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March 26, 2019

Senior Citizens Endorse Judge Lisa Neubauer for Supreme Court

Senior Citizens Endorse Judge Lisa Neubauer for Supreme Court:

Seniors spurn Brian Hagedorn who pushed laws that shred protection for nursing home victims

Members of the Wisconsin Alliance of Retired Americans and other senior groups are holding a Press Conference on Tuesday, March 26 at 10:00 am at 1126 S. 70th Street. Seniors will endorse Supreme Court candidate Judge Lisa Neubauer and state why they oppose Brian Hagedorn who is running against Neubauer.

WIARA Board President Gary Mitchell states that “WIARA is proud to show our support for Judge Lisa Neubauer who has demonstrated her skill and impartiality as a judicial decision maker. She is clearly more qualified than Brian Hagedorn who supports laws that place business interests over human lives.”

According to Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisolm, “Lisa Neubauer has been a judge for over ten years. She was appointed to serve on the Wisconsin Court of Appeals in 2007, elected to two six-year terms in 2008 and 2014, and appointed chief judge in 2015. Her judicial history shows a pattern of independent decision making, a focus on fairness, as well as a clear commitment to serve all Wisconsin residents and protect the basic principles of our state’s democracy.”

WIARA and associated senior citizens are firmly opposed to Judge Neubauer’s opponent, Brian Hagedorn. As Legal Counsel to Scott Walker, Hagedorn played a pivotal role in passing ACT 2 which all but eliminated seniors’ ability to sue nursing homes for abuse and neglect. Hagedorn’s explanation? “These laws send a substantive message — that Wisconsin is open for business.”

ACT 2 bars families from using state health investigation records in state civil suits filed against long-term providers, including nursing homes and hospices. It also shortens the statute of limitations to three years and caps the damages at a far lower level of pay-out.

According to Attorney Patrick C. O’Neill, a Milwaukee County Court Commissioner, UW system lecturer and experienced trial lawyer, “Act 2 made it more difficult to hold nursing homes and assisted living facilities accountable for preventable injuries and wrongful death.  Act 2 has limited families’ access to reports regarding injuries and families’ ability to obtain full justice for their loved one.”

There are almost 1 million people over 65 years of age in Wisconsin. More than half of all people over 65 will spend some time in a nursing home or assisted living facility, at a time of vulnerability when they need a safe environment. But the National Center on Elder Abuse found that:

• 44 percent of nursing home residents report abuse
• 95 percent report neglect of themselves or other residents within the past year.
• More than half of nursing home staff report mistreating residents within the past year.

 

Says WIARA President, Gary Mitchell, “Hagedorn’s willingness to throw frail seniors under the judicial bus to make business owners happy makes me wonder how objective he can be making legal decisions for the state when corporate interests are involved.”

The Press Conference will be held at the United Steelworkers Union meeting room at 1126 South 70th Street (the former Allis-Chalmers building.) The building entrance is in the back. Turn East on Washington Street and park behind the building. Enter at the double door entrance under the green awning.