Ron Johnson, United States Senator for Wisconsin

Johnson Anuncia Audiencias Publicas con su Personal Sobre Propuesta de Ley Migratoria

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Para residentes de Wisconsin con comentarios acerca de la futura propuesta legislativa sobre inmigración ...

Johnson Announces Staff Immigration Bill Listening Sessions

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

For constituents with comments about upcoming congressional immigration legislation....

Johnson Announces Staff Mobile Office Hours

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Oshkosh, Wisconsin – Senator Ron Johnson (WI) announced today that his staff would be available for mobile office hours at the dates and locations listed below. These office hours allow constituents to meet with the Senator’s staff to request assistance with a federal agency or regarding other federal matters.

Tuesday, May 28^th, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Marquette Village Hall

127 East 4^th Street, Marquette, WI 53947

Tuesday, May 28^th, 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Arlington Village Hall

200 Commercial Street, Arlington, WI 53911

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Johnson: Protect Health Care for Public Employees

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senator Ron Johnson (WI) released the following statement regarding the decision of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to dump retired employees of the City of Chicago into Obamacare health exchanges:

“Not long ago, Rahm Emanuel worked for a president who told Americans, ‘If you like your health care, you can keep it.’ Unfortunately, the way Obamacare is designed incentivizes employers to cancel coverage, change health care plans, or simply dump workers into Obamacare exchanges against their will. While White House Chief of Staff Emanuel may have denied that, Mayor Emanuel’s actions demonstrate it.

“No one should have his or her health care taken away due to Obamacare. Unfortunately, the way the law is designed, many other cities and employers will follow Mayor Emanuel’s lead. The best way to protect consumers from these forced changes is to repeal Obamacare.

“The Senate Budget Committee recently approved my amendment to improve Obamacare cost estimates, on a bipartisan vote. The Senate approved the amendment as part of broader legislation. The Congressional Budget Office should begin these broader Obamacare estimates promptly. The American people have a right to know what Obamacare may ultimately cost them.”

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Johnson Comments on IRS and HHS

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Johnson made the following statement regarding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and their capacity to administer Obamacare:

“The IRS scandal targeting people and organizations who disagree with the politics and policies of the current administration violates the First Amendment. It is a frightening abuse of federal government power over the very people government is supposed to serve.

“Equally frightening and onerous is Secretary Sebelius’ abuse of her regulatory power to coerce contributions to pro-Obamacare organizations from the very businesses and industries she regulates. This is corruption, and Congress should immediately initiate hearings into Secretary Sebelius’ abuse of her office and federal power.

“As the primary administrators of Obamacare, the IRS and HHS have lost their credibility with the American people to effectively administer this massive and unaffordable new program. Both Senate Majority Leader Reid and Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus have called the implementation of Obamacare 'a train wreck.'

“I couldn’t agree more. Congress should not allow Obamacare to proceed under a dark cloud of lawlessness, intimidation and corruption. This is another example of why this law needs to be repealed by Congress immediately. The American people deserve far more than they are getting from this administration and this Congress.”

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Johnson: CBO Makes Clear America Cannot Afford Obamacare

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senator Ron Johnson (WI) released the following statement regarding the Congressional Budget Office’s updated estimate of the cost of Obamacare:

“The President and his allies in Congress sold Obamacare by promising it would cost the taxpayers less than $1 trillion in its first decade. Instead, the Congressional Budget Office now makes clear that once fully implemented, it will cost far more than that over its first ten years: a whopping $1.8 trillion.

“Obamacare will reduce medical innovation and the quality of care, increase wait times, lead to rationing, and bust the federal budget. Senators showed their concern about the cost of the program recently by approving a budget resolution that included my amendment to require more comprehensive Obamacare cost estimates. That provision was adopted on a bipartisan vote of the Budget Committee.

“The Senate Majority Leader and the Senate author of Obamacare, Democrats Harry Reid (NV) and Max Baucus (MT), recently called the implementation of Obamacare a train wreck. I agree. And in addition, it will wreck our wallets too.”

