MADISON, Wis. — This week, Tim Michels released two different TV ads making false claims about Governor Evers’ role in making parole decisions in order to scare Wisconsin voters and further divide our state. Michels has repeatedly failed to understand the facts surrounding Wisconsin’s parole system, and recently received a “Pants on Fire” rating from Politifact for a parole claim they called “false and ridiculous.”

Fact Check: Michels’ campaign claimed, “Evers released hundreds of violent criminals from prison.”

• In Wisconsin, only the parole chair can decide who gets let out of prison on parole. While the governor appoints the parole chair, he does not make any parole decisions.
  • When it became clear the parole chair’s judgment was in doubt, Gov. Evers asked for and received his resignation.
  • While the parole chair, John Tate never received a full confirmation hearing, he was unanimously recommended (5-0) for confirmation by the Republican controlled Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. If Republicans in the legislature were unhappy with his performance, they could simply have put his confirmation to a vote in the full Senate and rejected his confirmation. Instead, Republicans like Tim Michels play political games while Gov. Evers has actually held people accountable.

• Of the criminals released under Gov. Evers’ administration, nearly half were not optional; their release was required by law after their sentences were set by judges. In Wisconsin, some paroles...

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