Any West Wing fans out there?  There’s a great episode, which demonstrates the strength and power of the Senate filibuster. Senator Stackhouse, a gruff old guy who doesn’t get along with anyone, has decided to filibuster a bill he doesn’t like.  He’s old, he has a cold, but he stands in the well of the Senate for hours, holding up the business of the Senate while he reads Hoyle’s Official Rules of Card Games, The Joy of Cooking, anything else he can think of, all to hold up the vote on this bill.  Finally, our intrepid heroes on President Bartlett’s team figure out what the issue is, and they send friendly Senators onto the Senate floor, one by one, each equipped with a list of questions on autism, having figured out that Stackhouse has a grandchild with autism and wants funding for research put into the bill. His filibuster succeeds, and the Senate begins deliberations on including autism funding.
 
If only life were a West Wing episode!
 
Unfortunately, the filibuster has more often, and more and more in recent years, been used by the minority party to put a stranglehold on all Senate debate.  Today the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act are both frozen in place due to the filibuster.  These two vital pieces of legislation would eliminate dark money from politics, end partisan gerrymandering, ensure automatic voter registration, make absentee voting more accessible, and restore elements of the Voting Rights Act that were gutted by the Supreme Court in 2013 and again just a few weeks ago.  These two bills would essentially kill the nearly 400 anti-voter, anti-democratic bills sweeping through state legislatures, including over 20 bills right here in Wisconsin. (see Law Forward’s Election and Voting Bills in Wisconsin – Analysis)
 
What is the filibuster, anyway?  It is a Senate rule (not in the Constitution, not a law, just a self-imposed rule of the Senate) that says you need 60 votes to invoke ‘cloture’ – meaning to stop debate on a bill and put it up for a vote. So a Senator can filibuster a bill for all eternity, and unless the bill’s supporters can come up with 60 votes to end debate, the filibuster precludes a vote on the bill. Sadly, in today’s hyper-partisan atmosphere, it becomes nearly impossible to get to 60 votes on anything.
 
Further, the so-called ‘talking filibuster’ is a thing of the past.  All a Senator needs to do is threaten filibuster, and that is sufficient to kill a bill.
 
There is a long history of the filibuster used as a tool of white supremacy, to thwart efforts to extend civil rights to Black Americans. In 1922, it was used to defeat an anti-lynching bill.  Notoriously, in 1964, Southern Democrats (yes, Democrats) used the filibuster to delay passage of the Civil Rights Act for a record 60 days. Read more about the shameful legacy of the filibuster and white supremacy here.
 
A recent Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) resolution on the filibuster noted,
“…a growing body of evidence shows that today’s filibuster has contributed to political stalemate and obstruction by the minority. Senate action requires not merely a majority but 60 votes within the 100-member body, which happens rarely. Though there were just 49 votes to end a filibuster (invoke cloture) between 1917 and 1970, there were 298 votes to invoke cloture in 2019-2020 alone – indicating the exponential growth in use of the filibuster as a legislative tactic. The filibuster, once a rarity, is now a central governing principle of the Senate. Rather than encouraging compromise between senators with differing views, the filibuster allows senators to avoid the need to compromise – or even to discuss.” (https://urj.org/what-we-believe/resolutions/urj-resolution-filibuster-reform#_ftn2)
 
Over the years, there have been many changes and modifications to the filibuster.  “Budget reconciliation” is a process whereby budgetary items can pass by simple majority.  In 2013 and 2017, carve-outs were made to allow simple majorities for confirmation of Executive Branch and judicial nominees, including Supreme Court nominees.
 
The URJ resolution proposes six modifications to Senate rules, to encourage debate and bi-partisan cooperation. Specific to the filibuster is a call to bring back the ‘talking filibuster’, and a suggestion to reduce the number of votes needed to invoke cloture, perhaps to 55 votes.
 
