Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.

Dear editor,

In November, democracy is on the ballot.

Fair elections and the rule of law form the foundation of our republic, our elected representatives must be committed to both. Unfortunately, three of our candidates have demonstrated hostility to our Constitution; they prefer power rest with them rather than voters.

On January 6th 2021, as a member of the sedition caucus, Tom Tiffany cast a vote to disenfranchise voters in Arizona and Pennsylvania and decertify their 2020 elections. He stated- without evidence- that Milwaukee and Madison allowed “hundreds of thousands of illegal votes to be cast and counted,” and would have voted to decertify Wisconsin’s election as well.  Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI) said this regarding Tiffany’s vote: “I am sure that James Madison and Alexander Hamilton are spinning in their graves. The idea that the President would be determined by a vote of Congress is both absurd and dangerous.”

On January 6th 2021, Ron Johnson attempted to invalidate the results of the 2020 presidential election by offering lists of fake electors from Wisconsin and Michigan to Vice President Pence.  Pence refused the fake documents. When Johnson’s participation in this scheme was exposed, his defense was: “We reached out. They didn’t want it. We didn’t deliver it.”  The fake elector scheme is currently under investigation by the U.S. DOJ.

Tim Michels said he would “need to see the details” before deciding whether he would support the Wisconsin Legislature retroactively decertifying the 2020 presidential election, an illegal and constitutionally impossible idea that has been promoted by Trump and Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature.  

Each of these men has demonstrated contempt for the Constitution and We the People.  Their willingness to usurp democracy should shock us all and remind us of the danger of authoritarianism. On November 8th  reject them. Choose democracy.

Rick Plonsky, Harshaw