Morning Headlines - Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022

U.S. and World Headlines

Are the Polls Wrong Again?

The final polls in the 2020 presidential election overstated Joe Biden’s strength, especially in a handful of states.

The polls reported that Biden had a small lead in North Carolina, but he lost the state to Donald Trump. The polls also showed Biden running comfortably ahead in Wisconsin, yet he won it by less than a percentage point. In Ohio, the polls pointed to a tight race; instead, Trump won it easily.

In each of these states — and some others — pollsters failed to reach a representative sample of voters. One factor seems to be that Republican voters are more skeptical of mainstream institutions and are less willing to respond to a survey. If that’s true, polls will often understate Republican support, until pollsters figure out how to fix the problem.

Over 30 Trump Associates Subpoenaed By Grand Jury Over Alleged Efforts To Influence 2020 Election Results

More than 30 people associated with former President Donald Trump and alleged efforts to influence the 2020 election results have received federal grand jury subpoenas, four sources told CBS News.

The subpoenas, many of which were issued last week, mark a significant escalation in the Justice Department's investigation into origins of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot and other alleged attempts to stop the transfer of power to then-President-elect Joe Biden. One source familiar with the case characterized the investigation as huge.

The Justice Department is examining how money was raised and spent on alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election; efforts to submit fake "alternate" electors to Congress from states lost by Trump; and the "Stop The Steal" rally held at the Ellipse, adjacent to White House grounds, on Jan. 6, just before the Capitol riot.

Nearly Every Major Fact-Checker Has Completely Ignored Karine Jean-pierre Since Taking Over For Psaki

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has remained largely unscathed from the fact-checking crowd since taking over the podium for Jen Psaki, with nearly every major fact-checker largely ignoring the new face of the Biden administration. Since starting her position on May 13, Jean Pierre has received no fact-checks from Factcheck.org, Reuters, The Associated Press, The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler, and CNN’s Daniel Dale, according to a review by Fox News Digital.

Snopes and PolitiFact stood alone in their sparse fact-checking regarding the new White House press secretary. PolitiFact has fact-checked Jean-Pierre twice, awarding her two "false" ratings, while Snopes fact-checked a claim about a past comment by her.

Yet, Jean-Pierre has made a number of dubious claims during her first four months at the podium.

Quantifying An "Alarming" Teacher Shortage

Two-thirds of U.S. public school superintendents say overall vacancies — including teachers and non-instructional staffers — are higher this year than last, a survey by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, found.

• About 15% report a lot more openings, saying vacancy rates are 11%-30% higher than last year.
• And 85% of superintendents in the AASA survey say they don't have enough applicants.

COVID-19 has accelerated a relentless national teacher shortage that has school districts taking desperate measures to fill classrooms even as students play catch-up from pandemic-era learning deficits.

‘Succession’ Creator Disses King Charles Ill In Emmys 2022 Speech

“Succession” creator Jesse Armstrong dissed King Charles III in his acceptance speech for Best Drama Series at the Emmys 2022 on Monday night.

“Big week for successions. New king in the UK … for us,” the UK native said in front of a star-studded audience at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater.

“Uh, evidently a little more voting involved in our winning than Prince Charles,” he continued, acknowledging the Television Academy’s votes that earned his team a golden statuette. 

As cheers and gasps filled the room, Armstrong added, “I’m not saying we’re more legitimate in our position that he is. We’ll leave that up to other people.”

Wisconsin Headlines

Evers, Michels To Debate Just Once Before Election

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican challenger Tim Michels announced Monday that they have agreed to debate just one time ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

The debate will be Oct. 14, hosted by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, held in Madison and broadcast statewide. Both campaigns put out a joint statement announcing the agreement.

The debate will include journalists from across the state, according to the statement.

Evers On ‘UpFront’ Confident He’ll Draw Independents In ‘Very Close’ Guv Race

Gov. Tony Evers said he’s confident he will win over a good number of independent voters in November, touting the $2 billion in income tax cuts he signed as part of the Republican-written budget.

“We put tax cuts in the budget, too, and we’ll continue to do that,” Evers said on WISN’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics.com. “I never said they didn’t play a role in that. I played a role in that. They played a role in that.”

Evers acknowledged the race will be close between him and Republican Tim Michels ahead of a new Marquette University Law School poll scheduled for release Wednesday.

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly Running In 2023 Election

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Dan Kelly, who served for four years before losing election in 2020, announced Thursday he will run for an open spot on the court in 2023.

The race will determine majority control of the court.

Kelly, a conservative, joins two liberals who have previously announced their candidacies. Those are Dane County Circuit Judge Everett Mitchell and Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz.

La Crosse Man Sentenced To 81 Months For Illegal Firearm Possession & Cocaine Trafficking

Curtis W. Ross, 34, La Crosse, Wisconsin was sentenced on Friday, September 9, by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 81 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. This prison term will be followed by 60 months of supervised release. Ross pleaded guilty to these charges on June 15, 2022.

On September 8, 2021, La Crosse Police Department (LCPD) officers pulled over a car driven by Ross because officers knew that probable cause existed to arrest the passenger and co-defendant, Lee Strawder, for violations of his state bond. Officers smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and searched the vehicle. Under the front passenger seat, officers found a loaded Canik 9mm handgun, a loaded Beretta 9mm handgun, and a bag containing over an ounce of marijuana. Ross’s DNA was found on the Beretta. Strawder’s DNA was found on the Canik. Both Ross and Strawder were prohibited from legally possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions.

A backseat passenger told officers that he was in the car to purchase cocaine from Ross. After Ross was transported to jail, the transporting officer located three baggies of cocaine in his squad car that had been left there by Ross.

Officers searched Ross’s cell phone and found multiple photos of him with firearms, including what were believed to be the same Canik and Beretta handguns found in the car on September 8.  Officers also located conversations on Ross’s phone where he discussed the buying and selling of narcotics as well as a firearm.

A few days after his arrest, Ross was released from custody on a signature bond. Less than a month later, on October 5, 2021, LCPD officers purchased heroin and fentanyl from Ross in La Crosse using a confidential informant.

David Kohler Named New Chairman Of Kohler Co. After Death Of His Father Herb Kohler Jr.

The Kohler Co. board of directors elected David Kohler as chairman of the company Monday following the Sept. 3 death of his father, Herb Kohler Jr.

David Kohler was elected president and CEO in 2015.

According to our partners at the Milwaukee Business Journal, David Kohler is the fourth generation of Kohler family leadership since 1873 and the ninth person to lead the company over the last 149 years. He will chair the board and the executive committee leading the three business groups of the company. David Kohler has been with the company for over 31 years and previously served as president and chief operating officer beginning in 2009, the Milwaukee Business Journal reports.