Recently, Senate Majority Whip James Clyburn suggested a carve-out be made to the filibuster, similar to the carve-out for nominations. This carve-out would be for issues involving Constitutional rights, including voting rights.  It would allow for passage of the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. 
 
President Biden has spoken about the need to pass these two bills, and yet he is reluctant to modify or end the filibuster.  Two senators, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, refuse to consider these options.  Yet, without changes to the filibuster, or ending it entirely, the future of our democracy is hanging in the balance. 
 
As people of faith, we recognize the importance of cooperation, of healthy debate, and most importantly, of protecting the minority against the tyranny of the majority. But we also cherish democracy and the right to vote.  The filibuster is an undemocratic procedure, steeped in white supremacy and racism.  It has to go!

Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Statement:
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice is based in Madison, but we are a statewide organization.  As people of faith committed to justice for all peoples, we acknowledge that we are situated on the Indigenous lands of the Menominee, Ojibwe (Chippewa), Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Potawatomie, Sauk and Meskwaki,  Kickapoo, and other nations who cherished this place. (discover whose land you are living on here. Learn more about land acknowledgement here.) We make this acknowledgement to honor the history, culture, traditions, and rich legacy of the Native peoples who have lived here and continue to live here and contribute to our society.  We further make this acknowledgement as one small piece of ongoing efforts to end the erasure of their contributions and of the true history of how the United States was formed. We will continue to lift up Native American rights and issues in our work and to reach out in ally-ship with the Indigenous Nations in Wisconsin. For information and resources on how you can help support this work, please see our blog from 11-25-20 and the resource list below.  This is a work in progress and by no means comprehensive. Check back for updates.

Native American Resources and Organizations to Support:
National
Native American Rights Fund - Since 1970, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) has provided legal assistance to Indian tribes, organizations, and individuals nationwide who might otherwise have gone without adequate representation. NARF has successfully asserted and defended the most important rights of Indians and tribes in hundreds of major cases, and has achieved significant results in such critical areas as tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, natural resource protection, and Indian education.

Local, National, and Tribal Organizations
 
Native American Agriculture Fund - The Native American Agriculture Fund (NAAF) provides grants to eligible organizations for business assistance, agricultural education, technical support, and advocacy services to support Native farmers and ranchers.

Inter-tribal Agriculture Council - The Intertribal Agriculture Council was founded in 1987 to pursue and promote the conservation, development and use of our agricultural resources for the betterment of our people.
 
Illuminative - Created and led by Native peoples, IllumiNative is a new nonprofit initiative designed to increase the visibility of – and challenge the negative narrative about – Native Nations and peoples in American society. 

National Museum of the American Indian - A diverse and multifaceted cultural and educational enterprise, the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is an active and visible component of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex. The NMAI cares for one of the world's most expansive collections of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego.

Indian Country Today – indigenous news source

Land Acknowledgement Resources:

Are you planning to do a Land Acknowledgement?

NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS INITIATIVES: Land Acknowledgement

Native Land Digital: We strive to map Indigenous lands in a way that changes, challenges, and improves the way people see the history of their countries and peoples. We hope to strengthen the spiritual bonds that people have with the land, its people, and its meaning. We strive to map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages across the world in a way that goes beyond colonial ways of thinking in order to better represent how Indigenous people want to see themselves.We provide educational resources to correct the way that people speak about colonialism and indigeneity, and to encourage territory awareness in everyday speech and action.

Native Governance Center: A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement 

Native Land: Territory Acknowledgement

'I regret it': Hayden King on writing Ryerson University's territorial acknowledgement

​Beyond territorial acknowledgments

Wisconsin
Menīkānaehkem, Inc: Menīkānaehkem is a grassroots community organization based on the Menominee Reservation in Northeast Wisconsin working to revitalize our communities.

