Week In Review: Sexual Misconduct, Tax Reform, Prison Panel

More people are accusing political leaders of sexual misconduct. Meanwhile the United States House approved a tax reform measure, and a Wisconsin U.S. Senator says he won’t vote for the tax bill in his chamber. Plus black lawmakers want more prominence on a panel considering whether to build a new prison. We discuss those and other political stories in the Week in Review.

Fellow lawmakers are calling for an ethics review of U.S. Senator Al Franken. Thursday a woman accused the Democrat from Minnesota of groping her. The allegations come amid calls from Republican leadership for Alabama candidate Roy Moore to drop out of the running for U.S. Senate. President Donald Trump is silent. Eight women now say Moore sexually harassed or assaulted them.

Questions about tax reform are bubbling up in the U.S. Senate. Republican Senator Ron Johnson from Wisconsin says he won’t vote for the bill, because it advantages big business without helping small businesses. Thursday afternoon members of the U.S. House of Representatives approved a version of the tax bill.

Four black Wisconsin lawmakers want to join a talk force weighing whether the state needs a new prison. The four Democrats wrote a letter to State Assembly leader Robin Vos asking him to appoint at least one of them to the task force. They argue for a spot on the panel, because they say black people are disproportionately incarcerated in Wisconsin.

Should a Wisconsin panel reviewing prison reform include people of color? Are you in favor of the tax bill working its way through Congress? Should Roy Moore bow out of Alabama’s U.S. Senate Race, and what should happen with U.S. Senator Al Franken? Email ideas@wpr.org, post on the Ideas Network Facebook page, or tweet @wprmornings.