La Crosse resident who confronted Rep. Van Orden in Washinton speaks with 19 News, Van Orden responds
Van Orden responded to a constituent’s questions about costs and disputed the account of the encounter.
SOURCE CHECK
TAP FOR WHYWXOW is a local news outlet with an attributed reporter and reporting that includes interviews with both the constituent and the representative. The article presents the exchange and competing accounts, though it offers limited independent verification or broader context.
- Source type — Local news outlet with a regional reporting focus.
- Author attribution — A named reporter is credited.
- Source diversity — Both Havlicek and Van Orden are interviewed.
- Editorial standards — The article attributes claims but does little independent verification of them.
The report includes an account from the constituent and a response from Van Orden, with direct quotations and reference to the video. It gives limited context for the legislation cited and does not independently establish the disputed claims about the encounter or CAP Action.
HOW WE SCORE ↗The article includes accounts from both participants and identifies the central disagreement. It provides little independent corroboration or context for Van Orden’s claims about the bills and CAP Action.
- Counterarguments presented — Havlicek’s explanation and Van Orden’s response are both included.
- Source diversity — The two people involved in the encounter are interviewed.
- Omitted context — The article does not explain in detail how the cited legislation addresses the cost concerns.
- Loaded language — Loaded descriptions are attributed to Van Orden rather than stated as the reporter’s conclusions.
The report uses neutral language and attributes the competing claims to the people making them. It includes both Havlicek’s explanation and Van Orden’s response without an evident partisan framing.
- Language tone — Mostly neutral wording; evaluative terms are presented as quotations or attributed claims.
- Source selection — The constituent and the representative both give their accounts.
- Framing — The story centers on the encounter and response rather than endorsing either account.
A La Crosse teacher questioned Rep. Derrick Van Orden about lowering costs during an encounter at the Capitol. Van Orden disputed the teacher’s account of his role and said legislation had addressed the questions raised.
A video shows La Crosse resident and public school teacher John Havlicek asking Van Orden what he would do to bring costs down. Havlicek said his trip was connected to the Center for American Progress Action Fund, but that he was not paid to attend; he said he wanted to speak directly with Van Orden because public forums offered limited opportunities to do so. He described seeing students and families needing grocery help and said the problem needed to be addressed at the system level.
Van Orden said Havlicek had a political agenda because of his connection to CAP Action, and said Havlicek was acting as a union activist rather than as a teacher. Van Orden called the questions disingenuous and said the One Big Beautiful Bill and the Working Families Tax Cut Act had already addressed them. He also said his Washington office was open and offered to speak with Havlicek at his La Crosse district office.
Community verdict
12 VOTES
Counts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 3
Votes cast on this page
Votes cast on this page: ▲ 5 · ◆ 2 · ▼ 5
People in this story
Wisconsin representative responding to a constituent who questioned him about costs
Part of a bigger story
3 OUTLETS- ARTICLES
- 3
- OUTLETS
- 3
- AVG CRED
- 73
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