Author: The Badger Project
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Waukesha Co Sheriff’s deputy arrested for drunk driving
Daniel Matuszak has worked for the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office since 2022. Last month, he was pulled over by a fellow deputy and charged for drinking and driving. Now he’s on administrative leave.
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Your Right to Know: Names of police should be public
A Dane County judge was right to order the release of the names and work histories of all law enforcement officers in the state.
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Lincoln Co Sheriff’s lieutenant charged with drunk driving but still working
Lt. Brian Burkhardt put his minivan into a ditch in January and was arrested for operating while intoxicated. His court case is ongoing.
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The top spending Wisconsin lobbying orgs and companies in 2025
DoorDash leads the usual top spenders, including hospitals, realtors and the WMC, amongst many others.
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DoorDash spent a whopping $2M lobbying for bill that would ban employee benefits for drivers
The food delivery app company from California spent more than double that of any other organization in Wisconsin lobbying in 2025, as it pressed lawmakers to pass the bill. But Gov. Evers vetoed it.
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Portage cop resigned after being charged for UTV rollover that broke rider’s pelvis
Det. Sgt. Brian Johnson retired from policing soon after he was accused of crashing a UTV that badly injured one of his passengers in 2025. His criminal case is still pending.
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Ex-La Crosse cop arrested in Minnesota for DUI now working for Sparta PD
Riley Carroll resigned from the La Crosse Police Department in 2025, a few months after he was arrested for drunk driving in Minnesota. He was convicted of careless driving and now works at the police department in Sparta.
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The Badger Project wins 4 awards in MKE Press Club’s journalism contest
For the fourth time in five years, the news organization won a first prize in the press club’s Excellence in Journalism competition.
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One million dollars: Wealthy candidates spending own fortunes vying for NW Wisconsin House seat
Personal wealth isn’t required to run for higher office, but it certainly helps. Three candidates in northwestern Wisconsin have tried to jumpstart their campaigns with massive payments from their own bank accounts.
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This photo hurt Barnes last time. Public opinion has shifted greatly since then.
In his latest run for statewide office, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes may find an easier path, experts say, as the politics on at least one major issue have changed drastically.
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Percentage of missed votes by members of Congress from Wisconsin in 2021-24
House Democrats from the state missed more votes than their Republican counterparts in the last full term, following the pattern.
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Wisconsin DOJ must release statewide list of 16,000 cops, judge rules
A court sided with The Badger Project and the Invisible Institute in their lawsuit demanding a list of all police in the state from the Department of Justice, which had repeatedly rejected requests for it.
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Menasha PD hired a wandering officer. Now he’s been arrested and the city could get sued.
The city’s police department hired Cristian Morales in 2025 after he was forced out of another agency. He is now facing a felony for stalking his ex. Research says wandering officers are more likely to commit misconduct.
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Wisconsin maintains highest % of female state Supreme Court justices in U.S.
The latest election added a left-leaning justice to the bench, but the gender split did not change. Of the court’s seven justices, six are women, the largest proportion in the nation of females on a top state court.
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This wealthy Wisconsin congressman keeps aggressively trading stocks. A bipartisan bill would ban the practice.
U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, a millionaire who represents Wisconsin’s northeastern district, reported at least $1.3 million in trades in February. Experts say it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a problem.
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‘Hard worker’ cop with OWI given ‘second chance’ in Sheboygan County
A former Sheboygan police officer is now working part-time for the Cascade Police Department after an OWI arrest in 2022. His current police chief says he deserves a second chance.
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Victory margins in Wisconsin Supreme Court elections in the past decade
Right-leaning candidates have not been very competitive in recent elections for the state’s highest court. That trend accelerated in 2026.
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Voter turnout in Wisconsin Supreme Court elections in the past decade
About 1.5 million votes were cast in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election on April 7.