Talk Radio – January 24, The Urgency of Confronting Voter Suppression in 2023 and Anti-Black and Anti-LGBTQIA Policies

GUESTS

The Honorable Senator Latonya Johnson: 12:00 PM – 12:28 PM Eastern Time

These are the issues we will cover during this show.

The Igniting Change Radio Show on Tuesday, January 24th, 2023, from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Eastern Time, entitled “The Urgency of Confronting Voter Suppression in 2023 and Anti-Black and Anti-LGBTQIA Policies”, will feature Radio Show Co-Hosts and Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC) Co-Leaders Attorneys Barbara Arnwine and Daryl Jones and featured guest the Honorable Wisconsin State Senator LaTonya Johnson. For the first half of the show, they will discuss the Bob Spindell voter suppression email controversy and Senator Johnson’s demands for his resignation or replacement. 

QUESTIONS

FIRST AND SECOND SEGMENTS

• Senator LaTonya Johnson, tell us about Wisconsin’s 6th Senate District.
• How did you find out about Spindell’s letter? 
• What was your immediate reaction to his letter?
• How has Milwaukee’s Black and Brown community responded to these reports?
• Why did you call the press conference?
• How did people respond to your call for his resignation or replacement?
• Has he spoken to you?
• What are the next steps?
• We have seen a trendline of voter suppressors bragging about suppressing the Black vote. How can we discourage these actions and hold people accountable?
• What do you think is the most important grassroots organizing that you think needs to happen in order to ensure strong voter protection and engagement in November 2023 and 2024?
• What are your final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

SEGMENT THREE

• Barbara and Daryl will lead discussions on several major breaking news stories and events.
• Why should the national public know about the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court Elections? Although this is a state election, what are its implications for the nation?
• The people in Philadelphia are currently picketing the Union League of Philadelphia for honoring Governor Ron Desantis. 
• What is it that most people need to know about Ron Desantis’ voter suppression tactics, recent banning of the AP Course on African-American studies, his “Anti-Woke” Bill, and his anti-gay policies, including harrassing Disney World for not banning gay employees?
• What do you think is the most important grassroots organizing that you think needs to happen in order to ensure strong voter protection and engagement in November 2023 and 2024?
• What are your final thoughts to our listeners?
• Thank you for all of your hard work. How do our listeners get in contact with you?

SEGMENT FOUR

• Barbara and Daryl will lead a discussion about the Transformative Justice Coalition’s upcoming events, including:

• • The Black History Series

  •  The commemoration of the 3rd anniversary of Ahmaud Arbery’s slaying and fight for 100% justice on February 23rd

  • The Selma workshop series on March 3rd and 4th and Selma-to-Montgomery March Re-enactment on March 5th

SHOW DESCRIPTION AND BACKGROUND

Elected to Wisconsin’s 6th Senate District in 2016, Senator LaTonya Johnson previously served in Wisconsin’s 17th Assembly District since 2012. The 6th district includes residential, urban and downtown Milwaukee.Sen. Johnson has lived in Milwaukee for over 30 years. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Tennessee State University. Before being elected to public office, LaTonya owned and operated a licensed in-home childcare service. She served as President AFSCME Local 502, the union representing in-home childcare providers in Milwaukee. She went through Emerge Wisconsin, an intensive training program for progressive women who want to run for office and is a proud alum of the Class of 2012. Since being elected, LaTonya Johnson has seen over a dozen of her bills signed into law, despite being a member of the minority party. This includes legislation to train commercial truck drivers on recognizing the signs of human trafficking to help combat this devastating statewide problem, as well as first-of-its-kind legislation to create an alert system for at-risk, missing veterans. This legislation, known as the Corey Adams Searchlight Act or ‘Green Alert’ has gone on to be a national model and has been passed in several other states as well as introduced at the federal level. In addition to her legislative committee appointments, Senator Johnson serves as co-chair of the bipartisan Wisconsin Legislative Children’s Caucus, a member of the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, a member of the Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council, an advisory member of the UW Health Population Institute, an advisory member of Family Impact Seminar, a founding leader of  Policymakers for Peace, and serves on several other commissions and councils related to public safety, democracy, and health care. 

In early January, Bob Spindell, Chair of the Republican Party for Wisconsin’s 4th Congressional District, sent out a “Happy New Year” email praising Republican efforts in suppressing the vote in Milwaukee. After thanking those that helped them, and outlining how there was no nationwide “Red wave”, Spindell goes on to say:

“In the City of Milwaukee, with the 4th Congressional District Republican Party working very closely with the RPW, RNC, Republican Assembly & Senate Campaign Committees, Statewide Campaigns and RPMC in the Black and Hispanic areas, we can be especially proud of the City of Milwaukee (80.2% Dem Vote) casting37,000 [sic] less votes than cast in the 2018 election with the major reduction happening in the overwhelming Black and Hispanic areas…

Promoting the Republican “Cares” Message; pointing out the many flaws of the Democrat Candidates; coupled with a Lack of Interest, persuaded many voters not to vote. All of this contributed to this great and important decrease in Democrat votes in the City through this well thought out multi-facetted plan below…”

Spindell then goes on to detail the various voter suppression tools they used to intentionally decrease voter turnout. 

The second half of the show will feature discussions on the upcoming Wisconsin Supreme Court elections; the Philadelphia protests against the Union League’s honoring Gov. Ron Desantis of Florida despite his active voter suppression campaigns, ultra conservative and anti-Black, anti-LGBTQIA, and anti-First Amendment policies; and, other subjects.