Author: The Badger Project
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Top donors to Chris Taylor, the Left’s candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court
With support from across the country, state Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor of Madison is outraising her opponent from the political Right nearly 10-1, spooking conservatives who hope to hold the seat.
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Top donors to Maria Lazar, the Right’s candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court
The Court of Appeals Judge Maria Lazar has struggled to raise funds since she announced her candidacy for the state’s high court in October, and is being outraised by her opponent nearly ten to one.
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GOP lawmaker leads bipartisan push to supercharge nuclear power in Wisconsin
A bill in the state Legislature aims to bolster nuclear power in Wisconsin. State Rep. Shae Sortwell, a Republican from Two Rivers, wants the state to become an energy “powerhouse.”
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Four ex-Waukesha Co Sheriff’s deputies committed suicide in past decade
Some family members say department leadership is at least partly to blame, accusing it of ignoring struggling deputies. The department says it had mental health programs in place and has since increased them.
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Amtrak might open a station in Madison, but not until the 2030s. Why the delay?
The railroad company got a lot of federal funding for the station in 2021. But even with rail lines already in place, it could take more than a decade before passenger trains come to Wisconsin’s capital.
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State trooper caught drinking on duty in Waushara County facing criminal charge
Robert Bliven, a Wisconsin state trooper, was arrested in September after deputies investigated him for drinking on the job. They charged him with operating a firearm while intoxicated.
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MAGA brawler Van Orden moderating (slightly) as he faces tough reelection
Normally synchronized with the president, Rep. Derrick Van Orden has moved to the center on a couple of major issues. Is he worried about his chances in Wisconsin’s most competitive district?
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Aggressive stock-trading Wisconsin rep puts at least $1M into safer T-bills
U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, a wealthy businessman elected to Congress in 2024, recently took action to protect against a stock market downturn by purchasing between $1 million and $5 million in U.S. Treasury bills.
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“Pervasive, caustic atmosphere” of UW-La Crosse PD has improved, chief says
The police department was knocked for “shoddy record keeping” and a “lack of leadership” in a 2019 investigation. A police chief hired the same year says he’s made major changes to revamp the organization.
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Commander cited for disorderly conduct no longer employed by State Patrol
Ex-Captain Daniel Gruebele pleaded no contest to the citation last year. His last day as the commander of the Northeast Region in Fond du Lac came less than a week after The Badger Project reported the incident.
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Neenah cop quit last policing job amid accusations of sexist and racist remarks
Derrick Rotta resigned his police position in Menasha in 2024 after being investigated for an allegation that he was “the most racist person at the department.” The Neenah Police Department hired him last year.
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The rock ‘n’ roll congressman priest from Green Bay who was benched by the pope
St. Norbert College political science professor Father Robert Cornell hobnobbed with famous musicians, then befriended – and frustrated – powerful politicians from both sides of the aisle in Washington.
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NE Wisconsin State Patrol head cited by deputies after girlfriend calls 911
Capt. Daniel Gruebele, commander of the State Patrol’s Northeast Region at the Fond du Lac post, was cited for disorderly conduct in the summer after his girlfriend accused him of coercive sexual behavior.
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Amid rising home prices, Richland Center residents decry building housing on park
A group of residents says city officials have ignored them in moving forward to build duplexes on a green space in town. Meanwhile, home prices in the little city have increased 76% since 2017.
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Waushara County deputy quits sheriff’s office after The Badger Project’s reporting
Scott Schaut first quit a leadership position at the sheriff’s office after The Badger Project requested documents on his job performance. He resigned from the department entirely last week.
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Waukesha city cop ousted for OWI, fleeing crash, hired at county sheriff’s office
A veteran of the City of Waukesha Police Department quit in 2023 after he was arrested for driving drunk and knocking down a light pole with his Jeep. The Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office hired him in March.
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Wisconsin cop fired for offering driver cash after crash still working in policing
The Wisconsin State Fair Park Police Department fired Thomas Dammer after he caused a minor collision and didn’t immediately report it. He still works as a part-time police officer in Oconomowoc.
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Pass the butter: State legislators want to tighten Wisconsin’s margarine laws
A bipartisan group of state lawmakers is pushing to strengthen limits on margarine. The effort is a reminder of a centuries-old squabble between the butter substitute and the state’s ensconced dairy industry.