Kitchens to Co-Author Bill on Hate Crime Protections

Representative Joel Kitchens

Kitchens has announced his intent to co-author a bill to be introduced in the next session that would extend hate crime protections to law enforcement officers. Rep. Kitchens and Rep. David Steffen (R-Howard) have been working on this bill for several weeks but it is made timelier by the recent deaths of five Dallas police officers. “As the son of an FBI agent, I believe it is important to stand behind and support our law enforcement personnel,” Kitchens said. “We must do everything in our power to ensure the safety of those officers who risk their own safety every day protecting the public.” This legislation is modeled after the “Blue Lives Matter” bill that was recently passed with bipartisan support in Louisiana. More than 100 sheriffs, police chiefs and officers gathered in support of the bill on Monday at the Brown County Sheriff’s Office. “This bill is not intended to diminish the need for continued dialog to assure that every citizen receives fair treatment under the law,” Kitchens said. “My hope is that it sends a strong message, however, that we will always stand behind those who serve and protect our communities.” Please feel free to contact the office of Rep. Kitchens with any comments of support or concern, 608.266.5350.

Source: Kitchens press release 

Governor Scott Walker

The Governor took his Cabinet on the Road in western Wisconsin this week. “Cabinet on the Road gives us the chance to travel throughout Wisconsin so we can hear directly from our citizens about their ideas and what is most important to them and their communities,” Walker said. During the course of two days, 35 officials representing Wisconsin state agencies made more than 100 stops within 10 counties. This Cabinet on the Road focused on Western Wisconsin, with events taking place in Barron, Buffalo, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix and Trempealeau counties.

Source: Walker press release 

Senator Tammy Baldwin

Baldwin joined Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and U.S. Representatives Joe Crowley (D-NY) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) in introducing the Justice for Uncompensated Survivors Today (JUST) Act. This bipartisan and bicameral bill will improve efforts to assist Holocaust survivors and the families of Holocaust victims by requiring the State Department to report on the progress of certain European countries on the return of, or restitution for, wrongfully confiscated or transferred Holocaust-era assets. “We urgently need an improved public accounting of other countries’ efforts to address Holocaust-era property restitution issues,” Baldwin said. “Tragically, we are losing survivors every day, and it is my sincere hope that this legislation, by shining a spotlight and solidifying this issue as an American foreign policy priority, will spur action in countries that are falling short of their obligations, ultimately resulting in a measure of justice for these individuals who have waited far too long.”

Source: Baldwin press release

Senator Ron Johnson

Both Johnson and Democratic challenger Russ Feingold saw an uptick in their fundraising in the second quarter of 2016, but the former senator continues to outraise his Republican opponent. Feingold’s campaign reported raising $4.1 million in the second quarter, up from $3.3 million in the first quarter. The campaign reported an average contribution of less than $45 per person. Johnson’s campaign raised $2.8 million in the second quarter, up from about $2.1 million in the first three months of the year. The campaign reported having $6.3 million in the bank. Feingold’s campaign has not provided cash-on-hand numbers.

Source: The Capital Times

President Barack Obama

The President, attending another service for victims of a mass shooting and trying to mend a country riven by distrust between citizens and police, paid tribute on July 12 to five Dallas officers ambushed at a protest last week, saying their deaths should remind Americans of their common ideals. He spoke of the thankless work done by police officers around the country, and of the legitimate grievances that many black people feel from years of discrimination, including at the hands of law enforcement. He also gave the country a pep talk, urging citizens not to lose hope in a squall of violence that began with black men killed by white police officers in Louisiana and Minnesota and culminated with the officers’ killings. “We see all this and it’s hard not to think the center won’t hold and things won’t get worse,” he said. “I understand. But Dallas, I’m here to say we must reject such despair. I’m here to insist we’re not as divided as we seem. I know that because I know America. I know how far we’ve come despite impossible odds.”

Source: NBC News