“In My Opinion”

 

It’s Time to Stop the INSANITY

A definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Applied to several of our Republican elected officials and some local leaders, it appears that INSANITY has become contagious.

Following the 2020 Presidential election, Meagan Wolfe, Administrator of the Wisconsin Election Commission (WEC), faced calls to resign and attempts to remove her by the Republican-controlled Wisconsin State Legislature. All attempts have failed, and Ms. Wolfe remains in her position, hence the application of the definition of INSANITY.

Another instance of INSANITY occurred on the Oct. 9th, at the Republican Party of Sheboygan County (RPSC) Executive Committee Meeting. Twenty-Second Assembly Dist. Rep. Janel Brandtjen spoke and answered questions about a Wolfe Impeachment item on the meeting agenda. In a Sept. 22, 2023 article in the Conservative Website WisPolitics: https://www.wispolitics.com/2023/5-gop-lawmakers-introduce-resolution-to-impeach-states-top-election-official/ , Brandtjen was one of 5 GOP members of the Assembly who was circulating a resolution seeking to impeach Meagan Wolfe.

Rep. Brandjen has been heavily involved in efforts to decertify the 2020 Presidential Election because of election fraud which has led to clashes with Republican Assembly Leader Robin Vos. No evidence of fraud has been found even after a year-long investigation by former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman.

Brandtjen’s efforts to remove Meagan Wolfe have attracted the support of some members of the RPSC, notably our Chair, Russ Otten.

This is what Otten said in an email sent out on Oct. 11th. “At our Exec Comm meeting last night, there was a very in-depth discussion and Q&A session on this impeachment resolution. This involved RPSC members and Rep. Amy Binsfeld, Rep. Janel Brandtjen, and former Rep. Tim Ramthun. (Rep. Terry Katsma and Sen. Devin Lemahieu did not attend.)

Otten claimed that “…there was overwhelming support for Wolfe's impeachment. Brandtjen expressed the immediacy of this needed action. Amy Binsfield stated that she was unsure if impeachment could happen while a lawsuit is pending. Katsma, who is closely tied to Vos, was not there to take questions or offer a comment. (Ty) Bodden was not there but was the sponsor and firmly in support of the resolution.”

Russ Otten’s claim of “overwhelming support for Wolfe’s impeachment” seemed to exist only in his mind as there was no vote of support. Furthermore, he attempted to spread INSANITY by calling on members and fellow patriots to send letters to our representatives in the Assembly to demand that Brandtjen’s resolution be brought to the assembly for a vote.

I have concerns about the Wisconsin Election Commission and some of its actions during the 2020 Presidential Election. I am concerned that Meagan Wolfe will continue in her position as Administrator of the WEC.

However, I have found a vaccine against INSANITY which is called a REALITY CHECK. This is the REALITY.

We have an elected Democrat Governor, Tony Evers, and an elected Democrat Attorney General, Josh Kaul. As long as these two elected officials hold these two offices, the members of the Republican-controlled Legislature who pursue votes to remove Megan Wolfe from her position on the WEC will only succeed in showing how they are proving to be examples of the definition of INSANITY. Those leaders in the RPSC who tell its members to support impeachment efforts by the Legislature by sending letters to their elected officials are only spreading the contagion of INSANITY.

The only way Meagan Wolfe will be removed is when our Republican leaders, both state and local, direct their efforts to elect a Republican Governor and Attorney General who will have the power to fix the Wisconsin Election Commission.

Alan L. Jante

Postscript

Since drafting this article, two additional events occurred to prove my point that the INSANITY over the Meagan Wolfe Impeachment has become contagious.

First, On Tuesday, Oct. 24th, a presentation was held at RPSC HQ during which former WI Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman stated that Meagan Wolfe's impeachment was not only necessary but could be easily accomplished. Gableman played the Blame Game dismissing a lawsuit as “nothing to do with moving forward with impeachment. Also being blamed were Rep. Binsfield and Rep. Katsma for not getting infected with the INSANITY.