Wisconsin Department of Health Services – American Indians in Wisconsin: History

American Indian Chamber of Commerce - The American Indian Chamber of Commerce (AICCW) exists to promote economic development in Wisconsin Indian Country through directed service delivery to American Indian entrepreneurs. The mission of our sister organization, the First American Capital Corporation (FACC) is to perform economic development activities that benefit Wisconsin's Indian Country by increasing access to capital in the form of business loans, providing technical assistance services that strengthen the skills of Native entrepreneurs, and by advocating for Indian owned businesses to create new business opportunities -- both on and off the reservations. 

Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal by Patty Loew

Wisconsin Tribes and Organizations: Wisconsin Judicare 

Wisconsin First Nations: American Indian Studies in Wisconsin - 
This collection of resources provides educators and pre-service teachers accurate and authentic educational materials for teaching about the American Indian Nations of Wisconsin 

Wisconsin Indian Education Association - 
The Wisconsin Indian Education Association (WIEA) was established in 1985 by a group of concerned Indian Educators to carry on the efforts of the former Great Lakes Inter-Tribal Council (GLITC) Education sub-committee.

Last Thursday the legislative Joint Finance Committee (JFC) received the last testimony from citizens about the 2021-23 State Budget.  Immediately after the comment period ended, the Committee’s leaders released a huge list of items they intend to "remove from consideration."  Clearly, the list was prepared before they heard or reviewed the public comments.  The timing of the release gives the impression that they intended to make clear that they were not paying attention to the input from citizens and taxpayers.
 
The Committee will be meeting on Thursday, May 6, beginning at 11:00am.  Please call the Committee members using the list below and protest the removal of so many vital and important items from the budget that would go a long way toward improving the lives of so many Wisconsin residents.
 
Some of the many items the JFC intends to remove from consideration in one big motion on Thursday include:

• Provisions that would have protected people’s ability to vote
• Expansion of Medicaid
• Drivers' licenses for undocumented people
• The "raise the age" provision that would send 17 year-olds back to the juvenile system

 
Their list includes much more - see the Memo from JFC here.
 
Please take action to let JFC members know that you are unhappy with their decision to summarily remove from consideration so many items from the state budget.  Let them know if there are items you are particularly concerned about.  Or, let them know that you are upset by the complete lack of transparency in the process.
 
The Joint Finance Committee intends to meet and to pass their omnibus motion on Thursday morning at 11:00 am.  We are asking each of you to call one or more members of the Joint Finance Committee Thursday morning at 10 am.  Ask them to slow down and re-consider this sweeping show of disregard for the people who believed there was meaning to their participation in the process the JFC itself established.  Below are the names, emails and phone numbers of the JFC members.
 
Please, make at least one phone call Thursday morning.  Do not accept the excuse that they are "just removing policy that shouldn't be legislated through the budget."  All of these items have significant budget impacts. 
 
Here are the members of the Joint Finance Committee:
Representative Mark Born (Co-Chair)
Rep.Born@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-2540
Senator Howard Marklein (Co-Chair)
Sen.Marklein@legis.wiscosin.gov
(608) 266-0703
Senator Duey Stroebel
Sen.Stroebel@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-7513
Senator Dale Kooyenga
Sen.Kooyenga@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-2512
Senator Mary Felzkowski
Sen.Felzkowski@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-2509
Senator Kathleen Bernier
Sen.Bernier@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-7511
Senator Joan Ballweg
Sen.Ballweg@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0751
Representative Amy Loudenbeck
Rep.Loudenbeck@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-9967
Representative Terry Katsma
Rep.Katsma@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0656
Representative Shannon Zimmerman
Rep.Zimmerman@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-1526
Representative Jessie Rodriguez
Rep.Rodriguez@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0610
Representative Tony Kurtz
Rep.Kurtz@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-8531
Representative Evan Goyke
Rep.Goyke@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-0645
Representative Greta Neubauer
Rep.Neubauer@legis.wisconsin.gov 
(608) 266-0634

WISCONSIN FAITH VOICES FOR JUSTICE STATEMENT ON THE CONVICTION OF DEREK CHAUVIN
 
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice is grateful at the triple guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd.  We pray that George Floyd’s family is able to find some peace and some comfort in this verdict. 
 
