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Law Professors Ed Fallone and Scott Idleman spoke with several media outlets for separate stories about the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s recent decision to invalidate the state’s coronavirus health order. They touched on various related topics including how the decision contributes to the state’s overall political climate and how it could impact similar orders across the country.
Stories appeared The Hill, The Guardian, May 16, 2020
Dr. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette University Law School Poll, offered insight on the pandemic and voter attitudes in a swing state. “We're seeing some decline in people saying they're worried about the virus, worried about getting it themselves,” Franklin said. “But we're also seeing people now thinking this won't be back to normal for at least into the fall if not beyond that. That's a shift. People were much more optimistic about how quickly it would be decided earlier.”
Story aired on NPR, May 10, 2020
John Johnson, Research Fellow in the Lubar Center for Public Policy Research and Civil Education, shared his insights on property values in the City of Milwaukee. He explained that while combined valuations of the top properties in the city are higher than they were in 2008 for the first time, that information does not include proper adjustments for inflation, which instead show that Milwaukee still has some ground to cover before they reach their pre-recession heights.
Prof. Ed Fallone, Associate Professor of Law, commented on a piece for Politifact in which Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) referred to himself as a "constitutional officer." While he did not say whether such a claim was right or wrong, he did comment on its peculiarity and implications of self-importance.
Dr. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette University Law School Poll, discussed how respondents in several recent national polls were much more likely to approve of their governors’ response to the coronavirus than President Trump’s. Franklin added, though, it is not clear how long approval boosts will last, as Gov. Tony Evers’ latest decision to extend Wisconsin’s stay-at-home order through May 26 sparked criticism from Republican state legislators and threats to challenge his authority in the courts.
Franklin also spoke with Politico for an April 23 story about how the economic downturn as a result of the pandemic is affecting states like Wisconsin that helped elect President Trump, and he contributed to an April 21 U.S. News and World Report story about Vice President Mike Pence’s recent Wisconsin visit.
John Johnson, Research Fellow in the Lubar Center for Public Policy Research & Civic Education, lent his insights to Inside Elections to discuss the results of Wisconsin's recent Supreme Court election, which saw Jill Karofsky unseat incumbent Justice Dan Kelley. Johnson suggested that while Wisconsin has a strong Democratic base in Dane County, analysis of voter data shows that Milwaukee County (Wisconsin's largest county by population) has plenty of room for improvement for Democrats.
Dr. Charles Franklin discussed how candidates running for Congress and Legisulature may have difficulty collecting signatures on their nomination papers. "If social distancing remains in effect, or simply something people continue to practice, some alternative to signature collection might be in order."
He also spoke with WSAW about absentee ballots.
Alan Borsuk, Senior Fellow in Law & Public Policy, wrote in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about how we may come out of this pandemic with a new focus on the wellbeing of children. In the article, he writes, "What can we learn from all of this about what makes families and homes function at their best level?" In a series of questions that follow, he highlights how the lessons we learn during this pandemic might incite change for the better on many levels, from the inside our homes to our government agencies intended to support us.
John Johnson, Research Fellow in the Lubar Center for Public Policy Research & Civic Education, was cited in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for his insights on Milwaukee Public Schools' $87 Million referendum to increase revenue limits through property taxes. "To me, the big story is how overwhelmingly popular the referendum was in almost every part of the city, particularly when we saw striking divisions on the ballot, including the mayor's race, the county executive and the Democratic primary."
Dr. Charles Franklin discussed how the Coronavirus pandemic has widened the divides in political opinion between cities and suburbs. Speaking with The Atlantic on Jill Karofsky's victory over incumbent Daniel Kelly, Franklin noted, "Dane County is the fastest-growing county in the state... Not only does [the county] grow, but its turnout rate goes up year after year, and it's even more Democratic from race to race.
He also discussed the topic with the Wisconsin State Journal.
