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January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

WI Watchdog: Election Audit Demands Merely "Campaign Fodder"

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Tuesday, August 10, 2021   

MADISON, Wis. -- A pro-democracy group said the latest attempt to pick apart Wisconsin's vote totals from the 2020 presidential election doesn't hold any merit. It hopes a separate review, expected later this year, will end the "Big Lie" rhetoric once and for all.

A state Republican lawmaker raised eyebrows last week when she issued subpoenas demanding election materials from Milwaukee and Brown counties. It followed repeated calls from former President Donald Trump to question the legitimacy of Joe Biden's victory in Wisconsin.

Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause in Wisconsin, said a partial recount already affirmed that Biden won the state.

"You can be sure that all of this stuff is campaign fodder not just for 2022, but for 2024 as well, by the far-right base," Heck asserted.

Those behind the move cited reasons such as the timing of when Milwaukee County officials posted their results. However, previous claims of fraud in Wisconsin and elsewhere have been widely discredited by election authorities and the courts.

It is unclear if GOP leaders will allow the subpoenas to be carried out.

Meanwhile, Heck pointed out a separate examination by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau is a legitimate review that will provide a definitive summary.

In the meantime, Heck argued giving the claims new life once again raises concerns about the threat to democracy, similar to what was debated in the weeks after the election.

"There's nothing inherently wrong about demanding a recount in a close election, provided it comes within the bounds of the law," Heck acknowledged. "The question is that if you don't like the outcome by charging falsely things like fraud, and if you can't provide proof of that, you are really doing a disservice to all of the other voters."

Heck added Wisconsin is on a dangerous path toward replicating the widely criticized audit of election totals in Arizona. Meanwhile, the state lawmaker behind the Wisconsin subpoenas said the current reviews are taking too long, and residents demand more transparency.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.


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