However, we are cognizant that, far too often, police are afforded a presumption of innocence when their use of force results in injury or death.  The verdict today is a victory for justice, but we cannot allow it to be an isolated incident. We hope that this verdict reflects a sea change in the ways that this country is willing to value black lives and hold police accountable for their actions against black bodies. 
 
Let us celebrate this victory while also continuing the fight to hold police responsible for their actions: ban the use of chokeholds, knee holds, and other deadly use of force; end qualified immunity; and bring about a justice system that is truly just and equitable; one that serves and protects all citizens equally, regardless of their color. One important first step is to press our Senators to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.
 
There is still much work to be done. Let us move forward, together.
 
 

Equity in vaccine distribution has been a problem across the country, no less so here in Wisconsin.  Recognizing this problem, the Racine Interfaith Coalition (RIC) decided to be pro-active in problem-solving.  RIC Co-president Tamerin Hayward shared with us the steps they took.  We hope this will inspire others around the state to take similar actions in their localities.

1) Racine Interfaith Coalition observed from documents and first-hand testimony that the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccinations was not equitable toward our inner-city minority neighborhoods. This applied to both African American and Latinx communities. Racine is about 45% people of color.
 
2) We wrote a letter to the County Health Department expressing our concerns with the evidence we had seen of this inequity. They responded but in a manner that was less than concerned and seemingly not believing there was a good answer to our issues, but almost inviting us to suggest something better.
 
3) We decided to do just that and asked if they would meet with and accept suggestions from an advisory committee comprised of impacted persons. Even before we received an answer, we started to connect with other groups in Racine that could suggest persons for the committee such as the African American Round Table, NAACP, LULAC etc. One of our members remained on the committee, but otherwise it was made up entirely of people of color. Some were fairly well known in their communities and would therefore be trusted by their communities. We had equal numbers of African Americans and Latinx members.
 
4) We were therefore prepared when we got a tentative acceptance from the County and could move right into setting a date for the first joint meeting. 
 
5) We did encourage our Advisory Committee to meet alone first to set their agenda and discuss their responses and plan who would lead the group and who would take notes.
 
6) They have now met several times and while not perfect, there have been improvements such as a community vaccination site opening on a bus line and the bus company announcing that anyone who says they are going to get a vaccination will ride free in both directions. They continue to meet.
 
Tamerin Hayward, co-president
Racine Interfaith Coalition
 

No matter our race, background, or zip code, most of us want Wisconsin to be a place where freedom is for everyone, we can make our voices heard, and we can easily and fairly participate in elections.

Together, we can ensure every eligible Wisconsinite has the freedom to vote and that the results of our elections reflect the will of the people of Wisconsin.

That’s why we’re coming together, from Up North to Milwaukee’s northside, to thank Governor Evers for including important measures in his budget like extending early voting hours, implementing automatic voter registration, and making voting accessible to all in Wisconsin. Send an email to the Governor to show your support for fair and accessible voting policies in the state budget. 

Sample Thank You Email (please personalize with your own thoughts about why access to voting for all is important to you)
:
Dear Governor Evers,
Thank you so much for including automatic voter registration and other important pro-voter policies in your budget. We know how important voter access is to Wisconsinites across the state. We appreciate your commitment to voter access and making sure every Wisconsinite has the freedom to vote.
​
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Email]
[Your Address]

As people of faith, we have always held the right to vote as a sacred obligation. The Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign mobilized our faith communities in 2020 to help make sure every eligible voter was able to cast their vote. This work paid off as we saw the greatest voter turnout nationwide in US history.
 
