Muskego Assemblyman Asks For Enforcement of Capitol Use Policy

Representative David Craig (R-Town of Vernon) and 15 state legislators sent a letter today to Secretary Mike Huebsch urging the Department of Administration (DOA) to enforce the Wisconsin State Facilities Access Policy, which went into effect on December 1, 2011.

“We are simply requesting that the DOA uphold the rule of law uniformly for all groups,” said Representative Craig.  “For months now, there’s been a double standard for how group events are treated at the Capitol.  Those groups that willingly obey the law are required to obtain permits where necessary and comply with all of the rules, but those groups that ignore the rules do so without consequence," Craig said.

"The intimidation tactics employed by several of these groups, not only on legislators, but on our constituents and even school groups is unacceptable," the letter states. "Our constituents should not be dissuaded from visiting their Capitol over the lunch hour – every day – knowing that they will not have an opportunity to visit our great rotunda without the loud bellowing of unpermitted demonstrators."

“We adamantly agree that free speech should be protected,” continued Representative Craig, “but it must be protected for everyone, without favoring one group over another.  The State Capitol is a forum for free speech but we have rules to ensure that no one person or group’s free speech rights trump another person or group’s free speech rights.”

The letter expresses the legislators’ concerns with the disruption to the peoples’ business in the State Capitol caused by daily  audible disruptions at all hours of the working day both inside and outside the Capitol .