YOU CAN DO
WHEN YOU BRING IN TEMPORARY
STAFF FOR A FEW WEEKS.
>> WHAT'S YOUR EXPECTATION AS TO
WHETHER YOU WILL GET THIS
FUNDING?
>> WE'RE OPTIMISTIC.
WE MEET WITH DEPARTMENT OF
ADMINISTRATION NEXT WEEK TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT THE PROCESS IS.
THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF
UNCERTAINTY BECAUSE THESE
POSITIONS ARE TRANSITIONING FROM
FEDERAL TO STATE POSITIONS AND
SO THE LEGISLATIVE MECHANISM IS
SOMETHING WE IMMEDIATE WE NEED TO WORK OUT.
WE'RE HOPING WE CAN GET ON THE
SAME PAGE WITH DOA AND
ADMINISTRATION AND LEGISLATURE
AND MAKE THIS HAPPEN SO THAT
WE'RE FULLY STAFFED FOR 2018.
>> MICHAEL HAAS, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH.
>> INC. THAT YOU.
>> MORE THAN 600,000 HUNTERS ARE
EXPECTED TO TAKE PART IN THE GUN
SEASON WHICH WRAPS UP SUNDAY.
WHERE IS WISCONSIN ON ITS
MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC WASTING
DISEASE IN THE DEER POPULATION?
FOR THAT WE TURN TO RON SEELEY,
AN ENVIRONMENT WRITER COVERING
ISSUES IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION
WHO COVERED SCIENCE AND THE
ENVIRONMENT AT THE WISCONSIN
STATE JOURNAL.
THANKS A LOT FOR BEING HERE.
>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> SO CWD FIRST EMERGED IN
WISCONSIN IN 2002.
I REMEMBER AT THAT TIME IT WAS
REALLY TREATED VERY URGENTLY.
HOW AND WHY HAS THAT CHANGED?
>> LOTS OF BIG HEADLINES.
I WAS WORKING THE BEAT AT THE
STATE JOURNAL THEN AND REMEMBER
WHEN THE ANNOUNCEMENT WAS MADE
AND WHAT A SHOCK IT WAS IN THE
WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY
AND FOR HUNTERS.
I HAD FAMILIES CALLING ME
WHETHER THEY SHOULD EAT THE
VENISON IN THEIR FREEZERS
BECAUSE OF CWD AND ITS ABILITY
TO SPREAD TO HUMANS.
THERE WAS ENOUGH ALARM THAT
0,00040,000 DEER WERE TESTED.
LAST YEAR, OVER 6,000 DEER WERE
TESTED.
THERE'S BEEN A TREMENDOUS
DOWNTURN IN ATTENTION.
>> IF THERE'S BEEN A DOWNTURN,
WHAT HAS HAND HAPPENED TO THE SPREAD?
>> IT'S CONTINUED TO SPREAD.
THE RATES HAVE GONE UP.
FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS THERE'S
BEEN AN INCREASE IN THE RATE OF
GROWTH.
THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF
THINGS THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER
THAT AREN'T GOOD.
ONE, WE -- THE DNR IS DOING LESS
TESTING.
TODAY THE TESTING IS ALMOST
ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY.
THERE ARE KIOSKS WHERE THE
HUNTERS CAN DO THE TESTING.
THEY CAN FIND OUT WHERE THOSE
ARE ON THE DNR WEB PAGE.
BUT MANY FEWER HUNTERS ARE
TESTING THEIR DEER.
LIKE I SAID, 6,000 LAST YEAR.
THAT'S A PROBLEM TWOR TWO FOR TWO
REASONS.
ONE, YOU HAVE FEWER HUNTERS
TESTING THE DEER TO SEE IF IT'S
SAFE TO EAT.
IT'S A MATTER OF HEALTH.
THE DNR ISN'T COLLECTING ENOUGH
DATA TO ALLOW IT TO MAKE
IMPORTANT MANAGEMENT DECISIONS.
THEY HAVE TO REACH A CERTAIN
THRESHOLD IN THE NUMBER OF TESTS
THEY DO, ESPECIALLY IN AREAS
WHERE IT'S NEWLY SPREAD, LIKE
OCONTO AND ONEIDA COUNTY.
THEY'RE NOT DOING THE NUMBER OF
TESTS THEY NEED TO DO IN THOSE
AREAS.
>> THE CENTER FOR DISEASE
CONTROL RECOMMENDS NOT EATING
INFECTED DEER OR ELK, BUT CWD IS
NOT KNOWN TO CROSS INTO HUMANS,
SO WHY THAT PRECAUTION?
>> WELL, THAT'S WHERE THE
SCIENCE COMES IN.
RESEARCHERS ARE COMING AT THIS
FROM A NUMBER OF ANGLES.
REMEMBER THAT THIS IS CAUSED BY
A STRANGE THING CALLED A PRION,
A MISFOLDED PROTEIN.
I REMEMBER TRYING TO FIND
SOMETHING WHO KNEW ABOUT IT.
WE STILL DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT
PRIONS.
IT WAS ODD TO PEOPLE THAT A
DISEASE COULD BE CAUSED BY A
PROTEIN RATHER THAN A BACTERIA
OR VIRUS.
SO WE KNEW VERY LITTLE ABOUT HOW
IT SPREAD, HOW THEY WORKED AND
SO FORTH.
SO THE MAIN THING THAT
RESEARCHERS WERE WORKING AT WAS
TRYING TO -- INITIALLY WAS
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHETHER
THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT THIS
COULD SPREAD TO HUMANS.
