The Cap City Liberty Blog

Election Protection Final Report

Release Date: May 2009

 

The Legal Committee of Milwaukee ELECTION PROTECTION has released the Election Protection Report for the November 2008 general election in Wisconsin.  The LCMEP report shows significant improvements in election administration in the city of Milwaukee, but their report still shows a need for improvement in six specific areas based on circumstances on the ground and the report outlines both those recommendations and the reasons why they are necessary.

 

Click here for a copy of the full report.

 

 

 

 

Rachel Maddow Champions Liberties at ACLU of Wisconsin Bill of Rights Celebration

 

February 24, 2009

Before one of the largest crowds in the recent history of the ACLU of Wisconsin’s Bill of Rights Celebration, special guest Rachel Maddow described how indefensible arguments that destroy civil liberties will always be struck down. Bad laws, from spying on Americans to banning same-sex marriage, do happen. But with the strength of citizen advocates and organizations like the ACLU, the arc of history always bends toward justice and freedom.

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Also during the evening, the ACLU presented several awards to community activists who demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to civil liberties.

Sheila Cochran from the Milwaukee Area Labor Council AFL-CIO received the William Gorham Rice Civil Libertarian of the Year award for her leadership and dedication to labor organizing, coalition building, and election protection. Cochran spoke warmly about her partners in the struggle to protect voting rights and to fight back the perennial attempts to disassemble same-day voting in Wisconsin.

Salvador Gomez received the Jack and Lucy Rosenberg Youth Civil Libertarian of the Year for his continued commitment to ACLU of Wisconsin educational and activist programs. He first became involved several years ago through his participation in the Other America Tour, a youth program that promotes cultural awareness, action and responsibility. Since then, Gomez has lent his talent as a filmmaker to many ACLU programs including youth-friendly voting rights videos that were widely seen on YouTube and at the National ACLU Voting Symposium in Washington D.C. Salvador accepted the award on behalf of all of the youth who are active in the ACLU of Wisconsin’s programs.

And long-term board member Dianne Greenley was honored with the Eunice Z. Edgar Lifetime Achievement award. Dianne served on the ACLU of Wisconsin board for twenty-five years. While Dianne was not able to receive the award in person, her history of fighting for the rights of people with mental illness and her role as an important part of patients’ rights, community support programs and mental health services in the state was fondly articulated by Disability Rights of Wisconsin Executive Director, Lynn Breedlove.

The Bill of Rights Celebration is an annual event which recognizes extraordinary leadership in the protection and advancement of civil rights and liberties in Wisconsin. The ACLU of Wisconsin Foundation is a non-profit non-partisan civil liberties and civil rights organization working to protect the rights of Wisconsinites. 

Rachel Maddow hosts MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show,” featuring her take on the biggest stories of the day, political and otherwise, and includes lively debate with guests from all sides of the issues, in-depth analysis and stories no other shows in cable news will cover. Maddow also continues to host “The Rachel Maddow Show” on Air America Radio.

In January of 2008, Maddow was named an MSNBC political analyst; she is a regular panelist on MSNBC’s “Race for the White House with David Gregory” and a frequent contributor on “Countdown with Keith Olbermann.” She has been the regular guest host for "Countdown," has filled in for David Gregory on "Race," and has been a regular panelist on MSNBC's 2008 election coverage.

 

Beowulf Faces Another Great Challenge in Menasha:

ACLU urges Board of Education to stand firm

 

February 18, 2009

Milwaukee – A Menasha parent has complained about a scene in the 2007 animated film version of Beowulf to school officials.  In response the school district is reviewing its policy on the classroom use of commercial films.  The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin upon reading about the controversy in the media launched an investigation.  Today on the basis of its Legal Director’s recommendation, the ACLU of Wisconsin urges the school district to adhere to its policy, which sensibly balances the rights of teachers and students to make educational use of commercial works and the rights of parents to shield their children from materials the parents deem inappropriate. 

