Wisconsin lawmakers recently held a roundtable discussing crime and the rising influence of drug cartels in the state. Law enforcement officials from the city of Whitewater, Wisconsin and Walworth County were joined by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil to raise concerns about this issue. The meeting was convened in response to escalating concerns about drug-related criminal activity and its impact on local communities.
The discussions opened with alarming revelations. The roundtable discussion began with a focused discussion on how cartels have infiltrated Wisconsin, especially in Whitewater and Walworth. According to WKOW, Whitewater County police stated that a quarter of a million dollars was funneled through Whitewater back to drug cartels over a four-month period.
Contributions from attending lawmakers highlighted the severity of the situation. According to WMTV, while discussing the cartel presence in the area, Rep. Steil stated that places like Whitewater need to be given the same amount of attention that big cities do, saying "The impact in Whitewater is probably greater than New York City or Chicago." Daniel Meyer, Whitewater Police Chief, could not go into great detail about the cartel operating in Whitewater because that is still an ongoing investigation.
Further promises were made by political leaders at this critical junction. The lawmakers at the panel stated that they will try to provide any resources that Walworth County needs.
Additional information surfaced about specific cartel activity during this crucial gathering. According to Channel 3000, at the roundtable Walworth County Undersheriff Tom Hausner said the Gulf Cartel specifically has a presence in the area.
A shift in conversation provided insights into the broader implications of the local issue. The group then segued into a discussion on how the United States’ border policy is affecting places even as far from the U.S.-Mexico border as Walworth County. Steil stated that they are "directly related" and Sen. Johnson said how Republicans in Congress are trying to tie in tighter border security with funding Ukraine and Israel. Johnson said that the solution to these problems in Wisconsin can be solved with securing the border.
