OP-ED: Tom Tiffany, Eric Toney Are Two Peas In a Book Banning Pod

Tiffany and Toney are increasingly ramping up their affiliation with one of the most notorious book banning groups in Wisconsin

Side by Side graphic showing Tom Tiffany and Eric Toney
Side by Side graphic showing Tom Tiffany and Eric Toney

After the Badger State was recently ranked second in the nation by PEN America for most book bans in an academic year, Wisconsin Republicans Tom Tiffany and Eric Toney seemingly don’t want to settle for second place. 

Instead of using their power in public office to protect Wisconsin kids’ freedom to read at the library and learn at school without interference from politicians, Tiffany and Toney are increasingly ramping up their affiliation with one of the most notorious book banning groups in Wisconsin: Moms For Liberty.

Moms for Liberty is a far-right group whose agenda includes banning books and censoring curriculums. In fact, a St. Croix County area Moms For Liberty member made headlines recently for trying to ban more than 30 books from a local school library. 

Despite this, Toney –  the Fond Du Lac County District Attorney and now a second-time GOP candidate for Attorney General after voters overwhelmingly rejected him for that seat in 2022 – has referred to Moms For Liberty members as his “friends,” and as recently as June 14, 2026 was a featured speaker at a Washington County Moms For Liberty event. 

GOP Congressman and candidate for governor Tom Tiffany also recently appeared as a featured speaker at Moms For Liberty event in February 2026, and in 2025 signed a “pledge” with the group, an official written signal that he supports their agenda.

Tiffany also vigorously supported and defended Moms For Liberty at a recent Congressional hearing, even after being confronted by an expert with the fact that Moms For Liberty opposes teaching about race, advocates against inclusion, and opposes LGBTQ+ rights.

Our schools and students need parents and teachers working together with our elected leaders, not politicians trying to censor our real history. Contact Tom Tiffany and Eric Toney and tell we don’t need their MAGA extremism in our classrooms.

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A Better Wisconsin Together is a state-based research and communications hub for progressives and is an affiliate of ProgressNow.

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