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Johnson Comments on IRS

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senator Ron Johnson (WI) released the following statement today regarding the Internal Revenue Service (IRS):

“The revelations that the IRS has specifically targeted Republican and conservative political organizations is a frightening assault upon constitutional rights enjoyed by every American, regardless of political affiliation. We cannot have the federal government, with all its enormous power, attacking people and organizations who might hold a differing political or policy opinion from those in power. That kind of activity corrupts the very foundation of freedom and unfortunately, becomes more common place as Washington increases its power over the very people it is supposed to serve.

"I commend Finance Committee Chairman, Senator Max Baucus (MT), for immediately calling hearings to investigate this completely inappropriate and dangerous behavior.”

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Johnson: Benghazi Was the 3:00 A.M. Call

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:00 EST

Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Johnson (WI), who attended part of yesterday’s hearing of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, released the following statement:

“During the 2008 Democratic Presidential primaries, former Secretary Clinton ran an ad attacking nominee Barack Obama for his lack of wisdom and experience in a foreign crisis – and touting her own. It has become known as the '3:00 A.M. call.'

"I commend Chairman Issa for holding Wednesday's hearing to try to bring more clarity to what actually happened in Benghazi. As more and more facts regarding Benghazi are painfully extracted from the Obama administration, this much can be ascertained: Benghazi was a failure of leadership by President Obama – before, during, and after the pre-planned terrorist attack that killed four Americans. Absent evidence to the contrary, it appears President Obama failed to fully engage, take command and act - instead delegating his responsibilities as Commander in Chief to others. His administration then embarked on a narrative for the attack that was disconnected from reality and initially misled the American public. Benghazi was President Obama’s 3:00 A.M. moment and he failed that test of leadership. What difference, at this point, does it make? Leadership - or lack thereof - before, during, and after a crisis, always makes a difference.”

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UK Mail Online: U.S. State Department's top Libya security adviser: Benghazi decisions were made at the highest levels

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

The former Regional Security Officer in Tripoli during the months before the Benghazi terror attack that killed the U.S. ambassador told a congressional panel on Wednesday that the State Department's internal review of the diplomatic disaster unfairly let senior political appointees off the hook.

Choking back tears, Eric Allan Nordstrom said the investigation into the terror attack, continued Wednesday during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing, 'matters to me personally, and it matters to my colleagues at the department of state.'

'It matters to the American public for whom we serve, and most importantly, it matters to the friends and family of Ambassador Stevens, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, who were murdered on September 11, 2012.'

Nordstrom is a Supervisory Special Agent with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and served as the principal security adviser to U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, who perished along with the three other Americans in the terror attack.

His comments in prepared testimony concerned a State Department Accountability Review Board (ARB) report on Benghazi, which did not recommend any sanctions on any department employees, and concluded that no one above middle management made mistakes.

'It is not what is contained within the report that I take exception to but what is left unexamined,' Nordstrom's prepared testimony said.

'Specifically, I’m concerned with the ARB’s decision to focus its attention at the Assistant Secretary level and below, where the ARB felt that 'the decision-making in fact takes place".'

But 'based on my personal knowledge of the situation in Libya prior to the attack,' Nordstrom wrote, 'I received and reviewed several documents, which included planning documents for operations in both Tripoli and Benghazi, drafted and approved at the Under Secretary of Management level or above.'

The State Department's website includes an organizational chart showing that those 'above' the agency's six under secretaries include only two deputy secretaries and the secretary of state - all political appointees.

The chart, however, shows a direct line of reporting from the secretary - Hillary Clinton at the time of the Benghazi attack - and all the under secretaries.

The hearing included testimony from three whistle-blowers, including Nordstrom and one first-hand witness of the events in Benghazi.

In the aftermath of the attack, the Obama administration stuck to its initial line that a spontaneous protest over an American anti-Islam video turned ugly, and denied that a terror attack was responsible.

Coming only weeks before the 2012 presidential election, the attack might otherwise have provided GOP challenger Mitt Romney's campaign with an opening to argue that the president wasn't effectively managing terrorist threats abroad.

