Here & Now

Bipartisanship: The Real Deal

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF HYPER-PARTISANSHIP AND POLARIZED POLITICS NATIONALLY AND HERE IN WISCONSIN, A SEGMENT TONIGHT ABOUT A PAIR OF LEGISLATORS BUCKING THE TREND. BOTH MEMBERS OF THE STATE ASSEMBLY, ONE A WAUKESHA COUNTY REPUBLICAN, ONE A MILWAUKEE DEMOCRAT – WAIT FOR IT – WORKING TOGETHER ON SEVERAL PIECES OF LEGISLATION. TONIGHT WE TALK WITH REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JOEL KLEEFISCH AND DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE LATONYA JOHNSON. THANKS TO BOTH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE.

JOEL KLEEFISCH, LATONYA JOHNSON:

IT’S GREAT TO BE HERE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IT’S KIND OF CRAZY, RIGHT, JUST WORKING TOGETHER ON SOME LEGISLATION GARNERS A TV SEGMENT.

JOEL KLEEFISCH:

I TELL YOU WHAT. ACT 10 REALLY CREATED SOME DIVISIVENESS IN THE LEGISLATURE, BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS YOU GET MUCH MORE DONE IN A MUCH MORE CONGENIAL WAY IF YOU WORK ACROSS THE AISLE, AND EVER SINCE LATONYA AND I MET, AND PHILOSOPHICALLY WE DISAGREE ON A LOT OF THINGS, BUT WE FOCUS ON WHAT WE AGREE WITH EACH OTHER ON. AND THAT’S THE GREATEST FIRST STEP TO GETTING THE PEOPLE’S WORK DONE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND WHAT WE NOTICED WAS THESE BILLS ARE STARTING TO PILE UP. YOU HAVE A NEW ONE JUST THIS WEEK THAT YOU’RE WORKING ON TOGETHER. REPRESENTATIVE KLEEFISCH, FIRST TO YOU, THOUGH, ON THIS. HOW MANY BILLS IS IT AND HOW DID IT START?

JOEL KLEEFISCH:

WELL, IT STARTED IN 2014, WHEN WE CAME TO THE REALIZATION TOGETHER THAT REHOMING BY USING THE INTERNET — IN ESSENCE, TO SIMPLIFY IT, SELLING YOUR CHILD, SELLING AN ADOPTED CHILD ON THE INTERNET, ON CRAIG’S LIST, WAS NOT AGAINST THE LAW. NOBODY COULD BELIEVE THAT WAS THE CASE, BUT THE REALITY WAS IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW TO ADVERTISE A CHILD IN NEWSPAPERS, ON TELEVISION, BUT THE LAW HADN’T CAUGHT UP WITH TECHNOLOGY. SO LATONYA AND I GOT TOGETHER AND SAID WE’VE GOT TO PUT A STOP TO THIS. WE WERE THE FIRST STATE IN THE NATION TO PASS IT THROUGH BOTH HOUSES AND GET IT SIGNED. NOW DOZENS OF OTHER STATES ARE USING OUR LEGISLATION AS A MODEL FOR THEIRS. THAT’S HOW WE FIRST STARTED TOGETHER.

LATONYA JOHNSON:

CORRECT. AND EVEN BEFORE THEN, I HAVE TO SAY TO REPRESENTATIVE KLEEFISCH, TO HIS CREDIT, I SERVE ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HE SAID WHEN THE COMMITTEE FIRST STARTED WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, I’M GOING TO TREAT ALL LEGISLATION FAIRLY. WHETHER IT’S FROM A DEMOCRAT OR A REPUBLICAN, WE’RE GOING TO HEAR LEGISLATION ON THIS COMMITTEE. AND JUST HEARING THAT, IT WAS SO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER COMMITTEE THAT I SERVED ON. IN THAT COMMITTEE WE ACTUALLY GOT TO HEAR REALLY GOOD LEGISLATION. AND AS A DEMOCRAT, YOU DIDN’T FEEL LIKE, OH, WELL, I CAN CREATE THIS LEGISLATION AND IT WILL NEVER GO ANYWHERE. IT WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT ALL PIECES WOULD BE HEARD.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE BILLS THAT YOU WORKED ON TOGETHER AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY SIGNED INTO LAW WAS THE BILL THAT CREATES MANDATORY MINIMUM SENTENCES FOR VIOLENT FELONS IN POSSESSION OF FIREARMS. BUT, REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON, YOU TOOK SOME HEAT FOR THAT FROM YOUR FELLOW DEMOCRATS. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