NOW, WE'VE BEEN PROTECTED,
RESEARCHERS THOUGHT, BY A
SPECIES BARRIER THAT KEEPS CWD
FROM CROSSING TO HUMANS.
>> HAS THIS RESEARCH CHANGED?
>> IT HAS CHANGED.
YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, TOO, THAT
MAD COW DISEASE DID CROSS THE
SPECIES BARRIER IN PEOPLE AND
KILLED A NUMBER OF PEOPLE,
INCLUDING AMERICANS WHO ATE
BEEF.
IT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST.
BUT MOST RECENTLY THE THING THAT
IS ALARMING WHEN COMBINED WITH
THESE LOWER TESTING NUMBERS IS
THAT IN CANADA LAST YEAR
RESEARCHERS WERE ABLE TO FEED
CWD-INFECTED MATERIAL TO
MONKEYS, AND THOSE MONKEYS
CONTRACTED THE DISEASE AND
THAT'S ALARMING.
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S GOING
TO REACH HUMANS RIGHT AWAY, BUT
IT MEANS THAT THAT SPECIES
BARRIER MAY BE LESS OF A
PROTECTION THAN WE THOUGHT.
>> SO IS ANYBODY SOUNDING THE
ALARM ON THIS?
AND IF SO, DOESN'T THAT MAKE
THAT PERSON OR THOSE PEOPLE
SOUND, YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY'RE
TAKING THE FUN OUT OF THE
WISCONSIN DEER HUNT?
>> YEAH.
I THINK SCIENTISTS AND
RESEARCHERS WHO ARE STUDYING
THIS ARE VERY SERIOUS ABOUT THIS
AND THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT
THE LACK OF MANAGEMENT RESPONSE.
SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
RESEARCH IS HAPPENING AT THE
NATIONAL WILDLIFE HEALTH LAB
HERE IN MADISON.
THAT'S A FEDERAL LAB.
AND THERE ARE RESEARCHERS THERE
WHO ARE STARTING TRANSMISSION
ROUTES.
AND ONE OF THE ALARMING THINGS
THEY FOUND, AND I WROTE ABOUT
THIS A COUPLE YEARS AGO, BUT
THEY FOUND THAT THESE PRIONS
STAY IN THE SOIL FOR A LONG
TIME.
THEY CAN BE TRANSMITTED, DEER
CAN PICK THEM UP AND WHO KNOWS,
POTENTIALLY HUMANS AT SOME
POINT, BY -- IN TOMATO PLANTS,
IN CORN PLANTS, IN THESE
TRANSMISSION ROUTES THAT ARE
MUCH CLOSER TO US AS HUMANS.
>> SO IF PEOPLE ARE HUNTING THIS
SEASON AND THEY TAKE A DEER,
THEY SHOULD HAVE TESTED BEFORE
THEY EAT IT?
>> YEAH.
THE CENTERS FOR CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL
RECOMMENDS ALWAYS GETTING YOUR
DEER TESTED.
THERE REMAINS TO BE CONCERNED
THAT THE STATE JUST ISN'T DOING
ENOUGH.
SINCE GOVERNOR WALKER TOOK
OFFICE AND DOWNGRADED OUR
APPROACH TO THIS, THE RATE HAS
CONTINUED TO GROW.
THE RATE WHEN HE TOOK OFFICE WAS
3%.
IT'S NOW SOMEWHERE AROUND 12%.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE.
RON SEELEY, THANKS.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME.
>> NOW BACK TO POLITICS AND A
LOOK AT CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR
THE STATE SUPREME COURT.
WISCONSIN WILL ELECT A NEW
SUPREME COURT JUSTICE TO FILL
THE VACANCY LEFT BY MICHAEL
GABLEMAN'S RETIREMENT.
THREE CANDIDATES SO FAR HAVE
ANNOUNCED THEIR INTENT TO RUN
FOR THE SEAT.
TIM BURNS, REBECCA DALLET AND
MICHAEL SCRENOCK.
IN A COMPARISON DRAWN BY THE
MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL THE
CANDIDATES GIVE MIXED RESPONSES
ON ISSUES SUCH AS WISCONSIN'S
VOTER I.D. LAW AND THE 2011
REDISTRICTING.
BURNS AND DELL LET DALLET EXPRESSED
CONCERN OVER BOTH ISSUES.
SCRENOCK APPROVES.
THEY NAMED CRUSHT CURRENT JUSTICES THEY
ADMIRE.
BURNS AND DALLET CITED THE TWO
LIBERAL JUSTICES AND SCRENOCK
NAMES ANTONIN SCALIA.
>> THE PRIMARY ELECTION WILL BE
IN FEBRUARY.
FINALLY, TODAY WE HAD THE
PLEASURE OF HOSTING A GROUP OF
YOUNG JOURNALISM STUDENTS FROM
BLACK RIVER FALLS HIGH SCHOOL.
THE STUDENTS ARE ENGAGED THIS
YEAR IN WORKING WITH THE PBS
NEWSHOUR'S STUDENT REPORTING
LAB.
WE WISH THEM THE BEST IN THEIR
FUTURE JOURNALISM CAREERS.
AND THAT'S OUR PROGRAM FOR
TONIGHT.
I'M FREDERICA FREYBERG.
HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY WEEKEND.
>> FUNDING FOR "HERE AND NOW" IS
PROVIDED, IN PART, BY FRIENDS OF