Hillary Clinton testified in a Senate hearing in January, now-famously asking if it mattered whether the attack stemmed from a street demonstration, or from a preplanned terrorist assault.

'With all due respect,' she said in response to Republican Senator Ron Johnson's questions, 'the fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night decided to go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?'

'It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again.'

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Johnson Calls for New Senate Hearings on Benghazi

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Oshkosh, WI – Senator Ron Johnson (WI) made the following comments regarding the ongoing developments in the Benghazi terrorist attacks:

“During the hearing on Benghazi before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, I asked former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton why she made no effort to personally speak with participants who were on the ground during the course of the assault. She responded in part, ‘What difference at this point does it make?’ I think it makes a huge difference, then and now. In fact, eight months after Benghazi, too many important questions remain unanswered regarding the level of security leading up to the Benghazi assault, the Administration’s response during the attack and how the State Department and Administration reacted publicly after the attack.

"Press reports indicate that whistle-blowers who were on the ground have substantial information that can bring clarity to what happened in Benghazi for the American people. There are also news reports that some people feel intimidated by the Administration to remain silent.

"I was shocked that President Obama, in his press conference yesterday, revealed that he was ignorant of these developing events. This leads me to believe that this administration has no interest in providing answers to the American people. The House will be conducting new hearings on May 8th. I strongly urge the Senate to hold new hearings on Benghazi and include in those hearings people who were on the ground in Libya during the attacks.”

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Johnson to Attend Dedication of Captain Rhett W. Schiller Post Office

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

Senator Ron Johnson (WI) today announced that he will join Congressman Paul Ryan (WI-1) and Waterford, Wisconsin community leaders for the dedication of the Captain Rhett W. Schiller Post Office. Johnson sponsored the legislation to designate the Post Office.

Location:

Waterford Public Library

101 North River Street

Waterford, WI 53185

Time:

11:00 AM Central

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Johnson said, “as a member of the United States Senate, it is my privilege to meet the finest among us – the men and women of America’s armed services, who are willing to put their lives on the line for their fellow Americans. Too often, these brave men and women make the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedoms. I’m honored to join in this tribute to the bravery of one of Wisconsin’s finest – Captain Rhett Schiller – who gave his life in combat in Iraq.”

In 2012, Johnson introduced legislation to designate the Waterford Post Office as the "Captain Rhett W. Schiller Post Office.” The bill was signed into law by President Obama on January 14, 2013.

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Juneau County Star Tribune: Mauston attorney named to judicial nominating panel

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Mauston attorney William T. Curran was one of six named this week to the Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission, which is charged with moving federal nominations forward, including vacant federal judgeships in Wisconsin.

Curran was one of three attorneys tapped for the commission by Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, who worked with Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who named the other three members, to create the commission.

“No reservations,” Curran said about accepting the invitation from Johnson. “I’ve done it before, so I know the drill.”

The commission is charged with naming candidates for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Western districts of Wisconsin, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and federal attorneys for the state’s Eastern and Western districts.

Curran served on Wisconsin’s Federal Judicial Nominating Commission from 2001 to 2008 and served on a similar body charged with screening candidates for vacancies on the state circuit courts, appellate courts and Supreme Court from 1987 to 2001 during the administration of Gov. Tommy Thompson.

Nominating commissions vary in the ways they operate and Curran said Thursday he had few specifics about what Johnson and Baldwin have in mind.

“We’re in a little bit of uncharted water here because Sen. Johnson and Sen. Baldwin are trying very hard to work together in a bipartisan way and that’s somewhat of a switch,” Curran said.

Typically, Curran said, a nominating commission whittles a field of applicants to five via interviews and discussion before forwarding names to senators.

The senator who is of the same party as the president – Baldwin, in this case – then decides which candidate or candidates she wants to forward to the president for consideration..

The president makes the final choice, which must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

“I have always said that a balanced commission – one that ensures candidates have support from both sides of the aisle – is the fairest way to proceed,” Johnson said in a news release. “I’m glad that Senator Baldwin and I have been able to agree on this bipartisan charter. I look forward to working with her and the President to fill these important judicial vacancies.”

