Wisconsin Lawmakers' SHADOW Meetings: What Are They Hiding?!

MADISON, Wis. — It’s a concerning situation unfolding here in Wisconsin: the lights have gone out on WisconsinEye, our state’s version of C-SPAN, and it’s leaving a lot of us wondering about transparency in government. The shutdown, triggered by a pretty significant fundraising shortfall, means state lawmakers are now meeting, debating, and shaping policy outside the consistent, watchful gaze of the public eye. This has, understandably, sparked concerns from open government advocates and really put the pressure on legislators to find some kind of solution to bring the network back online.

Wisconsin Lawmakers' SHADOW Meetings: What Are The...

WisconsinEye, for those unfamiliar, has been broadcasting every floor session of the state Senate and Assembly, completely free of charge, since 2007. It wasn't just floor debates, either. They also covered court hearings, press conferences, legislative committee meetings, and a whole host of other government proceedings. Essentially, it was a vital window into the inner workings of our state government.

“WisconsinEye has become a vital part of our democracy in Wisconsin,” Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, told me earlier this week. “We’ve lost, at least temporarily, this precious resource for participating and understanding the workings of our democracy.” It's hard to argue with that sentiment. I've personally relied on WisconsinEye many times to follow debates on issues that directly impact my community.

Now, while pretty much every other state in the U.S. broadcasts legislative floor sessions in some form (video, audio, or both), Wisconsin is potentially standing alone in the dark. It's tricky to say definitively, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, because things are always changing. But the point is, we're heading in the wrong direction. What’s especially troubling is that with WisconsinEye sidelined, the Republican-controlled Legislature is enforcing rules that predate the network, prohibiting the public from live-streaming or recording proceedings. One Democratic lawmaker even got shut down for trying to livestream a committee meeting. "I’m really baffled that they are doing that," Lueders commented. "With WisconsinEye sidelined, it’s more important than ever for citizens to be able to broadcast the proceedings.”

So how did we get here? WisconsinEye relied on private donations for the past 18 years. But facing increased competition for those donations, and financial losses since the pandemic, they went to the Legislature for help. Lawmakers created a $10 million endowment, but with a catch: WisconsinEye had to match it. They only managed to raise a fraction of that. A last-ditch GoFundMe campaign is underway, aiming to raise $250,000 for three months of operations. As of today, it's sitting at just under $50,000. It's a long shot, but a lot of people are hoping it's enough to shine a light on Wisconsin government again.