Web Extra: Fitzgerald doubts link between election, COVID-19

Sen.

Scott Fitzgerald says he “doesn’t put much stock” in reports linking election activity and COVID-19 in Milwaukee.

ADRIENNE WE HAVEN’T SEEN YOUHERE ON UPFRONT SINCE THEELECTION, SO I WANTED TO BE SURETO ASK YOU ABOUT THIS -- WE KNOWTHAT 19 PEOPLE WHO VOTED INPERSON OR WORKED AT A POLLINGSITE ON ELECTION DAY TESTEDPOSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS, ANDSTATE HEALTH OFFICIALS ARESAYING YOU CANNOT FOR SURE BLAMETHE ELECTION, AND I UNDERSTANDTHAT.I WONDER IF YOU HAVE ANYREGRETS, ANY PAUSE AS TO WHAT’SGOING FORWARD WITH THAT.SEN.

FITZGERALD: THE MAYORADMITTED THERE IS NO TRACEPROGRAM IN THE CITY OFMILWAUKEE.HE SAID THEY ARE TRYING TOESTABLISH SOMETHING, TRYING TODEVELOP A STRATEGY ON TRACING.THEY THINK THAT IS VERYIMPORTANT BEFORE THE ECONOMY CANOPEN.SO ANY OF THESE NUMBERS THATHAVE BEEN THROWN AROUND, WHETHERIT IS NINE OR 19 OR ANYTHINGTHEY COULD DREAM UP, IT IS NOTGOING TO BE VERIFIED.IT HASN’T BEEN VERIFIED.THEY DON’T HAVE A TRACINGPROGRAM, SO YOU KNOW, I DON’TPUT MUCH STOCK I WHAT THEY ARESAYING RIGHT NOW.LISTEN, WE’VE GOT ANOTHERELECTION IN TWO WEEKS IN ABOUT ATHIRD OF THE STATE FOR THESEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL UP NORTH,THE CLERKS UP THERE THAT DID AWONDERFUL JOB, BY THE WAY, INMANAGING THE APRIL 7 ELECTION,ARE IN FAVOR OF THIS MOVINGFORWARD.AND THEN WE HAVE ELECTIONS INAUGUST AND ELECTIONS INNOVEMBER.I MEAN, YOU CANNOT KEEPPOSTPONING ELECTIONS.QUITE HONESTLY, I THINK BESIDESTHE HUGE MISHAP THAT HAPPENED INMILWAUKEE, WHEN THEY WENT FROM180 25 VOTING POLL LOCATIONS ISA DISASTER -- 180 TO FIVEVOTING POLL LOCATIONS ISA DISASTER.IT WAS MISMANAGED BY THE COUNTYOF MILWAUKEE, BUT THE REST OFTHE STATE HAS GROWN ACCUSTOMEDTO THAT HAPPENING ON A REGULARBASIS.UNTIL THEY GET A TRACING PROGRAMIN PLACE, IT IS HARD FOR ME