This turnout was a great victory for democracy.  Sadly, that victory is now at risk, as anti-democratic forces in our state houses are doing all they can to restrict people’s ability to vote.  Over 250 anti-voter bills have been introduced in 43 states in the last two months. Thirteen such bills are currently being proposed in our state legislature which will create steep barriers to exercising the right to vote.
 
Some of the more egregious elements in these bills include forbidding the Wisconsin Election Commission from sending out absentee ballot applications to every voter, as they did for the November election. They include forbidding more than one dropbox in every community, regardless of the size of the community, and the dropbox must be attached to the building where the city clerk’s office is located. 

Employees in nursing homes are forbidden from helping residents to vote, and the family of residents must be notified whenever special voting deputies come to the facility to register voters.  Elderly, disabled, and indefinitely confined voters no longer would be able to request an absentee ballot for all upcoming elections, but have to make the request and provide ID for each and every election.  Anyone indefinitely confined would need to affirm their status under oath, and if they are under 65, the sworn statement has to be signed by their health care provider.  Further, anyone who identified as indefinitely confined between March 12, 2020 and November 3, 2020 would lose that status and have to reapply.

These are just a few of the many anti-democratic, anti-voter bills being proposed.  Sadly, polls show that few people are aware of these measures, not just in Wisconsin but nation-wide.  The best way to counter these extreme voter suppression efforts is to shine a spotlight on them.  The more people become aware, the more there will be a public outcry.  Please help spread the word and raise your voices with your Senators and Assembly members and tell them you are counting on them to protect our democracy and people’s right to vote!

Read more information on these bills here. 

To find your legislator -  Call the toll-free legislative hotline at 1-800-362-9472 (266-9960 in Madison).
Or go to the directory for State Senators and for Assembly members. 

February 19, 2021
 
Dear Friends
 
On February 16, Governor Evers announced his proposed 2021-23 Wisconsin State Budget.  Any budget, whether for your family, an organization, or the state, reflects its values and priorities. As people of faith, we hope the state budget will reflect our values, prioritizing people over corporations, the more vulnerable over the wealthy, building toward the future rather than preserving the status quo.
 
Of course, this proposal is just the first step on a long road to finalizing the budget.  The Joint Finance Committee will look at the proposal, immediately take out any items deemed to be policy and non-fiscal and decide whether to work from this proposal or write their own.  In previous years, hearings were held around the state to give the public an opportunity for input. What that will look like this year due to the pandemic remains to be seen. From there, the legislature will work on the final proposal to be voted upon.  The Governor then has the option of signing, vetoing, or signing after vetoing portions of the bill.
 
The Wisconsin Interfaith Voter Engagement Campaign and the ACLU-WI held a training webinar on Feb. 23 led by Molly Collins, Advocacy Director at the ACLU-Wisconsin. The budget process was explained, and participants were trained in how to be good advocates for a just and moral budget.

You can watch the recording of the training here.
 
The Governor, the Joint Finance Committee, and individual legislators are holding hearings and listening sessions, both virtual and in-person, to give you opportunities to share your values and your vision for what you want to see in the state's budget over the next two years.  Go  here to find out more about these opportunities to share your voice. 
​
Some key items in the proposal that align with our values and priorities:

1. Directs the Department of Transportation to implement automatic voter registration,
2. Modifies voter ID requirements, particularly requiring the UW system to issue student IDs that comply with voter ID laws,
3. Extends absentee voting timeframe,
4. Requires the legislature to go by the Fair Maps Commission recommendations when redrawing district boundaries, abide by open meetings rules, and retain records of their deliberations on redistricting for ten years,
5. Funding to improve broadband access,
6. Funds two new DMV offices in Dane and Brown Counties, which will help with access to obtain appropriate ID for voting,
7. Creates new offices and grant opportunities to promote equity and inclusion in all aspects of government and in our communities,
8. Provides funding to increase access to affordable childcare, particularly in areas that are currently childcare deserts, and stipends for childcare workers based on educational attainment and longevity in the field,
9. Raises the age for juvenile offenders to be treated as adults from 17 to 18,
10. Repeals aspects of Act 10 to restore some collective bargaining rights and strengthen unions,
11. Accepts Medicaid Expansion to cover adults making up to 138% of poverty, establishes a state-based health insurance marketplace in accordance with the federal Affordable Care Act, establishes a program to provide premium assistance for those making between 138 – 250% of the federal poverty line, repeals BadgerCare work requirements,
12. Repeals work requirements and drug screening for FoodShare recipients,
13. Allows in-state tuition for immigrants who meet certain requirements,
14. Allows for drivers licenses/state ID for undocumented immigrants,
15. Raises the minimum wage to $10.15/hr by 2024 and sets up a commission to study the feasibility of raising to $15/hr.