Curran graduated from Marquette University Law School in 1975 and began his practice in Mauston with Curran, Hollenbeck & Orton the same year, according to information from the firm’s website.

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CBS 21: Pennsylvania Senator says personal stories show the harm of big government

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST

How big is too big? It’s a question one U.S. Senator is asking about the very place that employs him, the federal government.

The Senator has devoted quite a bit of time and resources to show how some tax-payer funded agencies are costing some Americans nearly everything.

“Meet Stephen Athrop and his family.”

It’s the story of an Illinois resident who’s been fighting federal regulators for decades, after buying a piece of property, an old dump, which had caused the area major flooding.

“Steve obtained the necessary permits,” Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin explains. “He then invested $100,000 and converted the dump into a lake.”

Steve is also the center of a new video series put together by the office of Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson. A program he calls victims of government.

He says he wants to highlight personal stories that illustrate a widespread problem, that of ‘government intrusion.’

“So many Americans are addicted to government, they look to government to solve all their problems,” Johnson explained. “I come at it from the vantage point the government rather than solving problems, is the root cause of the problem itself.”

In the case of Mr. Lathrop, it was the Army Corps of Engineers which denied him permitting and recommended prosecution.

“The Corps decided the dump was a wetland and threatened jail time and fines if he did not convert it back to its original state,” Johnson stated.

We contacted the Army Corps of Engineers and they said they were unaware of the incident and declined to comment.

Senator Johnson says its just one of several government agencies people have written to say have overstepped their bounds.

“People need to come to grips with the fact that growing government is the wrong solution,” commented Johnson. “We’re heading down the wrong path. We need to turns away from that path as quickly as possible.”
Where that path leads is often a source of disagreement for lawmakers in Washington:

If you think the federal government is putting a damper on your life, you can click on the attached link from Senator Johnson’s office and share your own story.

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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin reach deal on nominating federal judges

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Wisconsin’s two US Senators have reached an agreement that could pave the way to fill key state vacancies on the federal bench after a lengthy partisan impasse in the confirmation process.

The new system gives Republican Sen. Ron Johnson more say in the process than he had under the old system.

Vacancies include Wisconsin’s designated seat on the Seventh Circuit US Court of Appeals in Chicago and other federal judgeships.

The new agreement between Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Johnson alters the makeup of a state nominating commission long used by Wisconsin senators to screen applicants for federal judge and US Attorney and recommend finalists for the White House to choose from.

Under the old system, when the state’s two senators came from different parties, the senator whose party occupied the White House appointed five commission members and the senator from the “out” party appointed three. ((The remaining three to four slots were filled by the State Bar and the state's two law schools, Marquette University and the University of Wisconsin).

But the new agreement announced by Johnson and Baldwin calls for partisan parity. Each senator, regardless of whether he or she belongs to the same party as the president, will appoint three members to a six-member nominating commission made up of members of the state bar.

Johnson pushed for the change, and had the leverage to get it. That’s because individual senators currently enjoy effective veto power over federal judicial nominations in their own states. Judiciary chairman Patrick Leahy, a Vermont Democrat, makes it a practice not to hold confirmation hearings when a home-state senator of either party objects.

After he took office in 2011, Johnson blocked consideration of a University of Wisconsin law professor, Victoria Nourse, for the 7^th Circuit. The Nourse nomination had gone through the state’s nominating commission well before Johnson got elected.

But because the Senate hadn’t acted on it, Johnson argued her nomination had “expired,” requiring a new round of applications. He took the same position on another stalled nominee, former state Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler. Johnson’s objections weren’t only procedural. He opposed both nominees.

Johnson announced that his appointments to the new commission are: William Curran, Richard Esenberg and Paul Swanson.

Baldwin announced that her appointments are: Michelle Behnke, Frederic Fleishauer, and Barbara Zack Quindel.

“I’ve always said that a balanced commission – one that ensures candidates have support from both sides of the aisle – is the fairest way to proceed.,” said Johnson in a joint statement issued by the two senators.

Baldwin said filling the judicial vacancies was a top priority for her since taking office in January, and “Senator Johnson and I were able to find common ground on an important issue for Wisconsin.”

