Third District residents, action groups claim Rep. Van Orden’s votes make him “puppet” of corporations

Two political action groups charge that a La Crosse area Congressman does more to support corporations and the wealthy, instead of the working people in his district.

To drive home their claim that Rep. Derrick Van Orden is controlled by corporate interests, Opportunity Wisconsin and Climate Power unveiled a large puppet likeness of Van Orden at a news conference in Onalaska on Friday.

Opportunity Wisconsin says the Prairie du Chien Republican voted recently for tax breaks that would help corporations, while also voting to cut care for veterans and reduce food assistance programs for senior citizens.

Eau Claire city council member Jeremy Gragert attended the Onalaska event. Gragert says his city has to spend millions of dollars to clean up PFAS contamination in the water, taking money away from other needs such as buying city buses. He wants Congress to provide cities with more funding for mass transit.

The news conference was held at the Coulee Bicycle Company, where owner Robbie Young called on Van Orden and other elected officials to support many modes of transportation, rather than voting to support tax breaks for oil companies.