Wisconsin witch hunt
Encyclopedia
The Wisconsin witch hunt was a 2001-2002 political scandal
and religious persecution
in which two Wisconsin
politicians used their public offices to attempt to terminate the employment of a Wisconsin state employee because of her unpopular religious beliefs as a Wicca
n or witch.
, then a Republican
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
and chair of the Assembly Committee on Corrections and Courts, learned that the Wisconsin Department of Corrections
had recently hired Rev. Jamyi Witch as a prison
chaplain
at the Waupun Correctional Institution
in Waupun, Wisconsin
. Witch, who had volunteered for two years as a chaplain and had an extensive knowledge of alternative religions, had competed against 9 other candidates for the civil service position and was hired as the most qualified candidate for the $32,500 per year job.
The chaplain was a practicing Wiccan and had, in fact, changed her last name to Witch in honor of her chosen religion.
Walker threatened to launch a government investigation of the chaplain’s hiring, and was joined by Representative Michael Huebsch
of West Salem
, in his efforts to terminate the woman's employment. "Taxpayers shouldn't be forced to accept this hocus-pocus," Huebsch stated. Huebsch proposed to delete the state appropriation which funded Witch's position, even though in the past he had repeatedly advocated increasing state funding for prison chaplains.
Walker and Huebsch continued their pursuit of the case over the 2001-2002 Christmas holidays. After several weeks of unwanted publicity, the chaplain began to receive death threats and reported that on one day alone she had received 432 emails and 76 phone messages at her home.
.
Witch and the prison's only Muslim
chaplain were subsequently excluded from the longstanding Waupun Clergy Association, which declared that it was open only to Christians.
As of 2006, Witch was still employed as a chaplain.
Political scandal
A political scandal is a kind of political corruption that is exposed and becomes a scandal, in which politicians or government officials are accused of engaging in various illegal, corrupt, or unethical practices...
and religious persecution
Religious persecution
Religious persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group of individuals as a response to their religious beliefs or affiliations or lack thereof....
in which two Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
politicians used their public offices to attempt to terminate the employment of a Wisconsin state employee because of her unpopular religious beliefs as a Wicca
Wicca
Wicca , is a modern Pagan religious movement. Developing in England in the first half of the 20th century, Wicca was popularised in the 1950s and early 1960s by a Wiccan High Priest named Gerald Gardner, who at the time called it the "witch cult" and "witchcraft," and its adherents "the Wica."...
n or witch.
Genesis of scandal
In December 2001, Scott WalkerScott Walker (politician)
Scott Kevin Walker is an American Republican politician who began serving as the 45th Governor of Wisconsin on January 3, 2011, after defeating Democratic candidate Tom Barrett, 52 percent to 47 percent in the November 2010 general election...
, then a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
Wisconsin State Assembly
The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin....
and chair of the Assembly Committee on Corrections and Courts, learned that the Wisconsin Department of Corrections
Wisconsin Department of Corrections
The Wisconsin Department of Corrections is an administrative department in the executive branch of the state of Wisconsin responsible for corrections in Wisconsin, including state prisons. As of 2011, the department is administered by Secretary Gary Hamblin. The DOC secretary is appointed by the...
had recently hired Rev. Jamyi Witch as a prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at the Waupun Correctional Institution
Waupun Correctional Institution
The Waupun Correctional Institution is a maximum security penitentiary near the center of Waupun, Wisconsin. The prison is currently under the command of Warden William Pollard.-History:...
in Waupun, Wisconsin
Waupun, Wisconsin
Waupun is a city in Dodge and Fond du Lac Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 10,718 at the 2000 census. In Fond du Lac County, there is also the Town of Waupun which abuts the city of Waupun....
. Witch, who had volunteered for two years as a chaplain and had an extensive knowledge of alternative religions, had competed against 9 other candidates for the civil service position and was hired as the most qualified candidate for the $32,500 per year job.
The chaplain was a practicing Wiccan and had, in fact, changed her last name to Witch in honor of her chosen religion.
Persecution of Witch
Walker objected publicly on the basis of her religion to the chaplain’s hiring, saying: "Witch's hiring raises both personal and political concerns. Not only does she practice a different religion than most of the inmates -- she practices a religion that actually offends people of many other faiths, including Christians, Muslims and Jews."Walker threatened to launch a government investigation of the chaplain’s hiring, and was joined by Representative Michael Huebsch
Michael Huebsch
Michael "Mike" Huebsch is a Wisconsin Republican Party politician and former legislator.Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Huebsch graduated from Onalaska High School and attended Oral Roberts University. He served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1995 through 2011. From 2007-2009, he served as...
of West Salem
West Salem, Wisconsin
West Salem is a village in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States, along the La Crosse River. It is part of the La Crosse Metropolitan Area. The population was 4,799 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, in his efforts to terminate the woman's employment. "Taxpayers shouldn't be forced to accept this hocus-pocus," Huebsch stated. Huebsch proposed to delete the state appropriation which funded Witch's position, even though in the past he had repeatedly advocated increasing state funding for prison chaplains.
Walker and Huebsch continued their pursuit of the case over the 2001-2002 Christmas holidays. After several weeks of unwanted publicity, the chaplain began to receive death threats and reported that on one day alone she had received 432 emails and 76 phone messages at her home.
Aftermath of Wisconsin witch hunt
Walker and Huebsch, who had said they would draft legislation to prevent similar hirings by the state of Wisconsin, were ultimately unsuccessful in their efforts to terminate the employment of Witch, who was represented by the Wisconsin State Employees Union, founding body of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal EmployeesAmerican Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is the second- or third-largest labor union in the United States and one of the fastest-growing, representing over 1.4 million employees, primarily in local and state government and in the health care industry. AFSCME is part of the...
.
Witch and the prison's only Muslim
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
chaplain were subsequently excluded from the longstanding Waupun Clergy Association, which declared that it was open only to Christians.
As of 2006, Witch was still employed as a chaplain.