LATONYA JOHNSON:

I DID. IT WAS HURTFUL, BUT IT WAS WORTH IT, BECAUSE IN MY COMMUNITY WHEN YOU ATTEND FUNERALS FOR 14-MONTH-OLD BABIES OR TEN-YEAR-OLD LITTLE GIRLS PLAYING ON THE PLAYGROUND, THERE’S NO WORSE DAY IN OFFICE FOR ME. AND THE FIRST DAY OUR READOPTION STUDY COMMITTEE MET, I WAS SITTING AT THE FUNERAL FOR SIERRA GUIDEN. WHEN I LEFT THAT FUNERAL, QUICKLY GOT IN THE CAR AND I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE STUDY COMMITTEE. BUT IT ADJOURNED BEFORE I GOT THERE. THAT PLACE THAT I WAS IN, HEADED TO MADISON AFTER HEARING JUST THE SCREAMS AND THE CRIES FROM HER FAMILY AS THAT CASKET CLOSED, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ME FROM DRAFTING THAT LEGISLATION, ESPECIALLY THE WAY THAT THAT AFFECTS MY COMMUNITY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND REPRESENTATIVE KLEEFISCH, HOW MEANINGFUL IS IT FOR YOU TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO FEELS SO DEARLY AND SO DEEPLY ON A MEASURE LIKE THAT?

JOEL KLEEFISCH:

WHEN YOU HAVE IMPORTANT BILLS, WHEN YOU HAVE IMPORTANT IDEAS, IT SHOULD NOT MATTER IF YOU’RE A DEMOCRAT OR A REPUBLICAN. YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS WHO ELECT ALL OF US IN ALL THE DISTRICTS, THEY DON’T CARE WHO AUTHORIZES LEGISLATION, IF THEY HAVE AN “R” OR A “D” AFTER THEIR NAME. AND, YOU KNOW, REP JOHNSON WAS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE SHE BELIEVED IT COULD STOP POTENTIAL FUTURE MURDERS. AND IF SHE’S GOING TO TAKE HEAT FOR THAT AND I’M GOING TO TAKE HEAT FOR WORKING WITH A DEMOCRAT, WHO CARES?

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

YOU KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS A REALLY HEAVY TOPIC RIGHT HERE, AND YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK REALLY WELL TOGETHER, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL OF THESE BILLS THAT YOU’VE WORKED ON, BUT I WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE VERY FAR APART POLITICALLY, CLEARLY. AND TAKE A LOOK AT AN EXCERPT FROM A STORY THAT WE DID DURING AN ASSEMBLY FLOOR SESSION WHEN DEMOCRATS RECUSED THEMSELVES FROM VOTING ON A CAMPAIGN FINANCE BILL.

JOEL KLEEFISCH:

THIS IS A STUNT. EVERY SINGLE THING WE VOTE ON IN THIS BODY AFFECTS OUR CONSTITUENTS AND IN SOME WAY POTENTIALLY US EVERY TIME WE TAKE A VOTE.

LATONYA JOHNSON:

THE REAL REASON THAT I’M RECUSING MYSELF FROM VOTING FOR THIS BILL, MR. SPEAKER, IS BECAUSE IT SUCKS. THIS BILL SUCKS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

DID YOU HAVE TO WINCE A LITTLE BIT WHEN YOUR COMPATRIOT ACROSS THE AISLE CAME OUT WITH THAT?

JOEL KLEEFISCH:

WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, KNOWING LATONYA’S DRIVE FOR THINGS, I WOULD HAVE EXPECTED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING LESS. YOU KNOW, I GREW UP THE SON OF TWO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS, TWO DEMOCRATS. I THINK MY MOM VOTES THE RIGHT WAY NOW, BUT MY DAD’S STILL A DYE IN THE WOOL DEMOCRAT. ONE THING LIFE HAS TAUGHT ME IS DO NOT JUDGE PEOPLE OR REFUSE FRIENDSHIP OR REFUSE GETTING TO KNOW THEM BASED ON PHILOSOPHIES. THE VERY BEST IDEAS COME FROM THIS TAFFY PULLING THAT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS WANTED. SO THE MORE IDEAS YOU HAVE FROM DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS TO OBTAIN THE SAME GOAL, THE BETTER THE GOAL IS GOING TO BE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IT’S OBVIOUS YOU DON’T AGREE ALL THE TIME, BUT WOULD IT BE FAIR REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON TO SAY YOU MOSTLY DON’T AGREE?

