The collection documents the legislative career of a prominent Democratic state legislator from La Crosse who is known for his strong religious beliefs, his advancement of the interests of his home district, and his ability as a consensus builder.
Unfortunately the collection is not complete. The bulk of files cover the period from the 1987-1988 through the 1991-1992 legislative sessions, with only limited subject files from his earlier terms. There are no speeches, no political campaign files, and no material about his role as assistant majority leader in the collection. There are also no organic committee records. Nevertheless, the Medinger Papers are an important research resource. The documentation about his sixteen-year tenure add to an unusually strong collection of historical resource material about La Crosse area legislators held by the Historical Society: Raymond Bice (1946-1968), Wayne Hood (1947-1968), Virgil Roberts (1973-1984), Brian Rude (1985-1987), and Medinger's predecessor, Paul Offner (1975-1977, Assembly, and 1977-1984, Senate). Because Medinger was such a strong advocate for his district, the collection documents well the La Crosse position on numerous important statewide issues such as abortion, gambling, and the legal drinking age, as well as several purely local issues. In comparison with his contemporaries Medinger's correspondence is also of an unusually high quality. The evidence suggests that he personally read each letter and made notes about the response. Even his orchestrated form letters were uniquely tailored to suit specific audiences. The collection also documents well the legislation with which he was particularly associated. Medinger's bills are represented not only by correspondence and background information but also typed and handwritten notes regarding draft bills. Finally, although there are no true personal papers in the collection, Medinger emerges as a distinct individual in the papers. His strong Catholic pro-life views are evident in the correspondence as is his occasional discomfort with some aspects of the pro-life camp. Medinger's personal views also intersected interestingly with other important legislative issues such as gambling and alcohol.
This collection is comprised of alphabetically arranged files containing background material, correspondence and memoranda, notes, bill drafts, and clippings. Substantially documented topics were arranged by genre (i.e., correspondence, background information, clippings) in order to facilitate access.
Medinger's correspondents include constituents, legislators such as Brian Rude and Virgil Roberts, advocacy groups, and lobbyists for special interest groups. Following the legalization of abortion in the early 1970s, legislation about abortion became one of the most important and controversial political topics, and Medinger's abortion file is the largest within the collection. This file includes correspondence from constituents and extensive contacts with Barbara Lyons of Wisconsin Citizens Concerned for Life. Another important legislative debate of the 1980s concerned the legal drinking age. Because La Crosse was the home of one of Wisconsin's largest breweries, raising the drinking age would greatly impact the brewery's sales. Medinger worked to lower the legal drinking age, arguing that if eighteen-year olds were old enough to vote and serve in the armed forces, they were also old enough to purchase and consume alcoholic beverages. After the state drinking age increased to 19 and later 21, Medinger continued to push for lowering the age to 18. Medinger even proposed a compromise that would allow 19- and 20-year-olds to consume beverages on-site but not to carry out their purchases. This bill did not pass, but it is representative of Medinger's attempts to reach compromise on many legislative issues. The 1980s and 1990s witnessed the introduction of gambling in Minnesota and Iowa, and La Crosse area tourism appeared to lose money as a result. On this issue Medinger's beliefs were in direct opposition to area business leaders who wanted gambling in Wisconsin.
For unknown reasons the collection includes a few files about adoption from the office of Representative Steve Leopold of Milwaukee. Medinger and his wife adopted two children so perhaps Leopold gave Medinger his subject file for personal reasons.
