Fact-Checkers Found No Evidence Tiffany Defunded Police

A collaborative review found no basis for claims that gubernatorial nominee Tom Tiffany voted to defund police departments.

Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Law Enforcement

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a geometric state capitol dome silhouette, evoking political scrutiny and institutional oversight. — A collaborative fact check by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Watch found no evidence to support claims that gubernatorial nominee Tom Tiffany voted to defund police departments. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Wisconsin Watch conducted a joint fact check, determining that claims made by Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Crowley regarding his opponent were unsupported. Crowley had alleged that Republican nominee Tom Tiffany voted six times to defund the police.

Why it matters

The accuracy of campaign rhetoric regarding law enforcement funding is a central issue in the Wisconsin gubernatorial race, as candidates seek to define their positions on public safety. The fact check aimed to provide clarity for voters evaluating the record of each candidate.

A formal fact check debunked the claim that Tom Tiffany voted six times to defund police departments. Investigations also noted Tiffany previously opposed federal funding for various agencies, including the Justice Department and violence intervention grants.

The players

Tom Tiffany

Tom Tiffany is the Republican nominee for Wisconsin governor.

David Crowley

David Crowley is the Democratic nominee for Wisconsin governor who serves in Milwaukee County.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is a major newspaper that collaborated on the investigation.

Wisconsin Watch

Wisconsin Watch is a non-profit news organization that worked on the fact check.

The details

While Tiffany voted against specific federal funding bills that included provisions for agencies like the Commerce Department and NASA, reviewers found no evidence these votes constituted a defunding of local police. Records confirm that Tiffany has publicly criticized the defund the police movement on multiple occasions.

In 2022, Tom Tiffany stated that it was time to end the defund the police movement.
In 2026, Tom Tiffany again criticized the defund the police movement.

Legal Context

This dispute over legislative voting records follows a pattern established during the 2020 defund the police movement. The debate highlights how campaigns continue to leverage public safety narratives against historical legislative voting records in Wisconsin.

This fact check provides voters with clarified information to better distinguish between campaign rhetoric and official legislative records. Residents can use these findings to evaluate how each candidate manages public safety priorities and state funding oversight.

The takeaway

Voters should carefully examine the legislative context behind claims that cite federal budget votes as local funding decisions. Discriminating between federal administrative spending and local police budgets is essential for understanding candidate positions on public safety.