WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) issued the following statement in response to the Lac du Flambeau tribe’s reported refusal to participate in mediation efforts to bring an end to a months-long dispute over local road access.

“It has been months since we asked the tribal leaders, their Minneapolis attorney, and the Biden administration to release the cost appraisals of these rights-of-way and begin good faith negotiations to find a solution,” the legislators said. “Apparently, they haven’t agreed to do either of those things. Unfortunately, when you’re more interested in brinksmanship than talking to your neighbors, it makes it difficult to hash out a compromise.”

“The Biden administration has made things even worse by deploying the full force of the Justice Department against the town. We don’t agree with Governor Evers or Senator Baldwin on many issues, but we should all agree that the first step to getting a resolution is to turn down the temperature and communicate.”

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