Gov. Walker, Sen. Johnson Stay Quiet Following Trump's Travel Ban
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The top two elected Republicans in Wisconsin had previously criticized President Donald Trump for proposing a Muslim ban as a candidate, but neither Gov. Scott Walker nor U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson were saying much in the wake of the president's travel ban affecting seven predominantly Muslim countries.
But other critics of Trump's executive order signed Friday were speaking out, including at protests in Milwaukee and at an immigration forum in Madison that attracted more than 2,000 people on Sunday. Democratic state Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa planned a Monday news conference with Muslim, immigration, refugee and other leaders.
Trump has insisted that the order he signed is not a ban on Muslims entering the country but is instead a measure designed to keep the country safe. Trump's order includes a 90-day ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens of Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen, and a 120-day suspension of the U.S. refugee program.
Both Johnson and Walker were critical when then-candidate Trump last year called for an outright ban on Muslims entering the country. Johnson, who is chairman of the Senate's Homeland Security Committee, said then that "the best way to prevent the homegrown-inspired attacks is literally positive engagement with Muslim communities."
Johnson was traveling Monday and not immediately available for comment, said his spokesman Ben Voelkel.
Walker said last year in disagreeing with Trump's much broader total ban on Muslims that the country's founding principles are based on protecting religious liberties. Walker's spokesman Tom Evenson did not immediately return a message seeking comment Monday.
Walker, who is head of the Republican Governors Association, was at the White House over the weekend and tweeted pictures of himself with Trump and his chief of staff Reince Priebus, who is also from Wisconsin. One picture showed Walker sitting at the president's desk in the Oval Office with Trump standing behind him.
Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner reversed himself over the weekend after initially saying Saturday that green-card holders affected by Trump's order shouldn't be allowed in the U.S. On Sunday, Sensenbrenner said he misspoke.
The president's executive order was applauded by House Speaker Paul Ryan, of Janesville, who said it is "time to re-evaluate and strengthen the visa-vetting process."
(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