The following is a guest blog from Ramiah Whiteside, Community Organizer for EXPO - Ex-Prisoners Organizing. Read his important message on the disenfranchisement of thousands of Wisconsin citizens due to felony convictions, and hear from him why we should all care about this issue!  Then join us for a webinar on March 1 at 7:00 pm when you can hear directly from Ramiah himself. Register for the webinar here to receive the Zoom link.

My name is Ramiah Whiteside and I am a Community Organizer/Coordinator for EXPO; "Ex-incarcerated People Organizing." EXPO is a group led by directly impacted people who are committed to dismantling all systems that support mass incarceration and excessive supervision. We are dedicated to creating systems with policies that build healthy families and safe communities. 
EXPO is a statewide effort. Throughout the year, EXPO offers leadership training opportunities for formerly incarcerated people. EXPO recruits, trains, and supports people with conviction histories to be part of the movement for change.

   EXPO has played a pivotal role with the following:
• Ban the box for federal jobs
• Ban the box for local jobs in Madison, Milwaukee, and Racine
• Expand TAD funding (Treatment Alternatives and Diversions)
• Reduce the use of solitary confinement in WI prisons
• Expand funding for WI transitional jobs program
Other campaigns include:
• End crimeless revocations
• Restore the Vote/Unlock the Vote
• #Closemsdf
• #JUSTICEnotjails
• FREE- Lifting women's experience with incarceration and reentry
As a directly impacted person, currently on Parole Supervision, I am barred from voting. In fact, I will not be eligible to vote for at least another fifteen years. Along with me, there are over 40,000 additional Wisconsinites currently on felony supervision who are ineligible to vote. My case had nothing to do with voting. Reinstating my voting rights does not endanger the community in any way. My taxes are paid in full. My community engagement is far above average. In addition to my job, I also volunteer in the community. Even if I discovered the cure for ALL cancer and could change water to wine, I would still not be allowed to vote. While this is not the classic voting disenfranchisement, it is still a form of voter suppression.
 
Why is this relevant or important to anyone else? 

Voter suppression to one of us is suppression of all of us! Our Country was established on the premise that we would not allow a monarchy to tax us and then not represent us (taxation without representation). 

Today, we witness the effects of years of a myriad of systemic inequalities. EXPO has stood in solidarity with many other organizations locally and nationally to bring about changes in our Criminal Justice System. The data is overwhelmingly clear when we look at the arrest and conviction rates for minorities compared to everyone else. The data is overwhelmingly clear when we look at all of the disparities minorities suffer just because of their skin color or zip code. When we are not allowed the right to vote, we are unable to represent the priorities that we have in our communities. When we are not allowed to represent our communities, someone not from our communities makes laws that disproportionately HURT our communities. From years of felony disenfranchisement, our Black communities have been redistricted from an abhorrent system of gerrymandering. The right to vote is critical in rebuilding the Black Community. To that end, help EXPO Unlock the Vote! 

