MONROE - The heated fight in Madison over collective bargaining rights for public worker unions in Wisconsin has the owners of a downtown Monroe eatery feeling caught squarely in the middle.
On Friday, Kim Lee, owner of Garden Deli on the Square, was approached by a crew working for ABC's "Nightly News." A three-person crew interviewed him about the battle over union rights in Madison. But, he says, his views on the hot-button issue were distorted, causing a backlash he now contends is costing him customers and goodwill he's built up over his 15 years in business here.
In the ABC Nightly News piece, actual comments Lee made on camera were introduced by a voice-over by national reporter Chris Bury.
Bury said Lee had "little sympathy" for the teachers and union workers - something Lee maintains he never said. Then Lee is quoted directly on camera as saying "we all in this economy have to take pay cuts." Lee goes on to say his health insurance costs him $380 per month - with a $5,500 deductible per family member, per year.
Now Lee says he's been told opponents of Walker's budget repair bill are boycotting his business, even though Lee says he supports not only their right to protest, but to also get the best possible deal from their employer.
"I've always been supportive of teachers, I raised my kids in these schools," Lee said Tuesday afternoon in an empty Garden Deli, adding that it was "the worst day in 12 years" for his business. "At no time did I say anything like that. I believe in the Constitution."
Making matters worse is the fact that the same ABC piece was later aired on ABC's Nightline show, with an even more dramatic characterization, according to Lee's wife and deli co-owner, Jane.
"It went from being that he (Kim) has 'little sympathy' on ABC News to 'no sympathy' on 'Nightline,'" said Jane Lee.
Kim Lee described himself as a centrist in general - and supportive of some type of compromise to the standoff at the Capitol.
"I would hate to see 1,500 people lose their jobs," he said of the budget showdown, in which GOP Gov. Scott Walker has said state workers could be laid off if his budget bill doesn't pass. "But I told (ABC News) I didn't know enough about the (collective bargaining) issue to really take a stand. They were looking for some buzzwords, and they didn't get it."
Lee said that even though insurance and benefits are costly to him as a small business owner and family man, it's something he was fully aware of when he decided to open the deli, leaving a "six-figure job" to do so.
"I'm not anti-union whatsoever," said Lee.
On Friday, Kim Lee, owner of Garden Deli on the Square, was approached by a crew working for ABC's "Nightly News." A three-person crew interviewed him about the battle over union rights in Madison. But, he says, his views on the hot-button issue were distorted, causing a backlash he now contends is costing him customers and goodwill he's built up over his 15 years in business here.
In the ABC Nightly News piece, actual comments Lee made on camera were introduced by a voice-over by national reporter Chris Bury.
Bury said Lee had "little sympathy" for the teachers and union workers - something Lee maintains he never said. Then Lee is quoted directly on camera as saying "we all in this economy have to take pay cuts." Lee goes on to say his health insurance costs him $380 per month - with a $5,500 deductible per family member, per year.
Now Lee says he's been told opponents of Walker's budget repair bill are boycotting his business, even though Lee says he supports not only their right to protest, but to also get the best possible deal from their employer.
"I've always been supportive of teachers, I raised my kids in these schools," Lee said Tuesday afternoon in an empty Garden Deli, adding that it was "the worst day in 12 years" for his business. "At no time did I say anything like that. I believe in the Constitution."
Making matters worse is the fact that the same ABC piece was later aired on ABC's Nightline show, with an even more dramatic characterization, according to Lee's wife and deli co-owner, Jane.
"It went from being that he (Kim) has 'little sympathy' on ABC News to 'no sympathy' on 'Nightline,'" said Jane Lee.
Kim Lee described himself as a centrist in general - and supportive of some type of compromise to the standoff at the Capitol.
"I would hate to see 1,500 people lose their jobs," he said of the budget showdown, in which GOP Gov. Scott Walker has said state workers could be laid off if his budget bill doesn't pass. "But I told (ABC News) I didn't know enough about the (collective bargaining) issue to really take a stand. They were looking for some buzzwords, and they didn't get it."
Lee said that even though insurance and benefits are costly to him as a small business owner and family man, it's something he was fully aware of when he decided to open the deli, leaving a "six-figure job" to do so.
"I'm not anti-union whatsoever," said Lee.