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Wisconsin Senators Announce Agreement on Wisconsin Judicial Commission to Move Federal Nominations Forward

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin announced their agreement to establish a Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission to move federal nominations forward, including vacant federal judgeships in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission will advise the Senators on the nomination of individuals to fill the following vacancies:

The United States District Court for the Eastern District and the Western District of Wisconsin, or such other districts as may be established in Wisconsin;
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which are appropriately considered Wisconsin seats;
United States Attorneys for the Eastern and Western District of Wisconsin, or such other districts as may be established in Wisconsin.

The Commission shall consist of six Wisconsinites who are members of the Wisconsin State Bar. Three members will be appointed by each Senator, who will each have a Co-Chair on the Commission. Johnson appointed William Curran, Richard Esenberg, and Paul Swanson as commissioners. Baldwin appointed Michelle Behnke, Frederic Fleishauer, and Barbara Zack Quindel to the commission.

“I’m very pleased to have been able to work with Senator Baldwin on a balanced, bipartisan commission to recommend qualified candidates for judicial nominations,” Johnson said. “Wisconsin is a diverse state, and voters have chosen a diverse set of representatives. I have always said that a balanced commission – one that ensures candidates have support from both sides of the aisle – is the fairest way to proceed. I’m glad that Senator Baldwin and I have been able to agree on this bipartisan charter. I look forward to working with her and the President to fill these important judicial vacancies.”

“The filling of judicial vacancies has been a top priority for me since I was sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January. Senator Johnson and I were able to find common ground on an important issue for Wisconsin,” Baldwin said. “I am proud to have worked together with Senator Johnson to put in place a commission and process for moving judicial nominations forward. The people of Wisconsin deserve to have these vacancies filled with qualified public servants working for them and our fair and impartial judicial system.”

Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission Members

Michelle A. Behnke (Co-Chair) is a 1988 graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School. She established her own firm in 1998 and currently works as a business practitioner. Behnke previously practiced as in-house counsel with CUNA Mutual Insurance Society and at a Madison law firm. Behnke is a past president of the State Bar of Wisconsin and currently serves on the ABA Board of Governors. She has served on a number of boards including the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, Madison Development Corporation and SSM Healthcare of Wisconsin. Michelle is married and has two adult children.

William T. Curran is with Curran, Hollenbeck & Orton, SC, in Mauston and Wisconsin Dells. He is AV rated (highest) by Martindale-Hubbell. He was admitted as a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2001. He is a repeat selection in “Super Lawyers” in commercial litigation. He served on the Governor’s Judicial Nominating Council 1987-2001 and 2010 - present and on the Federal Judicial Nominating Commission (2001-2008). He was elected to the Board of Governors of the State Bar Association for the nine-county 7th District.

Richard Esenberg is the founder, President and General Counsel of the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, a public interest law firm and legal think tank based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition, he is currently an adjunct Professor of Law at Marquette University Law School where he formerly served in the full time faculty. He holds a J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review, and a B.A., summa cum laude, in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Frederic Fleishauer graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1973. Fleishauer served as Portage County Circuit Court Judge from 1980 to 2011. He was named “Judge of the Year” by the State Bar of Wisconsin in 2008. Before becoming a Judge, Fleishauer served as Portage County District Attorney from 1977 to 1980, and was recently appointed District Attorney to fill an unexpired term in 2012. Fred lives in Custer, Wisconsin with his wife Pam.

Paul Swanson (Co-Chair) is a partner in the Oshkosh, Wisconsin law firm of Steinhilber, Swanson, Mares, Marone & McDermott. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh with a major in accounting and his J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1979. He is currently the Chairman of the Continuing Legal Education Committee for the State Bar of Wisconsin and serves on its Board of Governors. He is a Past President of the State Bar Young Lawyers Division, served as Treasurer for the term of 1994-1995, and has served on the Board of Governors for terms spanning 1987 to 1995 and 2008 through 2013.

