WILL Defends Mom After Police Show Up at Door Over Social Media Post

WILL is defending a Wisconsin mother after the School District of Pittsville, Wisconsin threatened her with a potential defamation lawsuit and police visited her home, based on her social media post.

The letter from the lawyer representing the school district is an attempt to intimidate a parent for criticizing the school district and came after the parent posted online about what the mother saw as the exclusion of her disabled daughter at a school-sponsored music program.

The school district through their legal counsel has not identified a single statement that this mother included in her post that could possibly meet the legal standard for defamation in Wisconsin law. Under the First Amendment, the school district, as a governmental body, cannot sue for defamation. The U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized that “prosecutions for libel on government have (no) place in the American system of jurisprudence.”

WILL Deputy Counsel, Cory Brewer, stated, “This letter was outrageous. School district lawyers should know better than to threaten parents for raising concerns about their child’s education and treatment by the school. We will not tolerate intimidation tactics that chill free speech or attempt to silence families who are advocating for their children.”

WILL's Efforts Spark New Federal Investigation

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights has re-opened a civil rights investigation into the Ohio-based Cleveland Clinic after a complaint was filed by Do No Harm (DNH) and its legal counsel at WILL.

The Cleveland Clinic’s discriminatory Minority Stroke and Minority Men’s Health Center programs are at the center of the investigation. Both programs were specifically created for “preventing and treating [health conditions] in racial and ethnic minorities” through education, prevention, treatment, and other assistance. The programs also provide resources exclusive to minorities for addressing stroke and diabetes (and other stroke risk factors) as well as men’s health conditions and mental health issues.

The initiatives aim to filter and view health outcomes through a racial lens, assuming that one’s race says all the doctor needs to know about who needs medical care the most. The Trump Administration granted DNH’s request for reconsideration and will re-open its investigation into the alleged discrimination at Cleveland Clinic.

WILL Associate Counsel, Nathalie Burmeister, stated, “Rather than treat all patients equally and provide care based on individual treatment needs, Cleveland Clinic unlawfully decided to allocate care and resources to certain patients because of their race. Now, there will be consequences. WILL is proud to work with Do No Harm in bringing true equality to the health care space.”

Equality Amendment Officially Heads to November Ballot

The “Equality Amendment,” otherwise known as Assembly Joint Resolution 102 (AJR 102) will be on the November 2026 ballot after the Wisconsin State Senate voted in favor today. The Wisconsin State Assembly passed the amendment last week.

This is a proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution that prohibits state and local governments from discriminating against or granting preferential treatment to individuals or groups based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in public employment, public education, public contracting, and public administration.

In partnership with Platform Communications, WILL commissioned a poll showing over 60% of Wisconsin voters support a “Equality Amendment” to the Wisconsin Constitution, including 65% of Democrats. This November, voters will be given an opportunity to officially ratify the Amendment’s language on the November ballot.

Wisconsin One Step Closer to Ending "400-Year" Veto Loophole

Also this week, the Wisconsin State Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution 116 (SJR 116). This proposed amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution curbs executive overreach by prohibiting the governor from using the partial veto to create or increase taxes or fees.

A couple years ago, Governor Evers infamously exploited a loophole when setting the 2023-25 budget. By selectively striking digits from a school funding provision, he transformed a two-year school funding increase into a permanent hike lasting until the year 2425.

In 2025, the Wisconsin Supreme Court upheld this “digit-veto”, confirming that the governor can create new fiscal policy the Legislature never authorized. SJR 116 addresses this by:

• Prohibiting any partial veto that results in a tax or fee increase.
• Stripping the governor’s ability to authorize new taxes through selective deletions.
• Returning the power of the purse to the elected representatives who are accountable to taxpayers.

WILL Policy Director, Kyle Koenen, stated, “Governor Evers’ 400-year veto was a wake-up call to property taxpayers and policymakers alike. By striking single digits to turn a two-year funding plan into a four-century tax hike, the Governor effectively became a ‘super-legislator.’ No governor, regardless of political party, should have the power to unilaterally hike taxes through a veto pen. We urge the Assembly to act quickly and give Wisconsin voters, and taxpayers, the right to correct this costly decision.”

New Podcast: Is the American Dream Still Affordable?

In the latest episode of "If You Can Keep It," WILL President Rick Esenberg dives into the economic pressures hitting home for families across the country.

Tune in as we discuss a range of factors, from inflation to the rising costs of buying a home, that are reshaping the American Dream. Our special guest is Patrick McIlheran, Director of Policy at the Badger Institute. As a leading expert on Wisconsin's housing market, Patrick joins us to break down why the cost of living has skyrocketed, whether a $100k salary is the new "low-income" in some parts of the country, and more.

The “If You Can Keep It” podcast can be listened to on all platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, iHeartRadio, Substack, and Rumble.

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