--
Ramiah Whiteside
Relational Organizer Fellow/EXPO

A Statement from Wisconsin Faith Leaders

January 15, 2021

We, the undersigned Wisconsin faith leaders, are profoundly disturbed by persistent attempts over the last two months to overturn the will of the people as expressed in the November election, which has been called “the most secure in American history.”[1] These efforts came to a head last week in the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol and our democratically elected leaders of all parties. As leaders of faith, we claim our role as part of our country’s moral conscience. We decry attempts to subvert and overthrow democracy. We lament that President Trump has encouraged these acts and, in so doing, has violated his oath to defend the Constitution. His actions have put the country, its leaders, and our democratic institutions in danger. Our prayers go out to the families of the five people who died as a result of this attack.

January 6, 2021, was a day of great moral reckoning. Leading up to it, we had witnessed the remarkable strength and perseverance of voters who braved a pandemic to make their voices heard, election officials who worked diligently to ensure safe and honest vote counts, and public officials, notably judges across the country, who carefully examined all alleged instances of fraud and ultimately certified the results as sound. We looked forward to Congress completing the process by formally certifying the results.

Instead, we witnessed an attempted coup. We watched in horror as a mob, led by white supremacists, antisemites, conspiracy mongers, and seditionists—incited by the President and encouraged by some Congress members—stormed the Capitol, physically abusing the seat of our national government and forcing members of Congress to flee for their safety. We saw as well how the indulgent treatment of this armed and dangerous crowd by some law enforcement officials compared with the ways in which police around the nation have all too frequently subjected unarmed Black Lives Matter protestors to highly aggressive crowd control. Some crowd members hoisted the banner of the secessionist Confederacy, which fought to uphold slavery and its racial ideology proclaiming that all human beings are not created equal. As people of faith, we are called to witness against the immorality of that claim and its inversion of our country’s highest ideals.

This attempt to overturn the election ultimately failed, but it reminds us that our democracy is fragile and needs protection. Because we cannot accept half-measures to defend our nation’s safety and stability, we join together to call for:

1. The impeachment and conviction by Congress of President Donald Trump in order to restore the rule of law.
2. The resignation or expulsion of the 8 Senators and 139 Representatives, including Wisconsin Congress members Scott Fitzgerald and Tom Tiffany, who supported attempts to overturn the election by voting against the certification of duly and legally selected electors.
3. The passage of bills by the Wisconsin Legislature to protect the voting rights of all the state’s citizens and to redraw maps of the state’s legislative and congressional districts in a fair and non-partisan manner.
4. Those who wish to protest to do so in a non-violent manner which respects our democratic institutions and does not harm any person.

Signed,

Organizations
Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH)
Pastors United
Souls to the Polls
Wisconsin Council of Churches
Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice
 
