“And In This Corner...”

Russ Otten, RPSC Chair

6/28/22

Fellow RPSC Members and Freedom Fighters, there is some urgency to this edition.

First, there is a crucial meeting at 6:30 tonight at the Sheboygan Area School District offices. The Board will hear a presentation by Freedom Fighter Jon Paul proposing a MAJOR CHANGE to the current opt-out policy (Policy 2416), in which parents currently must opt out if they do not want their children completing surveys that delve into the personal lives of students/parents/family. Jon Paul's proposal is that students will not receive or complete these surveys without the prior consent of their parents. Please attend this meeting if at all possible. The address of SASD is 3330 Stahl Road.

Second, please plan to walk with us in the 4th of July Parade. We are projecting 100+ people in our group and could be the largest in the parade. Bring signs and flags! Wear your best patriotic gear! We will distribute over 1,000 small American flags along with a great flyer for upcoming showings of "2000 Mules". (See attached designed by Paul Hankins) Because of so many joining us, it would be great if you could register online today at: https://www.creativenetdesigns-one.info/event/city-of-sheboygan-4th-of-july-parade/. However, if you cannot sign up in advance, please join us! Here are the key details for the parade:

• Gathering Point - Center Avenue between 7th & 8th Streets
• Gathering Time - 8:15-8:30AM
• Parade Start Time - 9:00AM
• Parade Route - North on 8th St, East on Michigan Ave, south on Broughton Dr.
• Parade End - Near the YMCA

Third, our movement is gaining steam this summer. Check out the Upcoming Events, including movie nights, election training, HOWSE (How to Win Spring Elections) Round 3, and "We The People Freedom Rally". Stay active or get active! This is our time to build toward the primaries on August 9 and the general elections in November.

Finally, I wanted to share a personal note. On June 18, I flew with my father to Washington, DC, on the Stars & Stripes Honor Flight. The 129 total veterans included 120 from the Vietnam War, 7 from the Korean War, and 2 from World War 2. Words cannot accurately depict this experience. From the sendoff by hundreds of cheering people at 6:00AM at the airport, to the war memorials, to "Mail Call" on the flight back, to the incredible "Homecoming Parade" with 2,500 who greeted them upon their return, it was something each of you should experience. If you or a loved one are a veteran, please consider going on an Honor Flight. It was one of the greatest days of my father's life. Mine, too.

God bless you all!

Russ

(920)207-3894

“And In This Corner...”

Russ Otten, RPSC Chair

6/5/22

Fellow Freedom Fighters, this is an exciting time with so much work ahead of us! So, get strapped in for an incredibly active summer!

First, I am thrilled that the next RPSC Board meeting will be at Globe Lanes in Random Lake on Monday, June 13. I believe this is the first time that the Board will meet away from the HQ and in the southwestern part of Sheboygan County. This is part of our commitment to reach every part of Sheboygan County. The doors will open at 5:30PM for food and beverages with the meeting starting at 7:00PM. We look forward to seeing you there for a spirited discussion on key events and issues. Please see the attached agenda for a list of topics.

Second, How to Win Spring Elections (HOWSE) Round 3 will be held on Monday, July 18, at Braveheart Pub in Sheboygan. Doors will open at 5:30PM with the meeting to follow at 6:30PM. Round 2 was lively with several key steps taken in building our plan for victory next Spring (see attached meeting notes). Several people agreed to be watchdogs and report on key issues for the Sheboygan Area School Board and Sheboygan Common Council. We need watchdogs for the Sheboygan County Board. If you are interested in learning more, please let me know. Recent events in Kiel show how crucial it is to have leaders who follow the Constitution, not the radical Leftist movements to radically change our culture. We need you to step up and get involved!

Third, "2000 Mules" is now in its 3rd week at Marcus Theaters in Sheboygan. The RPSC paid for messages on 3 electronic billboards when it first arrived, thanks to Paul Hankins, who spearheaded this effort. Many are seeing this riveting movie about how human "mules" were used by the Left to dump thousands of illegal ballots into drop boxes during the 2020 Presidential election. Please take a friend, neighbor, or co-worker who doubts that this election was stolen. They will be blown away with the truth!

Fourth, please march with over 100 Freedom Fighters in the Fourth of July Parade in Sheboygan. This is your chance to make an impact in the community. Bring your family and friends for a 1-hour walk that will show the growth and power of our movement. Bring signs (respectful, please). Wear patriotic colors. And bring a smile to the crowds as they see what freedom really looks like. We will be handing out small American flags as well. You will receive an email soon with details of where and when to gather along with a request to sign up in advance. This is going to be fun!

