Shawn Johnson
Wiscons Public Radio
Madison, WI, United States
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Past articles by Shawn:
Janet Protasiewicz, Dan Kelly to face off in high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court election
The stage for Wisconsin's pivotal April Supreme Court election is set after Milwaukee County Judge Janet Protasiewicz and former Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly emerged as the top two vote-getters in Tuesday's four-way primary. → Read More
Gov. Tony Evers: 'Breakthrough budget' would create family leave plan, cut taxes and boost school funding
Gov. Tony Evers proposed a budget that would spend the state's reserves on an income tax cut, school funding, roads and a $244 million investment in new paid family and medical leave program. → Read More
Democrat Tony Evers wins second term as Wisconsin's governor
Democratic Gov. Tony Evers has defeated Republican challenger Tim Michels to win a second term, beating back an effort by Republicans to recapture all branches of government in the perennial swing state. → Read More
Don't You (Forget About State K-12 And Higher Education Funding)
Alright class, settle down. If you'll open your budget papers, today we're talking about state and federal funding for Wisconsin's K-12 schools and the UW System. Now who knows how the ed funding plan from the GOP-controlled Wisconsin Legislature compares to the governor's spending proposal? Anyone? How about the surprise this week involving the UW System tuition freeze? Did → Read More
Judge Rules Bar, Restaurant Capacity Restrictions Are Back In Place
Wisconsin's statewide restrictions on bar and restaurant capacity are back in place following a ruling from a Barron County Judge James Babler. → Read More
New Lawsuit Filed Against Evers' Mask Mandate
As COVID-19 cases continue to shatter records in Wisconsin, a conservative activist has filed another lawsuit that aims to overturn Gov. Tony Evers' statewide mask mandate. → Read More
Evers Administration Issues Emergency Order Limiting Gatherings
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers's administration issued an emergency order Tuesday limiting public gatherings. → Read More
Picking From A Short List Of News
Well there was some big political news this week about someone making a much discussed selection — but it really doesn't a Wisconsin angle, so instead we've put together our own short list of news stories, and we're going to make some equally momentous selections from said list to talk about. → Read More
Fear Factors
Using fear in political campaigns is certainly nothing new, but against the backdrop of a deadly pandemic, not to mention a national reckoning over systemic racial inequity, it feels like political fear is front and center in 2020, up and down the ballot. You have Republicans on the state and federal levels raising the specters of anarchy and socialism if they aren't kept in → Read More
Justice Daniel Kelly Will Lift Recusal In Voter Purge Case
State Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly announced Wednesday he would lift his recusal in a case that could purge up to 200,000 names from Wisconsin's voter list. → Read More
Evers Orders 5 Percent Cut In State Spending In Response To COVID-19
Gov. Tony Evers’ administration has ordered state agencies to cut spending by 5 percent as revenue drops during the coronavirus pandemic. → Read More
Evers Signs Wisconsin COVID-19 Bill
Gov. Tony Evers has signed legislation to address the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin despite concerns that the measure left critical needs unmet. Evers signed the bill Wednesday just hour after is passed the Senate 32-0 and a day after it passed the Assembly on a 97-2 vote. → Read More
State Sen. Jennifer Shilling Will Not Seek Reelection
Democratic state Sen. Jennifer Shilling of La Crosse announced Thursday on Twitter she would not be seeking reelection. → Read More
Republicans Move Ahead With 'Tougher On Crime' Bills, Delay Vote On Tax Cut
Republicans state senators forged ahead Wednesday with a tax cut and a package of "tougher on crime" bills against the wishes of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, while casting doubt on a plan to extend bar hours when the Democratic National Convention is in Milwaukee. → Read More
Dolla Dolla Bill (At The Wisconsin Capitol) Y'all
Gov. Tony Evers calls a special session seeking more funding for Wisconsin Schools; Assembly Republicans announce plans to go big in their efforts to help the state's farmers; and lawmakers look to extend operating hours for bars and restaurants during the Democratic National Convention. All these developments are enough to make one say to oneself: "Cash rules everything → Read More
Stay | Wisconsin Public Radio
There was a whirlwind of legal action this week in Wisconsin's case surrounding a potential purge of hundreds of thousands of names from the state's voter rolls. Elections officials were held in contempt. The state's high court made a surprising decision. And there were not one but two stays of lower court decisions. Are you excited yet? → Read More
Wisconsin Supreme Court Won't Hear Immediate Appeal Of Voter Purge Ruling
The Wisconsin Supreme Court won't hear an expedited appeal of a ruling that could purge more than 200,000 names from Wisconsin's voter registration list, leaving the case in the hands of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals for now. → Read More
The Gun Debate Comes Back To Wisconsin
After mass shootings earlier this month in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, policymakers in Wisconsin are facing tough questions about preventing future tragedies. → Read More
We Thought We Knew
There are some things in state government news, as in life, that you think you know: Wisconsin's gubernatorial veto power is broad; the state Legislature needs the governor's final approval of legislative maps; Napoleon was really short. But what do we actually know? → Read More
Republicans Plan To Pass $500M Tax Cut
Republicans on the Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee say they'll pass about $500 million in tax cuts Thursday, the final day the panel is scheduled to deliberate on the budget. → Read More