LTE – JoAnn Utphall -11-3-2021
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Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling unveiled on October 28th the results of an investigation into possible election law violations throughout Racine County and Wisconsin.
The catalyst that started this 10-month investigation was a daughter, Judy, found out that her dementia mother Shirley (living at the Ridgewood Care Facility) had voted, but her mother died on October 20th before the election. First Judy talked to the nursing home administration. She found out that WEC had authorized the employees of the nursing homes to assist the residents in the voting process. Judy filed a sworn affidavit with WEC who refused to look into it but passed it on to the Racine District Attorney who then referred it to the Racine Sheriff’s office. Sgt. Michael Luell investigated and found that there were eight residents that the family thought were not competent enough to vote on their own. Upon more research, Sgt. Luell discovered that those eight hadn’t voted in many years. He also discovered that there was a significant surge in the number of Ridgewood Care residents voting in the November election compared to other years. Nor was these ballots secure while in the possession of the nursing home. Sgt. Luell talked about how the ballots were floating around the care facility.
Furthermore, Sgt. Luell found out that the WEC (agency of the Governor’s branch) disregarded state election laws by advising state nursing homes to cancel in-person election aids (Special Voting Deputies) to help the elderly vote, and advising that the nursing home staff were permitted to help the residents vote. In fact, WEC sent out flyers to nursing homes instructing employees how to assist residents in filling out their ballots – in violation of state law.
Gov. Evers office acknowledged that the Executive branch of our state government does not have the legal authority to change election laws. In February 11, 2021, Legislative Council issues a legal opinion stating that WEC did not have authority to suspend the Special Voting Deputy law. Even the Commissioner Knutson, in a zoom meeting, acknowledged that WEC directing nursing home employees to fill out ballots was a violation of the law. We had an agency of the Governor’s branch that decided to change the guidelines of election procedures in the nursing homes.
The Racine Sheriff office forwarded all of the data accumulated during the investigation to the WI Attorney General. But will this office follow through? This press conference was held to shed light on the statewide problem and with exposure, to help restore our state election process with integrity. Hopefully with public pressure, the WI Attorney General will do a thorough investigation so that WEC will be held accountable.
This brings up a bigger question – what went on at all the other Wisconsin elderly care facilities?
Do you remember the Maclver News article, “Walls Closing in on Green Bay’s Election Mystery Man?” The City of Green Bay received a $1.6 million grant to help run its election from the Center for Tech and Civic Life – a facebook funded activist organization. As part of the deal, Democrat political operative Michal Spitzer-Rubenstein was given full access to the city’s election process – including central count on election night.
The Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections heard testimony from Meagan Wolfe (administrator for WEC) on Wednesday, Mar. 31, 2021 who testified that WEC has no authority to investigate, regulate, or even monitor outside groups relationships with local elections officials.” According to the Maclver Institute, “The Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) knew about the Facebook-funded Democrat operative Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein in August 2020. In fact, WEC administrator Meagan Wolfe actually emailed officials in Green Bay, Madison, Kenosha, and Racine that they should get in touch with him.”
Definitely there are some election issues in Wisconsin that need investigation and if laws were broken, need to be held accountable. Or maybe new legislative laws are needed to clarify what is lawful in these circumstances.
Changing subjects – I have received calls and questions about the Dunn County Education Alternative group. They have a website which can be found at http://www.DunnCoEducationAlternatives.org.
JoAnn Utphall
Boyceville