The Wisconsin Supreme Court is considering both a Republican-led legislators’ lawsuit against the Evers administration over the “Safer at Home” coronavirus safety initiative, as well as Governor Tony Evers’ request to throw the lawsuit out.
However, Governor Evers went on WTMJ Wednesday morning to extend an invitation to State Republican legislative leaders who filed the lawsuit, so that they can sit down at the same table and discuss both sides’ ideas for a solution.
“If they have a plan, let’s sit down and talk about it,” said Evers on WTMJ’s Steve Scaffidi Show.
“If they have a plan, we will listen to it. That has never been an issue. We had a plan. They sued us. If they have a plan, let’s talk about it.”
State Republicans argue the lack of their involvement is exactly why they’re asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to weigh in.
“We’re simply asking for a decision to be made on that front so that we can get back to a formal process,” Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said during a webinar hosted by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. “You could be on a million conference calls with the executive branch, but at the end of the day you’re not part of the decision making process.”
The current plan from Governor Evers is the “Badger Bounce Back” plan. Since it was released earlier this month, it has been specifically committed to being driven by scientific data about the spread of coronavirus, and not being specifically committed to dates.
“That plan has an opportunity for us to slowly get people back to work as the metrics improve. We’ve already done that in a very small way,” said Evers Wednesday.
“To say there is a plan with a date attached to it, that isn’t going to happen,” he added.
“The transmission of the disease is going to drive that. The more people you have together, the more likely to be transmitted. We’re finding that out in the meat packing industries right now.”
A meat packing plant in Green Bay had to close after a coronavirus outbreak there.
“You have lots of people together, close. You’re going to get a surge. We’re seeing it all across the state in various larger industries. That is a fear,” warned Evers.
Evers referred to two other industries as well that are hoping to have more re-opening, small-level retail and restaurants.
“We have lots of small retailers across the state. If there are ways we can minimize the number of people…and see how that could work with them. Those are some possibilities,” said Evers.
As for restaurants: “It isn’t going to be like it was in the past. We’re going to do it slowly.”
“I know business owners and restaurateurs understand this. Hopefully they’re planning for that now. If we’re in a place to do it, we’ll do it. If we met those metrics that we laid out, we can sure talk about that and see the best time to do it, whether it’s May or June.”