Fifth, there will be a primary for State Senate 9th District. Ruth Villareal, fellow Freedom Fighter, filed her nomination papers last week with over 500 signatures. She is challenging incumbent Sen. Devin LeMahieu. The primary will be on Tuesday, August 9th. Per our policy, the RPSC will not endorse either candidate during a primary. All RPSC members and Freedom Fighters are encouraged to support and activate for their chosen candidate. Amy Binsfeld has no primary opponent for State Assembly 27th District. Terry Katsma also has no primary opponent for State Assembly 26th District. The RPSC website will include information on each of these candidates in the next week.

Finally, Sen. Ron Johnson recently broke a record for most nomination signatures with approximately 30,000 gathered by his team. https://www.ronjohnsonforsenate.com/2022/06/01/sen-johnson-files-record-breaking-30000-nomination-signatures-for-2022-u-s-senate-election/. Ruth Luedtke is the point person for Sen. Johnson in Sheboygan County and led the push for nomination signatures. Great job, Ruth!

There are many ways for you to use your God-given talents to make a difference. Please get involved and bring a friend along. We are growing this movement one person at a time. If you know someone that shares our values, invite them to check out our website, maybe even join the RPSC. So many people are disillusioned and concerned with our communities. They need to know that there is hope and that they are part of the majority. Your simple invitation might be all they need.

God bless you all!

Russ
(920)207-3894

“And In This Corner...”

Special State GOP

Convention Report

Russ Otten, RPSC Chair

6/2/22

Fellow Freedom Fighters and RPSC Members, here is my firsthand report of what happened at the State GOP Convention on May 21, where 27 RPSC members proudly represented you on the convention floor.

With a massive 1600+ delegates attending, the non-endorsement option passed in the morning by a 2-1 margin and led to no gubernatorial candidate receiving the RPW (Republican Party of Wisconsin) endorsement for the primary. This was a huge win for us but not a surprise to RPW leaders who had stretched the agenda with the plan to take up resolutions on Sunday. To that point, it took 4 hours just to hear the gubernatorial candidates and then vote on 3 separate ballots. It felt like waiting for a driver's license at the DMV.

Their plan worked. When it became apparent that resolutions would be moved to Sunday, many Freedom Fighter delegates left for home around 6:00PM. The RPW brass saw this and quickly pivoted to move forward with resolutions late Saturday. With just 400 delegates remaining, the platform resolutions were passed in 5 minutes. Finally, at 8:30PM the floor resolutions (recall electoral votes, remove Vos, no endorsement option for future) were presented, discussed (briefly), and then defeated by an approximate 60-40 split. A 4th floor resolution in favor of selling raw milk was presented by Dan Jones and passed. (Congrats, Dan, on this major accomplishment.)

Though disappointed with the floor resolution votes (except Dan's), I believe that the outcome would have been much different had all 1600+ delegates voted. The RPW may have dodged a bullet this time. But they know that this does not bode well for their future plans to stay in power. The fact is that these floor resolution votes are now part of the 2021 State GOP Convention record and will be used to mark our progress when we gather next year.

I have several key takeaways from the convention. First, the RPW is in a quandary. They love the growth of its membership, but not that Freedom Fighters make up 90% of that growth. Because we are a threat to their grasp on policy and legislating, they will continue to scheme on how to manipulate the growth for their purposes. But our movement within the Party must now build beyond the county level into the district leadership. When this happens, the RPW will have to decide whether to work with us to create Party unity or stay in the squishy middle and cozy up to moderate Democrats (as if that exists).

Second, the Freedom Fighter movement is not only activated; it is state-wide. For a floor resolution to be presented, I needed to have the support from 4 other County Chairs from 4 different districts. Think about it this way. There are just 8 districts in the state, only 7 if you exclude Milwaukee County. So, to get the support of 5 districts (including the authoring district) involves nearly the entire state. It took me just 2 days to find the required support for the resolutions to recall Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes, remove Vos as Assembly Speaker, and have a non-endorsement option for future state primaries. The Freedom Fighter movement is in every pocket of the state and growing rapidly.

