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Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce Fact Briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.

Yes.

The Fond du Lac County District Attorney’s office received state funding for more staff positions between 2022 and 2026 than the state crime labs did.

Attorney General Josh Kaul made the claim during an Oct. 11 debate with Republican attorney general candidate Eric Toney, the Fond du Lac County district attorney. Kaul and Toney have debated backlogs in the state labs.

In the 2023-2025 budget, Fond du Lac County did not receive any new assistant district attorney positions, according to the budget documents. Kaul requested 16 new positions for the crime labs, including 10 DNA analysts. The Republican-controlled Legislature funded three positions, none of which were DNA analysts. 

In the 2025-2027 budget, Toney’s office received four prosecutor positions, one of several DA’s offices to receive new staff. 

In the 2025-2027 budget, Kaul requested 19 positions for the crime labs, but received none.

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Laura Schulte has covered state government and politics for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel since 2020. Schulte has reported on state agencies, state legislative sessions and campaigns and was on the ground for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Before joining the Journal Sentinel, she covered business and local government at the Wausau Daily Herald. An Indiana native, Schulte graduated from the Indiana University Media School.