I want to be very clear: political violence has no place in our country, regardless of your political affiliation.
In recent months, elected officials have faced an alarming rise in threats and intimidation tactics. Last week, we learned that the individual who had been calling and threatening the lives of my staff and me is not just a member, but one of only nine individuals serving as a representative for the Brown County Democratic Party.
Several weeks ago, the individual, who identified himself to my staff member, called my Washington, DC office and stated multiple times that “the Congressman should be given the death penalty”, and “the Congressman deserves death as well as anyone who is involved in his office.” My team immediately reported this to Capitol Police, who confirmed the man’s identity and are continuing to investigate the matter.
To date, the Brown County Democratic Party has not taken any action against this individual. I hope they will act swiftly to hold him accountable. If someone on my team behaved this way, they would be fired immediately and held responsible.
This underscores a troubling pattern of hostility that goes beyond political disagreement. Just last week, protesters, including the former Walworth County Democratic Party Chairwoman, staged a mock funeral procession at the home of Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI), leaving a cardboard coffin at his doorstep. These actions, taken by individuals in positions of influence within the Democratic Party, reflect a troubling pattern of behavior that undermines the values of civil discourse and public safety.
In the wake of the horrific killing of the state representative in Minnesota and multiple assassination attempts on President Trump’s life, we must be very clear that this type of rhetoric and violence against elected officials and members of our staff will not be tolerated.
We are blessed to live in the United States of America, and we need to remember that we are all Americans first, regardless of political party. We should be able to disagree on policy without resorting to personal attacks or wishing harm on one another. We must denounce this type of language wherever we see it, turn down the temperature, and get back to having passionate but respectful policy debates.
Thank you for starting your weekend off with us! I hope you enjoy this week’s edition of The Wied Wire.
Watch my interview with WBAY about this incident by clicking HERE.
District Update
This week, members of my staff in Washington, D.C., traveled to the district to learn about and meet the incredible people, small businesses, and more that make Northeast Wisconsin the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
MarineTravel Lift Visit with my DC and District Office Staff
My team and I had the pleasure to traveling up to Sturgeon Bay to meet President & CEO Erich Pfeifer and his team at MarineTravel Lift. MarineTravel Lift is a 160-employee manufacturer and an industry leader in boat and industrial lifts that are used throughout the world. It was great to witness firsthand the innovative work that Erich and his entire team are doing up in Door County and I thank them for their hard work and hospitality!
Nonprofit of the Day!
I was proud to present a Congressional certificate to St. Vincent de Paul Executive Director Bill Gosse for their recognition as a “Nonprofit of the Day” at the Green Bay Packers Training Camp. They do incredible work providing essential resources to those in need and have served over 7,000 people in our community. We’re lucky to have such an outstanding organization in Wisconsin’s 8th District.
Shoutout to our District Summer Interns!
This summer, my District Office team was lucky to have three incredible interns. Connor, Jackson, and Joey are students from Northeast Wisconsin who have interned in my District Office for the last few months. During their time in the office, they learned about the inner workings of a Congressional District Office, helped handle constituent questions and concerns, and supported my District team.
Thank you to the three of you for your hard work and I look forward to seeing all that you accomplish in the future! If you or anyone you know is interested in internships opportunities in my District or Washington, D.C., offices, you can apply here.
Constituent Services Spotlight
Providing the best constituent services to people of the Eighth Congressional District is a top priority for me, from Veterans Affairs (VA) to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), my staff and I are here to help! To request assistance with a Federal Agency, you can contact my District Office at 920-301-4500 or submit a message through my website here.
Photo of the Week
We have received so many wonderful pictures since we launched the Photo of the Week section of the Wied Wire, and I would love to see more. This week’s photo is of Seymour Park in Green Bay. If you would like to submit a picture to be featured in our Photo of the Week section, please email it to twstaff@mail.house.gov with your name and location.