Read the Full Press Release (PDF)

Read the Full Legal Report (PDF)

 

 

ACLU Says Failure To Properly Administer Medicines At Wisconsin Prison Puts Women’s Lives At Risk

 

January 23, 2009

 

MILWAUKEE – The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Wisconsin and the law firm of Jenner & Block today filed a motion in federal court seeking an immediate halt to the dangerously dysfunctional system of ordering and administering medication to prisoners at the Taycheedah Correctional Institution, Wisconsin’s largest women’s prison.

 

According to the motion, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, prisoners at Taycheedah in need of medicine for infections, life-threatening chronic diseases, pain and other serious medical conditions are forced to wait weeks on end and, if and when their medications do arrive, they often are the wrong medications in the wrong doses. 

 

“The medication system at Taycheedah is a disaster waiting to happen,” said Gabriel Eber, staff attorney with the ACLU National Prison Project. “For some medications, there is not even a system of checking for dangerous interactions between drugs before a prisoner starts taking a new prescription. The clock is ticking while the state gambles with the health and safety of over 700 women.”

 

At Taycheedah, medications – including powerful psychiatric medications – are administered to prisoners by correctional officers with no medical training. As a result, prisoners frequently receive medications prescribed for other prisoners and overdoses of their own medications. Expert witnesses for both parties agree that this is a dangerous practice.  Taycheedah is one of the few state prisons in the nation that does not require nurses or similarly trained medical personnel to administer prisoners’ medications.  

 

According to the motion, the failure of prison officials at Taycheedah to ensure that prisoners properly receive medication has forced numerous prisoners to endure unnecessary and prolonged illness, injury, pain and hospitalization and all prisoners receiving medications are at a significant risk of harm and even death. The motion charges that prison officials have known for years that prisoners have been at significant risk, but despite knowing ways to reduce that risk have simply failed to take the actions necessary to do so.

 

“Taycheedah’s medication system causes needless pain and suffering,” said Larry Dupuis, Legal Director for the ACLU of Wisconsin. “The Constitution prohibits the state from ignoring a substantial threat to the health and safety of the women at Taycheedah.”

 

The motion was filed as part of a 2006 class-action lawsuit in which Taycheedah prisoners charge that grossly deficient medical and mental health care at Taycheedah endangers the lives of prisoners. The motion asks that state officials be required to ensure that prisoners’ medical prescriptions are filled in a timely and accurate fashion and that medications be distributed and administered by licensed practical nurses.

 

A copy of the motion is available online at: www.aclu.org/prison/medical/38467lgl20090123.html

 

For a complete copy of the press release and more information click here.

ACLU Urges Gov. Doyle
to Support Environmental Justice,
Prioritize Transit Funding

January 13, 2009

The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin has asked Gov. Doyle to prioritize public transportation development in his budget, and with any stimulus money that Wisconsin receives.

“For civil rights and environmental justice reasons, transit development should be one of
Wisconsin’s highest priorities,” stated ACLU of Wisconsin Exectuve Director Chris Ahmuty.
“For too many years, communities of color - who are much more likely to be transit dependent
than other groups - have been left behind by transportation spending.” Ahmuty noted that studies have shown more than half of Milwaukee’s African-American and Latino adults lack either vehicles, current drivers’ licenses, or both.

“Communities of color deserve a fair share of the benefits of infrastructure spending,” added ACLU Senior Staff Attorney Karyn Rotker. “For example, many inner-city workers need transit to get to the growing number of suburban jobs. But those needs have often taken a back seat to building more roads - which don’t do very much to help those workers.”

The ACLU’s letter to Gov. Doyle also noted that improving public transportation makes economic sense. The ACLU noted various studies showing that building public transit actually creates more jobs than highway construction. As the Governor’s Task Force on Global Warming also made clear, transit is better for environmental quality.

“Taking environmental justice seriously will benefit the entire state - including communities whose needs have too often been ignored,” stated Ahmuty. “To ensure that
underrepresented communities get a fair share of benefits from public investments, we urge you to prioritize public transportation projects in your budget, and with any stimulus funds Wisconsin receives.”

Click here for a copy of the ACLU of Wisconsin’s letter to Governor Doyle

 

Click here for a copy of this press release in .pdf