November 23, 2020

Working for you!

Giving Thanks for All Our Blessings

When our state founders established the Wisconsin Constitution, they began with the powerful phrase, “We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom…” Thanksgiving is the perfect time to reflect on all that we are grateful for and to rededicate ourselves to living for others. Every day, I am grateful for the privilege to serve you as a public official.

Please enjoy a safe Thanksgiving this year and may God bless you and your family.

Below are the CDC guidelines that President Trump has asked us to share:

Protecting Our Elections

To best protect the integrity of our elections and ensure every legal vote counts, the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections needs specific and actionable information sent to the following e-mail address: election.complaints@legis.wi.gov. We would recommend that a complaint, concern or allegation would include the following:

• Specific and first-hand information regarding potential fraud/misconduct. Hearsay or news reports of non-specific events are not be useful.

• Detail on the incident/practice being reported (What, where, when and who).

• Any supporting materials that would be helpful in vetting the allegation. This could include photos or names of witnesses.

• Contact information so the person can be reached for clarification or additional information. If people choose to remain anonymous, that is their right but it may limit the value of their information if it is incomplete.

Fighting COVID Together

After months of speaking to the legislature only through the media, the recent and devastating surge of COVID-19 in Wisconsin has brought Governor Evers back to the negotiation table, allowing us to work together to address the health and economic suffering our state is experiencing.

I’m looking forward to a healthy dialogue in which we can advance legally enacted policies to fight this disease and help those who are struggling.

Avoid Vaccine Imposter Scams

Researchers are recruiting participants for COVID-19 vaccine research in Wisconsin, and scammers are beginning to take advantage. If you are considering participating in a vaccine trial, make sure you know how to distinguish legitimate studies from imposters. Use these tips from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to avoid becoming a victim of an imposter scam.

Verify the research study. Clinical trials are big news; you should be able to find news stories online for legitimate trials on COVID-19 vaccines in your area by looking at local news sites. If you see an advertisement for a study, do an online search with the provided information and the terms “news,” “scam,” or “review” to check whether the study is legitimate. Do not click on links in emails, messages, or pop-up advertisements. Instead, use a verified website for the study host to ensure that you are not providing information to a scammer.

If you are interested in volunteering for a research study, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) runs a COVID-19 Prevention Network site with a volunteer screening database that can match you to a current or future study. Alternatively, you can verify information on a wide range of clinical studies, including if they are currently recruiting participants, and official contact information, by searching the free searchable database maintained by NIH and the National Library of Medicine at ClinicalTrials.Gov.

Understand what personal information the study may need. Screening questions for volunteers will likely include information such as your name, phone number, email, address, age, gender, race, ethnicity, and medical history. However, legitimate clinical trials should not ask for your Social Security number or financial account numbers.

Never pay to participate. Many legitimate vaccine studies may offer compensation for participation in the study. However, legitimate studies will not ask for payment or credit card information. If you are compensated for participation in a legitimate study, you can further protect your financial information by asking for your payment as a check rather than direct deposit.

If you have been a victim of an imposter scam, related to COVID-19 or otherwise, file a consumer complaint with DATCP. Consumers can file a complaint online at datcp.wi.gov, by calling the Consumer Protection Hotline at (800) 422-7128, or by emailing DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov.

Upcoming Events

Check out upcoming events near us by visiting the Wisconsin Tourism website or https://appletondowntown.org/upcoming-events/ and if you run into me while you’re out and about be sure to stop and say hi!

"Like" Representative Murphy's Facebook Page

I use Facebook to update constituents more frequently on my work in Madison and the 56th Assembly District. I look forward to using this as another way to connect with constituents and encourage you to follow it and watch for regular updates.