LATONYA JOHNSON:

I WOULDN’T SAY THAT WE MOSTLY DON’T AGREE. WE BOTH HAVE OUR PASSIONATE POINTS THAT WE HOLD TRUE TO. BUT I WOULD SAY ON A PERSONAL LEVEL I THINK THERE ARE MORE THINGS THAT WE AGREE ON THAN WE DISAGREE ON. AND I THINK IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT TO FOCUS ON THOSE THINGS THAT YOU CAN AGREE ON TO GET THINGS DONE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WE TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT EARLIER, BUT WHAT DO YOUR RESPECTIVE PARTIES THINK OF YOU WORKING SO CLOSELY WITH REPRESENTATIVE KLEEFISCH?

LATONYA JOHNSON:

WELL, I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS ON MY SIDE DON’T GET IT. THEY DON’T UNDERSTAND. BUT I DON’T THINK THAT THEY KNOW REPRESENTATIVE KLEEFISCH ON A PERSONAL LEVEL LIKE I DO. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT SIDE YOU’RE ON. THE INDIVIDUALS THAT SERVE IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE, WE ALL HAVE GOOD HEARTS. WE ALL WANT TO DO WHAT’S BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY. AND I THINK WHEN YOU TAP INTO THAT PORTION, YOU TAP INTO WHY YOU’RE THERE AND WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE DONE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY, THEN YOU FIND COMMON GROUND.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

REPRESENTATIVE KLEEFISCH, YOUR STAFF, EACH OF YOUR STAFFS, CALLS YOU TWO THE DYNAMIC DUO. HOW UNUSUAL IS THAT IN TODAY’S LEGISLATURE?

JOEL KLEEFISCH:

I DON’T THINK IT’S AS UNUSUAL AS YOU THINK. I THINK THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT AS A STRONG CONSERVATIVE, THERE’S A LOT OF SKEPTICISM WHEN I SAY I’M GOING TO TEAM UP WITH SOMEBODY WITH POLAR OPPOSITE PHILOSOPHIES TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE. BUT I THINK THAT LATONYA AND I MAKE NO BONES ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE’RE WORKING ON STUFF TOGETHER. AND I GOT TO TELL YOU, MUCH OF THIS WORK IS HOW WELL THE STAFFS WORK TOGETHER, AND OUR STAFF AND REP JOHNSON’S STAFF WORK FANTASTIC TOGETHER, TO THE POINT THAT WE GET PUT INTO THE MIX AND THEY SAY, WELL, HERE’S WHERE WE’VE COME ALREADY, CUT THE WORKLOAD IN HALF FOR US SO WE CAN WORK ON THE TALKING POINTS, TALKING ABOUT WHY THIS LEGISLATION IS A GOOD IDEA. YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, IT’S JUST A PLEASURE AFTER WE WENT THROUGH THE DIFFICULTIES OF ACT 10 TO HAVE SOME MOMENTS THAT WE CAN LOOK ACROSS THE AISLE AND SAY WE ARE DOING THIS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE CITIZENS OF WISCONSIN AND WE DON’T CARE WHOSE DISTRICT IS BEHIND IT OR WHAT THE R OR D BEHIND THEIR NAME IS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WE NEED TO LEAVE IT THERE. REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON, REPRESENTATIVE KLEEFISCH, THANKS VERY MUCH.

JOEL KLEEFISCH, LATONYA JOHNSON:

THANK YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THAT IS OUR PROGRAM FOR TONIGHT. NEXT WEEK, WE CONTINUE OUR INTERVIEW SERIES WITH CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THE STATE SUPREME COURT. INCUMBENT JUSTICE REBECCA BRADLEY IS HERE NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT. I’M FREDERICA FREYBERG. HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.