Tea-Publican Tyranny in Wisconsin Update: And Then There Were Six

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last week, Wisconsin's Government Accountability Board certified the recall of 3 Tea-Publican state senators. Today, the Government Accountability Board certified the recall of 3 more Tea-Publican state senators. Elections board gives approval for three recall elections:

[The Government Accountability Board] gave the final approval to three recall petitions targeting three GOP senators, making it all but certain that those senators will face recall elections this summer.

The Government Accountability Board rejected the challenges made to recall petitions targeting Republican Sens. Dan Kapanke of La Crosse, Randy Hopper of Fond du Lac and Luther Olsen of Ripon. They also voted to file paperwork by June 3 that will allow elections to be called for July 12.

[The other Republican lawmakers facing recall elections are Sens. Sheila Harsdorf of River Falls, Alberta Darling of River Hills and Robert Cowles of Green Bay.]

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While the board voted 5-1 to have staff review the registration forms used for recalls, it unanimously rejected the GOP challenges and found each petition sufficient with almost no discussion. While some challenges to individual signatures were accepted, each petition had thousands more than the minimum required.

McLeod said he disagreed with the board, but "respects their decision." He said he and his clients have not yet discussed whether the senators will challenge the decision in court. [Once recall elections are certified, the senators have seven days to sue to try to stop them.]

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Even if they do, a lawsuit isn't likely to delay the recall elections, Levinson said.

The date of the recall election, however, may still be delayed beyond the July 12 scheduled date due to legal challenges filed to recall petitions against 3 Democratic state senators. Democrats have challenged the validity of the petitions targeting their senators, alleging that out-of-state circulators hired by Republicans committed widespread fraud and misrepresentation in collecting the signatures (one example: "shots for signatures" in local bars). Wisconsin Recall Fight Heats Up As Democrats Complain Of 'Shots For Signatures' Deals (AUDIO).

Shane Falk, an attorney for the board, said the board has been working overtime to review all the petitions, with half a dozen board employees working on them over the Memorial Day weekend. But they have not had time to fully analyze the challenges to the recalls against Democrats, which are based on different arguments than the Republican challenges. GAB OKs recalls against 3 more Republicans – JSOnline:

Now, board officials plan to return to court to ask for another extension because they say they can't meet the Friday deadline for the three Democrats. Falk said a court hearing was likely Wednesday or Thursday, and at that time the board will request permission to certify any additional recall elections next week.

The board had been working under a plan to hold all recall elections on July 12. If there were more than one challenger in any race, the July 12 election would become a primary and the general recall election would be Aug. 9.

If the judge agrees to the new deadline, and the board found recall elections should be held against the Democrats, those elections would be held a week later – on July 19. If there were multiple challengers, the July 19 election would become a primary and the general recall election would be Aug. 16.

The court, however, could change the schedule, either by delaying the Republican recall elections or ordering the board to complete work on the petitions against Democrats by Friday's deadline.

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[B]oard members were emphatic that politics did not play a role in their decisions, though board Chairman Thomas Barland said he was concerned about public perception.

"Politics has never been part of our interest or part of our agenda," said accountability board member Thomas Cane.

The board is composed of six retired judges and was designed by the Legislature to be as nonpartisan as possible. Three years ago, it replaced the Elections Board, which was appointed by elected officials and political parties.

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Reviewing the latest challenges by the Republicans was relatively easy because the board had already considered the same arguments when it considered the challenges to other Republicans last week. But the challenges to the Democratic signatures have not been fully analyzed[.]

Tea-Publicans, of course, howled in protest at the board's decision, calling on the board's director, Kevin Kennedy, to resign.

Kennedy said the board has not and will not violate the court order. He has been the state's chief election official since 1982, and he reacted coolly to the call for his resignation.

"It's an easy call for people to make – 'Kill the ref,'" Kennedy said. "It happens in every sport."

Democrats need a net gain of 3 seats in the Wisconsin senate to regain control of that chamber. "At no time in U.S. history have attempts been made to recall so many legislators at the same time over the same issue."