LETTER: GOP incumbents’ letter was a ‘sickening shot at democracy’

To Ozaukee Press:

I read with great concern the letter to the editor published in Ozaukee Press signed by my Assembly representative, Jim Ott, and two other Republican incumbents, Dan Knodl and Robert Brooks. It was a sickening shot at our democracy—they all refused to take part in forums at large venues like MATC for voters in each district. This would have given voters the opportunity to learn about each candidate’s position on issues of importance to their constituents. The Ozaukee County League of Women Voters offered to host forums as a non-partisan organization as it has in the past.

Instead, these incumbents decided they would only attend a forum at Concordia University. This forum was held last week in a small, over-crowded room, with only questions from Concordia students and none from the residents the assemblymen represent.

Of greater concern was the name calling from these elected representatives.  A letter to the editor from the League of Women Voters simply expressed regret for being unable to host their traditional forums; there was no finger pointing or names mentioned. The letter was dignified and respectful and deserved equal respect from the legislators. The three incumbents stooped to the level of attacking the members of the League of Women Voters, describing them as “left-leaning activists masquerading as a non-partisan group.” Worse than that, they went so far as to dig into state records and attack individuals for their personal voting choices, writing, “Of the members of the (LWV) board who resided in Wisconsin in 2011, all but one of them signed the petition to recall Scott Walker.”

In this bitterly divided country, we need look no further than our state representatives to see where the disrespect and name-calling starts.

J. L. Allison
Fox Point