Wisconsin Rep Attacks Citizen Groups, Says Spreading "Misinformation"

Clean water activists in Saratoga, Wisconsin fight for
water and oppose the siting of a proposed factory farm

An impressive feat the last six years during Wisconsin's lost decade is the organization of citizen groups around the state to defend clean and abundant water.

The citizens' worst enemy are the state representatives who should be working for citizens.

In central Wisconsin, local representatives run political interference for Big Ag which pollutes and depletes ground and surface waters. [State Rep. Scott Krug, (R-Nekoosa), threatened this site with a libel suit in 2014 when I noted Krug running this "political interference," a threat Krug dropped after I advised him truth is an absolute defense against defamation actions, among other defects in Krug's threat with respect to libel law, (Mal Contends), (Capital Times), (Crooks and Liars).]

Defiling Wisconsin's waters has the political support of local State Rep. Scott Krug, (R-Nekoosa) and State Sen. Patrick Testin, (R-Stevens Point) who represent the gerrymandered districts drawn to elect Republicans. These legislators also lend their support to the proposed Wysocki factory farm. 

Wysocki and his family bankrolled State Sen. Testin with $10,000 in contributions for his successful 2016 run. Krug's 2016 campaign received heavy funding from Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Ron Vos Gov. Scott Walker and other Republican interests aligned with Big Ag, (Wisconsin Democracy Campaign),

After Krug and Testin helped ram through the Big Ag-supported Senate Bill 76 last week, Krug complained in his current constituent newsletter that, "The misinformation campaign by several area groups make this sound like a massively different bill than it is. I am happy to sit down with anyone and walk through the actual bill."

The groups Krug complains about include: Rome-Saratoga Friendly, Protect Wood County and Its Neighbors, Central Sands Water Action Coalition, Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network, and the Citizens' Water Coalition of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Senate Bill 76 "is good only for the handful of really large growers, [Big Ag], who have as much concern for their fellow farmers as they have for others who need access to clean and abundant water - none!," notes Saratoga (Wisconsin), Concerned last year, (Facebook).

Scott Walker will sign Big Ag's Senate Bill 76 soon.

Of note is the fact clean and safe water groups increasingly work in concert statewide. As noted by Criste Greening in the Green Bay Progressive in late April, clean water citizen groups include the following:

Citizens' Water Coalition of Wisconsin
Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network
Wild Rivers Chapter Trout Unlimited
Friends of the Central Sands
Frac Sand Mining Awareness
Crawford Stewardship Project
Protect Wood County & Its Neighbors
Save The Hills Alliance
Kewaunee CARES
People Empowered Protect the Land (PEPL) of Rosendale
Green County Defending Our Farmland
Central Wisconsin Nature Foundation
Citizen Action Organizing Cooperative
Facing Forward Vernon Our Wisconsin Revolution
Inland Sea Society
From the Earth
Indivisible Fond du Lac
Protect Our Water
Friends of the Kinni
Concerned Rome Citizens
Rome Saratoga Friendly
Indivisible Winnebago
Central Sands Water Action Coalition
Forward Kenosha
Rinehart Lake Association
Farms Not Factories
Spirit Creek Water Protectors
Indivisible Milwaukee ~ South Side
Bad River Watershed Association
Frac Sand Sentinels
Indivisible Solon Springs
Indivisible DeForest
Concerned Citizens of Princeton
Citizens for a Better Environment Lake Mills
Emerald Clean Water For All
Penokee Hills Education Project
Penokee Hills Light Brigade
Water Protectors of Milwaukee
Friends of the Eau Claire Lakes Area
Citizens for Environmental Stewardship
Indivisible Ashland
Heartland Land Creations
League of Women Voters of Ashland and Bayfield Counties
LCO/Sawyer County Dems
Preserve Waupaca County
League of Women Voters Upper Mississippi RIver Region
Crystal Lake Club
Friends of the Tomorrow /Waupaca River
Waupaca Commoners Caucus
Constituents Only
Defending Our Ixonia Countryside
Vernon County Democratic Party
Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger
Gaia Coalition
Concerned Citizens of Easton
League of Women Voters/Greater Chippewa Valley
Clean Water Action Council of Northeast Wisconsin
Organic Consumers Association
Blue Jean Nation
Wisconsin Resources Protection Council
Echo Valley Hope
Madison Action for Mining Alternatives
Reedsburg Area Concerned Citizens

Wisconsin Waters Hailed by Citizens as Ag Interests Poison and Plunder

Citizens lobby Wisconsin legislators at the Wisconsin capitol
for clean and safe water in February 2017. Image is taken
from a video produced by Eric Peterson.

Madison, Wisconsin — A video is out offering a look into the efforts of Wisconsinites fighting for clean and safe water.

People want responsible water policy in Wisconsin.

Yet, the legislators shown in the video, constantly, (invariably), vote against the protection of clean water.

State Senator Patrick Testin, (Stevens Point), State Rep. Scott Krug, (R-Nekoosa), and State Rep. Joel Kleefisch, (R-Sturgeon Bay) are the worst offenders. They represent Wisconsin residents who are being hit hardest by Republican efforts to facilitate the poisoning and plundering of Wisconsin waters.

Donald Ystad of Rome, Wisconsin in Adams County sent an email out Sunday night to 100s of supporters and other interested parties., flush off a major legal victory by central Wisconisn residents over the proposed operation of a massive factory, a CAFO or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, that would devastate the waters of an entire region.

By Donald Ystad

Concerned citizens,

Many of you were among the nearly 500 people who attended the first ever Citizens Water Lobby Day in Madison on Feb 8th this year, and thanks to a very generous Rome donor, many of you rode to Madison in comfort on motor coaches.

That day was the genesis for the new statewide citizens lobby, Citizens Water Action Coalition.

Watch this video and think of all the grass roots groups from all over the state who are now joined together in the common fight to protect our water. You should recognize more than a few faces.

Then, when you read about the legislature pandering to the mega-farm lobby, the administration out of ​touch with citizens' rights to clean and abundant water, and the increasing number of incidents degrading our lakes and streams, make a pact with yourself to be a stronger part of this citizens lobby. It may be the only way to counter the big money interests buying their way through our legislature.

T​hank you to Eric Peterson for his efforts ​on this video.