Mother Jones: Wisconsin Republicans Are Taking Desperate Steps to Subvert Fair Elections in 2024

“Going back to 2011, there is such a long laundry list of pretty amazing things that they’ve done,” says Jay Heck, executive director of Common Cause Wisconsin. “And it’s almost like, what else could they do? And then they come up with something like this.”

If the legislature rejects the maps drawn by the Legislative Reference Bureau, nonpartisan staff who work for the legislature, on two occasions, Republicans will have the power to draw their own partisan maps, which Heck says is “absolutely” Vos’ goal. Vos introduced the proposal Tuesday with no advance warning and the legislature plans to pass it on Thursday.

“The fact that Vos felt compelled to introduce this measure without consultation with any reform organizations like Common Cause Wisconsin and with no Democratic support and to immediately bring it to the floor of the Assembly without a public hearing or discussion is indicative of the disingenuous nature of this political stunt,” Heck wrote in email.

Both the removal of Wolfe and the attempt to sideline Protasiewicz, through impeachment or new maps drawn by the legislature, are geared toward giving Republicans an electoral advantage in 2024 by undermining fair elections.

“They want to put in place someone who is more compliant to their desire for a Republican victory in 2024,” Heck says of the vote to oust Wolfe.

“The mere act of passing an impeachment resolution serves their purpose, because it delays the redistricting lawsuit,” says Heck.

 

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