Barbara Zack Quindel practices labor and employment law and is a shareholder in Hawks Quindel S.C. She has been listed consistently in the Best Lawyers in America which named her Milwaukee’s 2012 “Lawyer of the Year" in Employment Law-Individuals. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Barbara holds a Masters degree from Harvard University and received her law degree from Northeastern University. Barbara lives in Milwaukee with her husband, Roger.

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State Bar of Wisconsin: Senators Baldwin and Johnson Announce Agreement on Moving Federal Nominations Forward

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

U.S. Senators Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin announced Wednesday that they have agreed to establish a Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission to move federal nominations forw?ard, including vacant federal judge positions in Wisconsin.

In a joint news release this afternoon, the senators announced that the Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission will advise them on the nomination of individuals to fill the following vacancies:

The United States District Court for the Eastern District and the Western District of Wisconsin, or such other districts as may be established in Wisconsin;
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which are appropriately considered Wisconsin seats;
United States Attorneys for the Eastern and Western District of Wisconsin, or such other districts as may be established in Wisconsin.

The Commission will be made up of six Wisconsin residents who are members of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Three members will be appointed by each senator, who will each have a co-chair on the Commission.

Sen. Johnson appointed the following State Bar members as commissioners:

Attorney William Curran of Curran of Hollenbeck & Orton S.C., Mauston and Wisconsin Dells;
Attorney Richard Esenberg of the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty;
Attorney Paul Swanson of Steinhilber, Swanson, Mares, Marone & McDermott, Oshkosh;

Sen. Baldwin appointed the following State Bar members as commissioners:

Michelle Behnke of Michelle Behnke & Associates, Madison;
Frederic Fleishauer, Portage County District Attorney;
Barbara Zack Quindel of Hawks Quindel S.C., Milwaukee.

“I’m very pleased to have been able to work with Senator Baldwin on a balanced, bipartisan commission to recommend qualified candidates for judicial nominations,” Sen. Johnson said. “Wisconsin is a diverse state, and voters have chosen a diverse set of representatives. I have always said that a balanced commission – one that ensures candidates have support from both sides of the aisle – is the fairest way to proceed. I’m glad that Senator Baldwin and I have been able to agree on this bipartisan charter. I look forward to working with her and the President to fill these important judicial vacancies.”

Since I was sworn in to the U.S. Senate in January. Senator Johnson and I were able to find common ground on an important issue for Wisconsin,” Sen. Baldwin said. “I am proud to have worked together with Senator Johnson to put in place a commission and process for moving judicial nominations forward. The people of Wisconsin deserve to have these vacancies filled with qualified public servants working for them and our fair and impartial judicial system.”

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Wisconsin Public Radio: Sen. Johnson Responds To Bombing

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisc) told constituents today that the country needs to maintain a strong national defense, when asked about the bombing at the Boston marathon.

The Senator's comments come as it remains unclear who carried out the attack and whether they were foreign or domestic.

Speaking to constituents via a telephone town hall, Johnson was asked how he felt about the events in Boston. Johnson said it was important to understand that the number of good people in the United States and the world, “vastly outnumber the evildoers.”

“But it's up to us good people to remain vigilant, and that's what we have to do. We need to make sure that from a standpoint of national security, that it remains a high priority.”

Johnson continued:

“I realize so many Americans would rather just come on home--'Let's isolate ourselves.' We live in a global economy. Whether we like it or not, we are the world's leader. And when America doesn't lead, it creates voids, it creates vacuums of leadership in the world and very evil people fill in those voids. So we have to maintain a strong national defense, we need to maintain a strong intelligence-gathering capability.”

Both Johnson and fellow Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc) said their hearts went out to the victims of the tragedy. Baldwin said in a written statement that we do not know all the facts and are at the beginning of this investigation. She said it was clear the FBI was responding to it as an act of terrorism and those responsible would be brought to justice.

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The Oshkosh Northwestern: Baldwin, Johnson agree on judicial appointments panel

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson have agreed to establish a six-member commission to recommend candidates for filling federal judicial vacancies in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Federal Nominating Commission will be responsible for advising the senators on nominees to serve on the U.S. District Court and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The panel also will consider candidates to serve as U.S. attorney for the eastern and western districts of the state.