Individuals
Rev. Beth Abbot, Pastor, First Congregational United Church of Christ, South Milwaukee
Rev. Dr.Curt Anderson, retired minister, United Church of Christ
Rev. Jane B.Anderson, Associate Conference Minister, Wisconsin Conference United Church of Christ, Appleton
Rev.Karen Armina, Minister, James Reeb Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Madison
Rev. Joseph B. Baring, Jr., African Methodist Episcopal Church, Madison
Rev. Roger Bertschausen, Interim Minister, First Unitarian Society, Madison
Rev. Claire A. Beutler-Cruise, United Church of Christ, Milwaukee
Rabbi Jonathan Biatch, Madison
Rev. Winton Boyd, Pastor–United Church of Christ and Retreat Leader–Center for Courage & Renewal, Madison
Rev. Carin Bringelson, Minister, Lake Country Unitarian Universalist Church, Hartland
Omega S. Burckhardt, Unitarian Universalist Candidate for Ministry, Milwaukee
Rev. Erik David Carlson, Lead Minister, Bradford Unitarian Universalist, Kenosha
Rev. Kimberlee Tomczak Carlson, Minister of Religious Education, First Unitarian Society, Milwaukee
Rev. Denise Cawley, Minister, Unitarian Universalist, Milwaukee
Pastor Adam Clausen, Pastor, Life Center Madison, Madison
Charles Cohen, E. Gordon Fox Professor, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison
Rev. Ruth Costello, Pastor, Community Church of Fontana, United Church of Christ, Fontana
Pastor Marianne Cotter, Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Baraboo
Rev. Kelly Crocker, Minister of Congregational Life, First Unitarian Society, Madison
The Rev. Monica L. Cummings, Assistant Minister for Pastoral Care, Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist, Kenosha
Rev. Joseph W. Ellwanger, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Milwaukee
Rev. Alissa Kretzmann Farrar, Pastor, Lake Park Lutheran Church, Milwaukee
Rev. Dr. Jerry Folk
Rabbi Betsy Forester, Rabbi, Beth Israel Center Madison
Rev. Kelly R. Fowler, Pastor, Our Lord’s United Methodist Church, New Berlin
Rev. Selena Fox, Senior Minister, Circle Sanctuary, Barneveld
Rev. Reirin Gumbel, Milwaukee Zen Center and Buddist Peace Fellowship, Milwaukee
Rev. Karen Hagen, Pastor, Tippecanoe Presbyterian Church, Milwaukee
Rev. Sonja L. Ingebritsen, Minister, Community of Hope United Church of Christ, Madison
Rev. Joseph H. Jackson Jr., President, MICAH, Milwaukee
The Rev. Dr. Andrew C. Kennedy, Minister Emeritus, First Unitarian Society Milwaukee
Rev. David Kraemer, Minister, United Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Waukesha
Rev. Erik J. Koepnick, United Church of Christ, Milwaukee
Pastor Walter Lanier, Minister, Progressive Baptist Church, Milwaukee
Rev. Tony Larson, Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church North, Mequon
Rev. Christina Leone-Tracy, Senior Minister, Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Appleton
Minister Greg Lewis
Rev. Suzelle Lynch, Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church West, Brookfield
Rabbi Bonnie Margulis, Executive Director, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, Madison
​Rev. Dr. Trinette V McCray, Urban Center Milwaukee, American Baptist Black Caucus of Wisconsin
Rev. Dena McPhetres, Associate Minister, First Unitarian Society, Milwaukee
Rev. Dr. Sydney A. Morris, retired minister, Unitarian Universalist, Oshkosh
Rev. Jennifer Nordstrom, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Society, Milwaukee
Rev. Dr. Sarah Oelberg, retired minister, Unitarian Universalist, West Allis
Rev. Diane Olson, Milwaukee
Rev. Jennifer Olson, ELCA, Milwaukee
Rev. Leah Ongiri, Associate Minister, Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Appleton
Rev. Kerri Parker, Executive Director, Wisconsin Council of Churches, Madison
Rev. Kenneth L. Pennings, Associate Pastor, Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, Madison
Rev. Ellen Rasmussen, Pastor, Brown Deer United Methodist Church, Brown Deer
Rev. Karon Sandberg, Community Minister, Fox Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Appleton
Rev. Karla Schmidt, Campus Minister, The Crossing, Madison
Rev. Dr. Larry Sexe, Board President, Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice, Deerfield
Rev. Valerie Showalter, Pastor, Madison Mennonite Church (MC USA), Madison
Rev. Patrick Siegler, Madison
Rev. Bryan Sirchio, Pastor McFarland UCC, McFarland
Rev. Daniel J. Stark, Pastor, Christ Church UCC, Milwaukee
Reverend Tory V. Topjian, Senior Minister, Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Church, Milwaukee
Pastor Alexis Twito, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Cedarburg
Rev. Nick Utphall, Pastor, Advent Luther/Madison Christian Community, Madison
Rev. Marlene Walker, Minister, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Rock Valley, Rockton (IL)
Mallory Yanchus, Executive Director, The Crossing Campus Community, Madison
Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman, Congregation Shaarei Shamayim, Madison
 
[1] https://www.cisa.gov/news/2020/11/12/joint-statement-elections-infrastructure-government-coordinating-council-election