DARLINGTON - Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel encouraged his fellow conservatives to spread the word of the party's successes and addressed the local impact of the opioid epidemic at the Republican Party of Lafayette County's annual Lincoln Day Dinner Saturday.
State Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and state Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville, also attended the event this year, which is an election year.
Before opening the luncheon with a speech to rally conservatives, Schimel briefly spoke with the Times about some of the pressing issues of Lafayette County and the rest of the state.
"Lafayette has a lot more in common with the other counties than you might think," Schimel said.
One, for instance, is its fight with the methamphetamine and opioid crisis.
"The problem is proportional in Lafayette County as the other counties," he said.
Lafayette is one of many counties - including Green County - throughout the state and nation that have joined a class-action lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. Wisconsin, represented by Schimel, and more than three dozen other states are also looking into possible litigation or settlement to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the epidemic.
"The counties are making their case based on nuisance laws. At the state level, it's consumer protection laws. Our argument is that the manufacturers engaged in fraudulent advertising," Schimel said.
When Green County entered the lawsuit in October, members of the board of supervisors argued the county should join the suit because when states went after the tobacco industry in the 1990s, the resulting payout never made it down to the county level. Schimel said this time it would be different.
"It could take litigation eight to 12 years before it gets through the courts. The counties need help addressing needs like drug courts, prevention and education. They need that money now," Schimel said.
The counties' lawsuit is complicating the state's attempt at getting a settlement, he said.
Another issue that Wisconsin faces with the opioid epidemic is continued treatment for addicts, especially those who are imprisoned. BadgerCare, the state's Medicaid program, does not cover prisoners and has dropped others based on new income, even if that income level is not permanent.
"I would like to change the all-or-nothing aspect of BadgerCare. People need help and treatment, even in prison," Schimel said.
State Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, and state Rep. Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville, also attended the event this year, which is an election year.
Before opening the luncheon with a speech to rally conservatives, Schimel briefly spoke with the Times about some of the pressing issues of Lafayette County and the rest of the state.
"Lafayette has a lot more in common with the other counties than you might think," Schimel said.
One, for instance, is its fight with the methamphetamine and opioid crisis.
"The problem is proportional in Lafayette County as the other counties," he said.
Lafayette is one of many counties - including Green County - throughout the state and nation that have joined a class-action lawsuit against opioid manufacturers. Wisconsin, represented by Schimel, and more than three dozen other states are also looking into possible litigation or settlement to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the epidemic.
"The counties are making their case based on nuisance laws. At the state level, it's consumer protection laws. Our argument is that the manufacturers engaged in fraudulent advertising," Schimel said.
When Green County entered the lawsuit in October, members of the board of supervisors argued the county should join the suit because when states went after the tobacco industry in the 1990s, the resulting payout never made it down to the county level. Schimel said this time it would be different.
"It could take litigation eight to 12 years before it gets through the courts. The counties need help addressing needs like drug courts, prevention and education. They need that money now," Schimel said.
The counties' lawsuit is complicating the state's attempt at getting a settlement, he said.
Another issue that Wisconsin faces with the opioid epidemic is continued treatment for addicts, especially those who are imprisoned. BadgerCare, the state's Medicaid program, does not cover prisoners and has dropped others based on new income, even if that income level is not permanent.
"I would like to change the all-or-nothing aspect of BadgerCare. People need help and treatment, even in prison," Schimel said.