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Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four Republican state senators including Senate GOP Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald are facing June 5 recall elections. While the recalls were initiated for other reasons, they offer Wisconsin voters the opportunity to remove major roadblocks to passing a state medical cannabis law.
Walker's opposition to medical cannabis was reported by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel during the 2010 campaign in a Sept. 9, 2010 article in the All Politics Blog by Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel "On the issues: Medical marijuana."
Walker's response to the question, "Do you support the legalization of medical marijuana?" was as follows: "No. Federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 narcotic and I believe state law should reflect this as well."
After his May 8 primary victory, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is again squaring off against Walker in a repeat of their Nov. 2010 showdown. In the same blog posting, Barrett is quoted as willing to sign medical cannabis legislation that is "written extremely tightly" if it reaches his desk.
Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, a cancer survivor has also been unsupportive of medical cannabis despite her ordeal. Kleefisch is facing Firefighter Union chief Mahlon Mitchell.
Moving on to the Senate recalls, State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) has long been on record against medical cannabis. A number of wards in Fitzgerald's district are in Dane County. In the Nov. 2010 election, Fitzgerald was easily outpolled by the Dane County Medical Marijuana Advisory Referendum despite his claims that his constituents did not support it. An open records request covering the 2009-2010 session Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act (JRMMA) revealed Fitzgerald constituents were actually overwhelmingly in favor with no opposition recorded.
Fitzgerald's opponent is Lori Compas, a Ft. Atkinson photographer who organized his recall. Senator Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls), who has spent his many years first in the Assembly and more recently in the State Senate opposing the JRMMA and prior medical cannabis legislation, is facing former state Rep. Kristen Dexter. Dexter did not cosponsor the 2009-2010 JRMMA, although her staff were very supportive of the bill.
Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) is facing former State Sen. John Lehman. The fourth recalled Republican Senator, Pam Galloway (R-Wausau), chose to resign rather than face a recall election. Galloway, a cancer surgeon who is married to a gastroenterologist, was on record as opposing the JRMMA. In her place, State Rep. Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) is facing State Rep. Donna Seidel (D-Wausau). Seidel, a former police officer and investigator, is a supporter of the JRMMA.
A further wild card in an already wild political situation is that Gov. Walker is also the subject of an ongoing John Doe investigation in Milwaukee County that has already resulted in multiple felony charges for former close Walker associates. If Walker hangs on for a victory in the recall, he still might be facing criminal charges throughout the remainder of his term.
If Walker wins, the chances of a Wisconsin medical cannabis law passing will decline to zero as long as he remains in office. The State Senate is currently tied 16-16 with Galloway's seat vacant. Picking up just one of the four contested seats would flip the Senate back to Democratic control at 17-16. A split gives the Dems an 18-15 lead.
However, even with the best case scenario of a pickup of the Senate and a Walker recall, the State Assembly remains strongly in the GOP's hands. Current political thinking is the GOP will hold onto the Assembly this November. That would likely complicate efforts to pass a medical bill in the 2013-2014 session, even with Barrett as governor and the Senate in Democratic hands.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck
Contact: About Examiner.com Passionate, local writers | Examiner.com
Website: Wisconsin recalls offer voters chance to remove medical marijuana obstacles - Madison norml | Examiner.com
Walker's opposition to medical cannabis was reported by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel during the 2010 campaign in a Sept. 9, 2010 article in the All Politics Blog by Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel "On the issues: Medical marijuana."
Walker's response to the question, "Do you support the legalization of medical marijuana?" was as follows: "No. Federal law still classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 narcotic and I believe state law should reflect this as well."
After his May 8 primary victory, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is again squaring off against Walker in a repeat of their Nov. 2010 showdown. In the same blog posting, Barrett is quoted as willing to sign medical cannabis legislation that is "written extremely tightly" if it reaches his desk.
Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, a cancer survivor has also been unsupportive of medical cannabis despite her ordeal. Kleefisch is facing Firefighter Union chief Mahlon Mitchell.
Moving on to the Senate recalls, State Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) has long been on record against medical cannabis. A number of wards in Fitzgerald's district are in Dane County. In the Nov. 2010 election, Fitzgerald was easily outpolled by the Dane County Medical Marijuana Advisory Referendum despite his claims that his constituents did not support it. An open records request covering the 2009-2010 session Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act (JRMMA) revealed Fitzgerald constituents were actually overwhelmingly in favor with no opposition recorded.
Fitzgerald's opponent is Lori Compas, a Ft. Atkinson photographer who organized his recall. Senator Terry Moulton (R-Chippewa Falls), who has spent his many years first in the Assembly and more recently in the State Senate opposing the JRMMA and prior medical cannabis legislation, is facing former state Rep. Kristen Dexter. Dexter did not cosponsor the 2009-2010 JRMMA, although her staff were very supportive of the bill.
Senator Van Wanggaard (R-Racine) is facing former State Sen. John Lehman. The fourth recalled Republican Senator, Pam Galloway (R-Wausau), chose to resign rather than face a recall election. Galloway, a cancer surgeon who is married to a gastroenterologist, was on record as opposing the JRMMA. In her place, State Rep. Jerry Petrowski (R-Marathon) is facing State Rep. Donna Seidel (D-Wausau). Seidel, a former police officer and investigator, is a supporter of the JRMMA.
A further wild card in an already wild political situation is that Gov. Walker is also the subject of an ongoing John Doe investigation in Milwaukee County that has already resulted in multiple felony charges for former close Walker associates. If Walker hangs on for a victory in the recall, he still might be facing criminal charges throughout the remainder of his term.
If Walker wins, the chances of a Wisconsin medical cannabis law passing will decline to zero as long as he remains in office. The State Senate is currently tied 16-16 with Galloway's seat vacant. Picking up just one of the four contested seats would flip the Senate back to Democratic control at 17-16. A split gives the Dems an 18-15 lead.
However, even with the best case scenario of a pickup of the Senate and a Walker recall, the State Assembly remains strongly in the GOP's hands. Current political thinking is the GOP will hold onto the Assembly this November. That would likely complicate efforts to pass a medical bill in the 2013-2014 session, even with Barrett as governor and the Senate in Democratic hands.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: examiner.com
Author: Gary Storck
Contact: About Examiner.com Passionate, local writers | Examiner.com
Website: Wisconsin recalls offer voters chance to remove medical marijuana obstacles - Madison norml | Examiner.com
