WITH A VETO.
WE CHECK IN SENIOR POLITICAL
REPORTER ZAC SCHULTZ NOW FOR
MORE.
HI, ZAC.
>> HELLO, FRED.
>> SO ARE THE SIDES STANDING ON
PRINCIPLE HERE OR POWER
- POLITICS?
>> BOTH.
I THINK IT DEPENDS ON WHICH SIDE
YOU'RE SUPPORTING.
REPUBLICANS SAY THIS IS ABOUT
STOPPING WHAT THEY'RE
INTERPRETING AS ILLEGAL OR
UNCONSTITUTIONAL ORDERS AND
PUTTING THEIR PROPER PLACE IN
GOVERNMENT THERE.
OF COURSE, GOVERNOR EVERS IS
SAYING HE'S ON BEHALF OF THE
PEOPLE AND STOPPING THE PANDEMIC
AND IT'S FULLY WITHIN HIS LEGAL
RIGHTS.
IT DEPENDS ON WHICH SIDE YOU'RE
PLAYING FOR.
>> COULDN'T THIS MASK MANDATE
JUST BECOME LIKE A PING PONG
BACK AND FORTH, ISSUE IT AND
REPEAT.
>> THAT IS UNTIL THE WISCONSIN
SUPREME COURT ISSUES THEIR
DECISION.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE
GOVERNOR HAS REISSUED THE
EMERGENCY AND MASK ORDER.
HE DID IT LAST YEAR.
AT THAT TIME REPUBLICANS VOICED
CONCERN BUT DECIDED NOT TO DO
ANYTHING EXCEPT GO TO COURT AND
THEY HOPED THE SUPREME COURT
WOULD DO THEIR DIRTY WORK
BECAUSE THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT
WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE TO
VOTERS IN FRONT OF THE ELECTION.
THE COURT HAS STILL NOT RULED.
THIS TIME REPUBLICANS ARE
FEELING THEY NEED TO ASSERT
THEMSELVES TO CONSERVATIVE
DONORS AND VOTERS.
>> MEANWHILE NOW WOULD BE ABOUT
THE TIME FOR THE COURT TO RULE,
RIGHT, AFTER THAT FAILED IN THE
LEGISLATURE.
>> YEAH.
THE COURT KIND OF DECIDES ON
THEIR OWN ON WHICH CASE ON WHEN
THEY'RE GOING TO ISSUE THAT
DECISION.
WHEN THEY TAKE THIS LONG IT'S A
SIGN THEY DON'T SEE ANYTHING
MAJORLY WRONG THEY NEED TO FIX.
LAST YEAR WHEN THE COURT SHUT
DOWN THE SHUTDOWN ORDERS THEY
DID IT IMMEDIATELY AND ISSUED
THE WRITTEN DECISION WEEKS
LATER.
THEY DIDN'T DO THAT WITH THIS
ORDER.
SO THAT MAY GIVE US SOME INSIGHT
OR IT COULD BE IT'S JUST
FIGURING OUT WHAT THE DECISION
WILL BE.
>> AND ON THIS, WHAT ARE THE
IMPLICATIONS OF GOVERNOR EVERS
VETOING THE COVID RELIEF BILL,
WHICH REPUBLICANS KNEW HE WOULD
DO?
>> THE BIGGEST ISSUE NOW IS FOR
THOSE WHO ARE ABOUT TO BECOME
UNEMPLOYED WHETHER THEY KNOW IT
OR NOT AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE
FIRST WEEK OF UNEMPLOYMENT UNDER
WISCONSIN LAW PASSED BY SCOTT
WALKER MORE THAN A DECADE AGO
SAYS YOU DON'T GET PAID FOR THAT
FIRST WEEK.
BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER
THE CARES ACT SAID WE'LL PAY FOR
THE FIRST WEEK OF UNEMPLOYMENT.
YOU JUST HAVE TO REINSTATE IT.
IT EXPIRES FEBRUARY 6 FOR
WISCONSIN.
THIS BILL WOULD HAVE EXTENDED
THAT MATCH PROGRAM FROM FEDERAL
DOLLARS.
IT'S NOW BEEN REDUCED TO 50%
MATCH.
BUT THAT FIRST WEEK
UNEMPLOYMENT, $# 1.3 MILLION A
WEEK FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ABOUT TO
BECOME UNEMPLOYED.
THAT'S THE MAJOR PRESSURE POINT
ON THIS DECISION AND HOW SOON
SOMETHING MAY GET SIGNED IN THE
FUTURE.
>> BUT BOTH SIDES WERE WILLING
TO JEOPARDIZE THAT FUNDING.
>> I THINK AT THIS POINT BOTH
SIDES THINK THEY CAN PIN THE
BLAME ON THE OTHER ACCORDING TO
THE PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE SUPPORT.
REPUBLICANS SAY ALL GOVERNOR
EVERS HAS TO DO IS SIGN THE
BILL.
GOVERNOR EVERS IS SAYING JUST
SEND ME A CLEAN BILL LIKE THE
ONE THAT THE SENATE ORIGINALLY
AMENDED AND THEN WE CAN SAVE THE
PEOPLE THAT WAY.
SO WHO KNOWS HOW LONG THIS MAY
PLAY OUT AND AT WHAT POINT IT
GETS REALLY HOT FOR POLITICIANS
OF BOTH SPHRIEPS.
>> THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
GOVERNOR HAD REACHED AGREEMENT
ON COVID RELIEF WITH A BILL OUT
OF THE SENATE.
THEN THAT WENT OUT OF THE DOOR.
HOW DOES ALL OF THAT BODE FOR
STATE BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS?
>> IT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD AT ALL.
WE'VE KNOWN FOR A WHILE THAT
THERE'S GOING TO BE A PRESSURE
POINT HERE.
THE LAST BUDGET BEFORE A
GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION IS ALWAYS
REALLY TOUCHY AND THIS ONE IS
GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT TO
GET THROUGH.
WHO KNOWS HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN THE NEW JOINT
FINANCE LEADERS SAY DON'T BE
PUSHING ANYTHING NEW, GOVERNOR
EVERS.
WE'RE THE REASON THAT THE STATE
IS IN GOOD FISCAL SHAPE.
GOVERNOR EVERS HAS BEEN ISSUING
PRESS RELEASES WITH NEW IDEAS HE
HAS TO GO BIG ON THIS MOMENT IN
THE ECONOMY FOR ALL THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE SUFFERING.
>> WELL, YOU'RE ROLLING UP YOUR
SLEEVES TO COVER THAT ONE,