Third, the efforts by the RPW to discourage us will only work if we quit the Party. Based on the comments of many delegates upon leaving the convention, this will not happen. In fact, our resolve was only strengthened by the measures they took to protect the current Assembly and Senate members, Vos, in particular. Just in the last few days, I was sent time-stamped photos of Robin and Michelle Vos behind the curtained area where the ballots were being tabulated for the resolution calling for his removal, a clear ethics violation for anyone with a conscience. (This, by the way, has now been reported to the media which will most likely roundfile it.) Freedom Fighters are demanding a new way of doing business in Madison. These demands will only get stronger in the next year.

I was honored to fight along side 26 other RPSC members for the better part of 12 hours on May 21. We did not agree on all matters. The RPSC is a place where differing opinions are heard, debated, and then decided. We don't take our ball and go home if we lose. We become stronger and more determined to make a difference for our communities and state. Yes, it was a war with battles won and lost. We will win more!

God bless you all!

Russ
(920)207-3894

“And In This Corner...”

Russ Otten, RPSC Chair

5/12/22

Fellow RPSC Members and Freedom Fighters, let me cut right to the chase. The GOP State Convention on Saturday, May 21, will be a fight! With over 1,500 expected to attend, it will be the largest convention in over a decade. The stakes are high. Will the Republican Party of Wisconsin delegates recall the 10 electoral votes from the fraudulent 2020 election? Will they vote to demand Assembly Speaker Robin Vos's resignation or removal? Will they vote for a non-endorsement option for primaries?

These are the 3 resolutions overwhelmingly passed at our County Caucus in February and our 6th District Caucus in April. As expected, none of these 3 resolutions were supported by the State Resolutions Committee 2 weeks ago. So, each one will have to be introduced from the floor of the State Convention. For them to be considered, they will need the support of 4 county chairs from 4 different districts. That is a tall order with much work being done to make that happen.

I cannot predict the outcome of these 3 resolutions. But I can tell you that we will fight to get these on the floor for a vote. That is only half of the battle. The second half is convincing a majority of delegates to vote for them. Many delegates have been going to state conventions for decades. They look forward to these annual gatherings as a time to mix with long-time friends, pass a few standard resolutions, endorse their favorite candidates, and sip cocktails late into the night. They despise any type of disagreement, much less an all-out fight within the hallowed walls of the convention.

Please keep the RPSC delegates in your prayers to do the right thing, to hold firm in the midst of the battle, and to win over those who oppose them. This is a war that needs to be fought. We will see what God does next Saturday!

God bless you all!

Russ

(920)207-3894

“And In This Corner...”

Russ Otten, RPSC Chair

4/14/22

Fellow RPSC Members and Freedom Fighters, I fully intended to write this edition after the Spring elections last week. But new stories kept emerging on a daily basis that I wanted to include. So, let me share some of the latest.

First, last Tuesday was a major win for our movement. Though we lost some very close races, many of the candidates that we supported won! The biggest impact we had was with the County Board. Wins by Suzanne Speltz, James Coulson, Jacob Immel, and Carl Nonhof shook the liberals. Mark Mancl's re-election to the Sheboygan Area School Board was important. And Joe Heidemann's victory for the Sheboygan Common Council sent a clear message to Sheboygan that values matter. (More about that race to follow.) These results are a good start to making Sheboygan County great again!

Second, Joe's victory was won not by one vote, but by the drawing from a deck of cards after it was determined that an additional ballot was legally cast for his opponent, thus creating a 403-403 tie. This election is NOT OVER. There is a recount today (Thursday) at 9:00AM at City Hall. Joe will be there along with several representatives and legal team. You are all invited to witness this recount. Please pray for justice in this matter!

Third, the 6th District Caucus was one for the ages. With 10 counties represented, over 140 delegates attended, 55 from Sheboygan County. Incredible! But even more incredible was the result. By an approximate 130-10 vote, resolutions for decertification and Vos's resignation passed. In addition, there was nearly unanimous support for no endorsements by the Republican Party of Wisconsin (RPW) during the primary. We will see if these resolutions are included at the State Convention or if we need to present them from the floor like we did at the District Caucus. Whatever it takes, we will do!

Fourth, speaking of the State Convention, which is May 20-22 in Madison/Middleton, this will be a war between the grass roots (us) and the RPW powerbrokers (them)! The actual action takes place on Saturday, May 21. If you were a delegate to the 6th District Caucus, you are automatically approved as a delegate to the State Convention. However, to attend, you will need to register online. There is a cost. Please see my email from earlier this week for details.