Second, On Friday, Oct. 27th, Ch. 58 reported that Dane County Judge Ann Peacock issued a temporary injunction barring Republicans from removing Wolfe or appointing a replacement.
The order also states Senate Republicans’ vote last month to fire Wolfe has no legal effect. A final decision on the lawsuit filed by Attorney General Josh Kaul has yet to be determined.
"To avoid confusion and disruption to Wisconsin’s decentralized system of election administration. Simply put, I agree with WEC (Wisconsin Election Commission) that the public expects stability in its elections system and this injunction will provide stability pending the Court’s final decision," Peacock wrote.

According to Ch. 58, “Kaul filed the legal challenge arguing Republicans had no authority to act. Republicans' attempt to push out Wolfe stems from the fallout of the 2020 election as she's been the target of false election claims spread by former President Donald Trump.

Earlier this month, attorneys representing GOP leaders named in the lawsuit admitted in a court filing the vote to oust Wolfe was "symbolic" and acknowledged she is lawfully holding her position.”

It is time to put an end to this INSANITY and direct our resources to things that matter. Getting Republicans across the state and in Sheboygan County energized with the 2024 Presidential Election and the 2026 race for Governor and Attorney General should be PRIORITY #1. That involves increasing RPSC membership with Sheboygan County Residents who are true Republicans who believe in limited government, lower taxes, safe streets, and secure borders.

 

Editor's Note: The views expressed in this column are not necessarily the opinions of the RPSC. Giving a means to express opinions is at the foundation of our Democracy and the Free Speech Rights set forth in the Constitution of the United States. Other members wishing to express their opinions about the RPSC or matters pertaining to our beliefs can send them to [email protected]

“In My Opinion”

 

Does Prejudice Hold a Place in Local Political Parties?

Let’s look up the definition of prejudice which is “an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, a group, a race, or their supposed characteristics”. Why is this important, you ask? Prejudice is happening right under your nose here at the RPSC and you might not even know it. Recently at an RPSC meeting Robin Vos allowed the Finance chair to discriminate against the Events chair based on age. This isn’t the first time this has happened in front of Robin Vos, this is at least the third time that this was allowed to happen.

When I spoke up and attempted to stop the age discrimination Robin Vos threatened to remove me for interrupting the Finance chair. The next day in a meeting with Robin Vos I asked about the reason for allowing age discrimination. Mr. Vos said he didn’t hear what the Finance chair said. I mentioned that he had to have heard it because I was threatened to be removed because I interrupted the finance chair. When I asked if he would put a stop to the discrimination Robin Vos said he would and that there would be a discussion with the Finance chair.

To this day Robin Vos has not had this conversation and the age discrimination continues. This seems to be the way Robin Vos wants to conduct business locally. Robin Vos has also asked for official minutes to be changed so that he and his followers would not look bad. Why would someone like Robin Vos want to change the official minutes of a Republican Party meeting? Seems like a move a tyrant would make to not allow transparency and Democracy to take hold.

Robin Vos has also not been truthful to membership about items brought forth at special caucuses, his handling of fundraisers, the twisting of the constitutional duties of the events chair and the speaker at the most recent Lincoln-Reagan Dinner.

If the Republican Party wants to continue to grow, we need to look to the younger age group and find ways to get them involved instead of discriminating against them. Robin Vos seems to have one agenda. That is to push his agenda and to hell with any other views that other members or Board members have. If you oppose anything that Robin Vos does or puts forth, you can expect to be treated very differently than if you are part of his inner circle.

If this party wants to thrive and make an impact locally, we need to embrace all age groups especially younger conservatives and learn from our mistakes. Robin Vos’s leadership has shown that he is unwilling to change and continue to do the same things that haven’t worked in the past. Robin Vos it’s time you step up to the plate or put yourself on the bench.
Now that you have read that brief opinion article you are most likely saying to yourself wait Robin Vos isn’t part of the RPSC and he hasn’t ever attended a board meeting. You are correct but it sure sounds like it is all stuff that Robin Vos has been accused of doing by Russ Otten. So go back through the article and replace every one of the Robin Vos’s with Russ Otten and I think you will be shocked on how our current chair is taking the RPSC down the wrong path.

Jon Paul

Editor's Note: The views expressed in this column are not necessarily the opinions of the RPSC. Giving a means to express opinions is at the foundation of our Democracy and the Free Speech Rights set forth in the Constitution of the United States. Other members wishing to express their opinions about the RPSC or matters pertaining to our beliefs can send them to [email protected]