Advancing the Rule of Law NEW | Nobody is above the law, not even Wisconsin’s Secretary of State WILL represented the Institute for Reforming Government (IRG) and filed a lawsuit last week, demanding that the Secretary of State, Sarah Godlewski, fulfill a records request that has been pending for almost six months relating to the unusual circumstances surrounding her appointment. 🗯 IRG Chief Legal Counsel & Director of Oversight, Anthony LoCoco, stated, “IRG's Center for Investigative Oversight submitted a simple request for public records about the unusual circumstances behind former Secretary Doug La Follette's retirement and the appointment of Secretary Sarah Godlewski. Five months later, we are still waiting for any records. This level of secrecy is absolutely unacceptable but is sadly representative of the Evers' administration's general approach to the public records law. We're thankful that WILL is representing us in our shared fight for better, more transparent Wisconsin government.” 🗯 WILL Deputy Counsel, Lucas Vebber, added, “Transparent and accountable government is not a suggestion, but a vital principle to preserving our democracy. When state bureaucrats ignore open records requests from the public, WILL is ready to fight back and hold them accountable. We are proud to represent IRG’s investigative efforts and support their right to access documents from the government.” 📺 WILL Attorneys, Lucas Vebber and Kate Spitz, held a "Virtual Town Hall" on how to make public records requests, deal with delays and responses, navigate open meetings issues, and learn other best practices to engage with your government. Watch it here. 📰 Learn more about this legal effort in Fox News Online, Washington Times, Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin State Journal, or the Associated Press. Tune in to Lucas' interview on The Steve Scaffidi Show. Check It Out REPORT | Follow the $$$: WILL Investigates Rise of Bureaucracy in K-12 Today, WILL released a new report: Defunding Classrooms: Investigating the Rise of Bureaucracy in K-12 Schools. We not only find a wide variation in school district spending, but an eyebrow-raising amount going toward administrators who have little or no contact with students. 🗯 WILL Research Director—Will Flanders, PhD—said, “For years, public school bureaucracy has exploded, while enrollment has significantly decreased. Instead of raising teacher pay and ensuring academic success, money is being spent on programs and staff outside of the classroom. This raises red flags for education advocates and taxpayers alike.” Read More NEW | WILL Pushes Transparency and Accountability in Hayward Controversy WILL sent a letter to the Town of Hayward, demanding that they follow Wisconsin law and hold a publicly noticed town meeting so residents can properly weigh in on significant spending projects. The town is ignoring a clear legal obligation and WILL is promising to take action. 🗯 WILL Associate Counsel, Skylar Croy, stated, “No town government should defy the law and ignore their constituents, but Hayward is attempting both. They have been provided multiple petitions from residents, including our client, and their lack of action cannot stand.” 🗯 WILL Client, Brenda Dettloff, added, “The Town of Hayward is denying citizens open, accountable, and transparent government. Before significant updates to town infrastructure and amenities are made, taxpayers deserve to have their voices heard. Because of that simple fact, hundreds of Hayward citizens, from across the political spectrum, are speaking out as one voice and demanding a true public meeting ‘of the People’ to properly vet the pending resolutions.” Learn More NEW HIRE | Meet New Attorney, Nathalie Burmeister WILL is proud to announce the hire of Nathalie Burmeister who is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School. 🗯 WILL President and General Counsel, Rick Esenberg, said, “We are excited to have Nathalie come back to WILL full time. She has already picked up where she left off, bringing an in-depth knowledge of the law and strong work ethic to our team. WILL continues to expand and is announcing additional litigation hires this summer as we prepare for important legal battles ahead.” Meet Nathalie EVENT | WILL Annual Celebration 🎉 It's that time of the year again! Please join us next month, on September 20th, 2023, at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee for our Annual Celebration. Cocktails start at 5 PM, with dinner to follow. We welcome our friend, Kimberley Strassel—member of the editorial board for The Wall Street Journal, as well as the weekly Potomac Watch political column—as our keynote speaker. VIPs will have an opportunity to have their books signed by Kim during the cocktail reception. Her latest book, “The Biden Malaise,” is out now. For information on group ticket discounts and sponsorships, contact WILL Development Director, Lesley Luehrs. Check out details about this year's event here. We look forward to celebrating WILL's success and mission with you! Our work wouldn't be possible without your support and encouragement. Register Here   Defend Freedom The work we do would not be possible without the generosity of YOU, our donors; we are a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization that receives no public funds. As a non-profit and non-partisan organization, we litigate in the areas of equality under the law, property rights, the freedom to earn a living, voting rights, regulation, taxation, school choice, and religious freedom. As an educational organization, we strive to advance the debate concerning law and public policy in these and other areas. Please consider making a donation to secure the blessings of liberty and to defend freedom. 🇺🇸 Stand With Us Read more at www.will-law.org. Check out our various social media platforms!   Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty | 330 E. Kilbourn, Suite 725, Milwaukee, WI 53202 Unsubscribe [email protected] Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!