Fifth, our HQ has new hours, which are posted on our website. A special thanks to Bonnie Hill and Renee Keller for their work to recruit and organize the HQ team. They spent many hours to make this work. This is another big step for the RPSC as we grow into a powerhouse.

Finally, I received an email through our form submission on the RPSC website, which at the time did not require an email address from the sender. This particular email came from Bob, who started his message as follows: "hello, just curious, has the Gop given up in the city?" You can imagine my curiosity in what else Bob had written. Though not following many grammatical rules, his message was quite challenging to and not an isolated view of the RPSC. Because I have no way to respond directly to Bob, I plan to post an "Open Letter to Bob" on our website in the next few days. It will include his initial email. I hope you will take a few moments to read it and realize that we are in a battle for the hearts of our community.

God bless you all!

Russ

(920)207-3894

“And In This Corner...”

Russ Otten, RPSC Chair

3/26/22

Fellow RPSC members, let me start with the movement to decertify Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes. There was a rally on March 15 with approximately 100 attendees, including some from 4 other counties. Over 120 people signed the Decertification Petition. I attended the March 16 emergency meeting of Republican County Chairs in Plover. Attendees included Republican Party of Wisconsin Chair Paul Farrow, Sen. Devin LeMahieu, Assemblyman Robin Vos, and approximately 55 County Chairs. To say the least, it did not go well. When I asked Vos if he would bring AR120 to a vote now that Justice Gableman's Report stated that there was a path to decertification, Vos replied, "His report said that there could be a path, not that there can be a path." When I retorted, "That's semantics!", he yelled back at me, "Words matter!" After the meeting, I met LeMahieu outside and said, "I cannot tell you how disappointed I am with you right now." He responded, "We (Senate) are just one third of one branch of government. We cannot do more than we have already done to correct what happened." On March 18, copies of the signed petitions were emailed to LeMahieu, Stroebel, Katsma, and Vorpagel, demanding that they push both the Senate and Assembly to bring decertification resolutions to the floor for votes. Having received no response from any of them in 5 days, I finally emailed them on March 23 and gave them 24 hours to respond. I have since received responses from all of them stating that they have no intention of representing us or the RPSC members that voted 120-2 in favor of the Decertification Resolution. (See attached for actual email responses.) The battle over decertifcation is not over. More explosive data showing ballot "mules" was presented this week in Madison. Stay tuned and optimistic!

At the heart of our Party is replacing liberals on our County Board, City Councils, and School Boards. Spring elections are Tuesday, April 5. It is crucial for each of you to vote for an incredible slate of Freedom Fighter candidates. Bring a friend or family member (who shares your values) to the polls. Put up a yard sign. Make calls. Do a literature drop. With what is going on in our communities, the stakes have never been higher. We can make a difference! On a related note, I had the opportunity to be interviewed for an online Sheboygan Press article today on local elections. Here is the link to read it: Sheboygan’s local elections are nonpartisan, but Democratic and Republican parties still play a role. Here’s how.

Here are 2 upcoming events that I encourage you to attend:

• Thursday, March 31 - American Majority is hosting an event at Sheboygan Falls American Legion. "Want to Secure Our Elections" will start at 5:30 PM with a Meet & Greet the Candidates (Spring elections) at 7:00 PM. LEARN MORE
• Saturday, April 2 - 6th District Caucus at Amore in Plymouth starts at 11:00AM with registration at 10:30AM. This will be your opportunity to determine which of our RPSC resolutions pass and go to the State Convention in May.

The RPSC has grown from 175 members in October to 322 members as of today! With the goal of 400 members by June, we are well on our way. Here are just a few things that have happened in the last 50 days:

• Thanks to Judi Pool, the RPSC, for the first time in its history, has officially recognized a list of conservative candidates for Spring elections on its website.
• Thanks to Zack Pattison, the RPSC has rallied many members to be part of the opposition group to wind turbines in our county.
• Thanks to Jon Paul, the Sheboygan Area School Board is aware that every key issue is in front of the RPSC members for potential action.
• Thanks to all of you, the RPSC was the first county to pass resolutions for decertification and for the resignation/removal of Vos as Assembly Leader.

In closing this edition, I urge you to stay positive, vigilant, and connected to each other. We are in a fight for the survival of our communities, our state, and our nation. We cannot relent or become weak. Take a short break when needed. Come back renewed and ready for whatever this battle brings.

God bless you all!

Russ

(920)207-3894