Democratic Party is trying to block Hong from winning the primary and Dept of Revenue is trying to cancel the Minocqua Brewing Company
The Cat's Away and Told His Mice To Play
While Governor Evers vacations in Africa, his Democratic Party is trying to block Hong from winning the primary and his Department of Revenue is trying to cancel the Minocqua Brewing Company
Hi folks,
Kirk Bangstad here, owner of the Minocqua Brewing Company and current occupant of the New York Post’s front page.
The NY Post is of course owned by Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, and this is the email I sent to their reporter yesterday when asked if I wanted to comment on the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s attempts to put me out of business.
I didn’t give an interview to “Faux News,” but I do have a few words for Governor Evers, who is in charge of Wisconsin’s Department of Revenue:
“Bro, the goal of taking a vacation, especially if you’ve already spent the money on a safari in Africa, is to relax. It seems like you’re doing everything BUT RELAXING over there! I’d think you’d have a lot more fun if you stopped trying to block Francesca Hong from winning the Democratic primary for Governor, and called your dogs off of me at the Department of Revenue.”
While I don’t have Evers’ phone number, I do have Maggie Gau’s, his Chief of Staff. She hasn’t answered it ever since I texted her and asked why Evers was trying to block our lawsuit to get rid of the parasitic private voucher school program in Wisconsin that was sucking the life blood out of Wisconsin’s public schools.
I also thought about texting her to ask why the hell Governor Evers bucked his own party and made a deal with Republican leader Robin Vos to give away Wisconsin’s huge budge surplus in tax breaks to the rich as opposed to programs that would have help working people—but I had a feeling she wouldn’t respond.
By the way, why would I have Governor Evers’ Chief of Staff’s phone number? Why would a “progressive provocateur,” as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel calls me, ever get such rarified access?
Because I made beer to help him get elected, of course, as well as put billboards up all throughout Wisconsin before his election. I actually believed in the guy while he helped navigate us through Covid.
Now, I have a feeling he’s working from a place of bitterness, more-so even than the Pale Ale I made for him—and wants to stomp on all the progress our state has made that put us in a position to win a Democratic trifecta in November (Governor, Legislature, Supreme Court). Why would he be actively trying to block Francesca Hong, the most charismatic Democratic candidate Wisconsin has seen in a generation, unless he no longer believed in the power of the people? Why would he allow his Department of Revenue to go on a massive fishing expedition to ruin a company that’s helped turn the tide of progressive politics in Wisconsin, unless he’s become too cynical to believe in progress?
I did a live broadcast yesterday to explain why I thought Wisconsin’s Department of Revenue was trying to shut me down. I started first by explaining how Special Agent Zautner’s entire investigation was predicated on fake MAGA complaints to the Department of Health that we put Covid vaccine in our beer, among other ridiculous claims.
I went on to explain that I can’t believe Nicole Zautner, who came to the Department of Revenue’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages a year ago from the UW Madison’s K9 Unit, is evil enough to try to ruin my business on bogus tax and permitting violations.
What I think is happening is that either the beer distributors in the Republican Tavern League have an “in” at the Department of Revenue and are trying to work us over, or someone in Evers’ office is trying to shut me up.
Here’s my clip talking about the Tavern League.
Here’s my clip talking about why I think Establishment Democrats, including Governor Evers, are trying to both shut down Francesca Hong’s campaign and put me out of business.
Regardless of who is leading the charge to put me out of business, I could use your help.
Governor Evers has the power to call off his dogs at Wisconsin’s Department of Revenue, even Special Agent Nicole Zautner—who is apparently pretty good with dogs.
Here’ Tony’s number: (608) 266-1212
I don’t think you’ll reach him because he’s on safari in Africa, but if enough of you leave a message asking him why the hell he’s trying to put me out of business, they’ll probably let him know about it.
If you’d prefer to write his office, here’s the link to do that
Help us clog their voicemail and email inboxes until the DOR stops trying to destroy my company.
Alternatively, please donate to our legal defense fund. We’re no strangers to fighting against government to simply do business in our town, county, and now the state of Wisconsin. We’ve ultimately won every battle, but fighting in court costs money, and we simply can’t fight without it.
Lastly, I’m able to tell my side of this story WITHOUT having to rely on our failed Wisconsin mainstream media outlets, like the Gannet-owned Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, because I decided to create an independent media platform after Trump won for the 2nd time. They’re trying to silence my voice by restricting my ability to sell beer—which is a travesty. You can help us keep using our voice to speak truth to power by subscribing to the Minocqua Brewing Company Times. We will soon have 6 hours of live progressive talk 5 days a week, 7 political essays per week, and 4 interactive “office hours” with my great crew—specifically for paid subscribers.
Thanks for reading and watching, and thanks for sticking with the Minocqua Brewing Company.
Together, we’ll get to the bottom of who’s trying to put us out of business and silence our voice in Wisconsin—one beer at a time.
Kirk Bangstad
Owner, Minocqua Brewing Company/Minocqua Marketplace
Publisher, Minocqua Brewing Company Times
Discussion about this post
https://minocquabrewingcompanytimes.substack.com/p/the-cats-away-and-told-his-mice-to
We need to support good beer and progressive politics.
Anyone the centrist dems are against, I am for... Ms Hong and Kelda Roy have been in the legislative trenches and displayed the most knowledge and have the best plans. Someone really got to Evers...who said he would not back anyone....Yeah, RIGHT. I hope your lawyers can stop this atrocity against your brewery in it's tracks. Tavern league members must be worried that you are outselling them.