Tiffany says he's not responsible for rejected tax relief deal

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:00]UP THE SMASHED GLASS SPREAD ALL OVER THE SIDEWALK.

[00:00:04]>> A NEW FALLOUT TONIGHT AFTER LAWMAKERS FAILED TO APPROVE A $1.8 BILLION TAX RELIEF PLAN THAT WOULD HAVE DELIVERED REBATE CHECKS AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.

[00:00:14]GOVERNOR TONY EVERS BLASTING SENATE DEMOCRATS ON UPFRONT OVER THIS WEEKEND.

[00:00:18]ALL 15 DEMOCRATS VOTED WITH THREE REPUBLICANS TO REJECT THE PLAN.

[00:00:21]TONY’S POLITICAL DIRECTOR, MATT SMITH, IS LIVE IN ELM GROVE.

[00:00:24]MATT, THE GOVERNOR IS ALSO BLAMING REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN TOM TIFFANY, WHO IS RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR.

[00:00:29]>> AND TONIGHT, BLAKE.

[00:00:31]TOM TIFFANY IS RESPONDING, SAYING HE IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT FAILED VOTE DURING A CAMPAIGN STOP HERE THIS AFTERNOON IN WAUKESHA COUNTY.

[00:00:39]ARE YOU THE CREDIT FOR THE THREE REPUBLICANS VOTING NO IN THE SENATE AND KILLING THAT BILL?

[00:00:44]>> I’M NOT.

[00:00:45]I WOULD URGE YOU TO GO BACK AND TALK TO THOSE THREE REPUBLICANS.

[00:00:49]I MEAN, I DIDN’T TELL ANYBODY HOW TO VOTE.

[00:00:51]I JUST SAID IF I WERE GOVERNOR, I WOULD NOT SUPPORT THIS BILL BECAUSE IT DID NOT RETURN ALL OF THE SURPLUS TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF WISCONSIN.

[00:00:59]>> THE GOVERNOR SAID HE HAD THE VOTES UNTIL YOU STARTED TALKING.

[00:01:04]>> YEAH, I, I WOULD URGE YOU AND HIM TO GO TALK TO THOSE SENATORS THAT VOTED NO.

[00:01:11]>> THAT’S CONGRESSMAN TOM TIFFANY HERE LATE THIS AFTERNOON DURING A CAMPAIGN STOP IN ELM GROVE.

[00:01:17]THE FALLOUT TARGETING BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE.

[00:01:20]THE PLAN WAS NEGOTIATED BY THE GOVERNOR AND REPUBLICAN LEADERS.

[00:01:24]IT WOULD HAVE DELIVERED REBATE CHECKS, PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, AND HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SCHOOLS FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION.

[00:01:32]THE GOVERNOR EXCLUSIVELY WITH US FRIDAY.

[00:01:34]WHEN YOU ANNOUNCE THIS ON MONDAY, WERE YOU CONFIDENT THE VOTES WERE THERE TO PASS BOTH THE ASSEMBLY AND SENATE?

[00:01:39]CERTAINLY.

[00:01:39]>> NO QUESTION, NO QUESTION.

[00:01:41]THAT WAS A THAT WAS A DONE DEAL.

[00:01:43]>> THOSE VOTES DID.

[00:01:44]THOSE INCLUDE DEMOCRATS VOTES IN THE SENATE?

[00:01:45]DID YOU HAVE ANY SECURED EARLIER IN THE WEEK?

[00:01:47]>> NO, NO.

[00:01:48]I MEAN, THERE WAS NO NEED.

[00:01:49]>> IF YOU DID HAVE TO BLAME SOMEONE, WHO WOULD IT BE?

[00:01:53]>> WELL, YOU KNOW, TIFFANY, THINGS OTHER THAN HELP.

[00:01:55]YEAH.

[00:01:56]THAT THAT PLAYED A ROLE.

[00:01:58]BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAD DEMOCRATS AND ON THE SENATE SIDE THAT BASICALLY WERE SAYING, WE CAN’T SUPPORT THIS.

[00:02:07]>> AND MATT, TOM TIFFANY WAS ALONGSIDE TWO FORMER GOVERNORS THIS AFTERNOON.

[00:02:11]>> THE CAMPAIGN EVENT HERE THIS AFTERNOON IN WAUKESHA COUNTY WITH FORMER REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR SCOTT WALKER AND TOMMY THOMPSON JUST OFF THE HEELS OF THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY CONVENTION IN WISCONSIN THIS PAST WEEK.

[00:02:24]THE EVENT OUTSIDE MET WITH SOME PROTESTERS, PERHAPS A SIGNAL OF WHAT’S TO COME THIS CAMPAIGN SEASON.

[00:02:29]AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO NOVEMBER.

[00:02:31]AS FOR THE CURRENT GOVERNOR, GOVERNOR EVERS, A WARNING TONIGHT FOR DEMOCRATS AND BLAME FOR SENATE DEMOCRATS WHO VOTED AGAINST THIS TAX RELIEF DEAL.

[00:02:39]YOU CAN WATCH THAT EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW RIGHT NOW ON THE 12 NE