The senators chose three members each from the Wisconsin State Bar to serve on the commission. Baldwin appointed Michelle Behnke, a past president of the state bar; Frederic Fleishauer, a former Portage County circuit judge; and Barbara Zack Quindel, a labor lawyer. Johnson named William Curran, with Curran, Hollenbeck; Orton, S.C.; Richard Esenberg, president and general counsel at the Wisconsin Institute for Law; Liberty; and Paul Swanson, a partner in the Oshkosh firm of Steinhilber, Swanson, Mares, Marone & McDermott.

Baldwin, D-Madison, who last November became the first woman from Wisconsin and first openly gay person to be elected to the Senate, said filling judicial vacancies has been a top priority since she was sworn in in January.

Three federal judgeships are now vacant in Wisconsin.

“Senator Johnson and I were able to find common ground on an important issue for Wisconsin,” Baldwin said. “The people of Wisconsin deserve to have these vacancies filled with qualified public servants working for them and our fair and impartial judicial system.”

Johnson, R-Oshkosh, said he was pleased he and Baldwin could agree on a bipartisan charter for the commission and that he looked forward to filling the vacancies.

“Wisconsin is a diverse state, and voters have chosen a diverse set of representatives,” Johnson said. “I have always said that a balanced commission -- one that ensures that candidates have support from both sides of the aisle -- is the fairest way to proceed.”

Johnson made headlines not long after taking office in January 2011 when he blocked confirmation hearings for two judicial nominees by President Barack Obama, both of whom had been selected by a Wisconsin nominating commission.

The senator’s hold on the nomination of former University of Wisconsin law professor Victoria Nourse for the Seventh Circuit Court drew criticism from legal scholars across the country. In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee leaders, 53 law professors accused Johnson of blocking the nomination for no apparent reason.

“A hold without reason is an arbitrary Senatorial process, for any nominee of any party,” the letter said. “It allows one senator the ability to bar a hearing and a vote on a nominee with broad-based support. The effect is an unbreakable one-person filibuster.”

Johnson contended Nourse, now a professor at Georgetown University Law School, should be revetted because her nomination expired with the end of the previous Congress. In an Op-ed article, Johnson said Nourse was unknown in the community and had “very little connection to the state of Wisconsin.”

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Senator Johnson Releases Tax Day Statement

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

Washington, D.C. – Senator Ron Johnson (WI) released the following statement regarding Tax Day:

"In 2013, the average American will devote the first 107 days of the year just to paying his or her tax bill. That's five more days spent feeding government bureaucracy instead of families than last year. And that's not counting the deficit spending and debt burden being borne by our children and grandchildren.

"These are not metrics of success. Working families have to find a way to live within their means. It's way past time for Washington to do the same."

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Does Dry Desert Land Fall under the Clean Water Act?

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

The Army Corps of Engineers can regulate a dry creek bed in the desert under the 'wetland' regulations of the Clean Water Act?

"After retiring, Frankie and I started to clean up our land. We were shocked when one day we received a ‘Notice of Violation’ in the mail from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers accusing us of violating the Clean Water Act by conducting unpermitted work in a ‘water of the United States.’”

He explained: “Given that we live in the high desert of New Mexico and the arroyo – like the rest of our property – is bone dry, we thought there was some mistake. We were really taken aback by the arrogance of the agency which didn’t even bother to call us or knock on our door.

“And we still can’t believe that the federal government can control what we do in our own backyard under the Clean Water Act when there is no water on our property! The real problem for us now is that we’re afraid to continue our cleanup and maintenance efforts because the Corps told us that we will be considered ‘knowing violators’ subject to civil and criminal liability if we do any more work without obtaining a permit.”

Smith said the lawsuit was launched “because we think the federal government has wrongfully trampled on our right to use and enjoy our property.”

“We don’t believe Congress ever intended to give the Corps power to regulate dry creek beds like ours and we want to help put an end to the Corps’ ridiculous interpretation of ‘waters of the United States."

Read more about the Smith case, or share your story.