Here & Now

Competing COVID Plans

Frederica Freyberg:

While the Assembly Speaker may have been frustrated with Senate changes to the COVID bill, those changes garnered bipartisan support with only one Democrat and one Republican voting against the Senate version. Governor Tony Evers called it a “good start.” The Senate bill stripped several items from the Assembly version, including limitations on local health officials’ authority to determine COVID-related public health guidelines. The Senate bill also took out limits on school districts’ ability to run virtual instruction. The Senate bill would no longer bar getting a vaccine as a condition of employment and it threw out a provision that would have given the Senate legislature — the state Legislature rather, oversight of federal COVID-related money. The biggest thing that’s in both versions is a liability shield for businesses against COVID lawsuits. Why the departure from the Assembly version of the long-awaited COVID relief package? We take that question to the new Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, who joins us from Oostburg and thanks for doing so.

Devin LeMahieu:

Thank you for having me on. The goal all along with the speaker, myself and the governor even back in December when we were talking was to get a bill that we could get passed to make important changes for the state of Wisconsin. That’s what we did in the Senate. We found a path forward to make sure the state can still respond to the COVID pandemic crisis that’s going on but also make sure there’s protections not just for businesses or employers as you pointed out, but for churches, for non-profits, for private schools, for public schools, main street businesses. It was important to provide that liability so that these entities can operate as they currently are without the fear of frivolous lawsuits.

Frederica Freyberg:

So you wanted to get something done. What’s more important to you, negotiating with the governor to learn what he will sign into law or negotiating with Assembly Republicans to make sure the legislature is all on the same page?

Devin LeMahieu:

I think both those areas are important. You know, I’m going to continue to work with the speaker and the Assembly. I mean there’s some important things that we need to try to get done that the governor may veto. Some of the provisions that were taken out of the bill, we have now a stand-alone bill. So we’re going to try garner support for. Hopefully the governor will sign them. There’s going to be things going forward where when there’s an opportunity to work with the governor, we’re going to work with the governor and get things done for the state. But I also want to work with the speaker to make sure we advance great, conservative legislation throughout this session.

Frederica Freyberg:

What is your working relationship like with Speaker Vos? Who’s going to drive the bus on legislative issues, you or him?

Devin LeMahieu:

That’s a great question. You know, my — I’ve obviously known the speaker for six years now but it’s a new role for me. So I will continue to work with the speaker to find ways where we can draft and get good legislation during the process.

Frederica Freyberg:

Okay. On this, the FBI has warned of attacks, as you know, by pro-Trump conservatives on state capitol grounds over the next few days. What are your concerns about that happening here?

Devin LeMahieu:

You know, I haven’t been privy to much of the information of why the Capitol Police and the Department of Administration have been putting up barriers and boarding up windows again. All we’ve heard is that there’s about some Twitter chatter about some demonstrations that may go on in all 50 capitols. We condemn violence as a Senate GOP caucus. A week ago, put out a statement saying that violence in any form, whether it’s in Madison last summer, in Kenosha last fall, in the Capitol just last week, it’s totally unacceptable. You know, we have a right to peacefully protest in this country. That’s a very important right. But violence is never the answer. It needs to be condemned.

Frederica Freyberg:

It is clear that much of the anger from these insurrectionists is related to misinformation repeated by Donald Trump and many Republicans about how the election was stolen. Do you believe Wisconsin’s elections were legitimate?

Devin LeMahieu:

The courts have decided that all processes were in place. We’re going to continue to work on legislative solutions to a make sure the Elections Commission isn’t providing guidance that’s contrary to what I think is pretty clear Wisconsin law. The courts have decided that he won and just — there’s a lot of close states, but we live under a nation of laws and we need to follow those laws.

Frederica Freyberg:

And so to be clear, you believe that the elections were fair and that the allegations of fraud have been rightly debunked?

Devin LeMahieu:

I don’t think there was mass fraud in the state of Wisconsin. I don’t know about other states. But it was unfortunate that parts of state law were — such as harvesting ballots in the park went above and beyond Wisconsin election law.

Frederica Freyberg:

That was not so determined. But I just want to ask you this. Will you tell your constituents truth when it comes to our elections, that Joe Biden did win and he will be the next president?

Devin LeMahieu:

Joe Biden will be our next president.

Frederica Freyberg:

Okay. Senator LeMahieu, thank you and we look forward to talking with you again.

Devin LeMahieu:

Thank you.