Latest: Decision on blocking lame-duck laws within 24 hours
The state Democratic Party and liberal group One Wisconsin Now have each filed a lawsuit in federal court. [WKOW-TV]
Power Grab
Evers moves to withdraw state from ACA lawsuit after judge blocks lame-duck laws, reviews other options
A federal judge ruled in January in favor of One Wisconsin Institute and Citizen Action of Wisconsin in a challenge... [Capital Times]
Judge blocks laws limiting powers of Wisconsin governor
[One Wisconsin Institute] challenged the early voting restrictions as part of a larger federal lawsuit... [Associated Press]
Wisconsin Dems struggle to throw off GOP-imposed shackles
His staff realized there were plenty of outside groups expressing dismay at the lame duck bills [One Wisconsin Now]. [People's World]
Wisconsin GOP billing taxpayers almost twice as much as Democratic governor for lawyers in lame-duck lawsuits
Analiese Eicher, executive director of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, decried the way Republicans were handling the lawsuits. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
ICYMI: Robin ‘Boss’ Vos Signs Huge Contract to Retain Chicago Law Firm
Robin Vos is sparing no expense on his schemes to gain political power for himself.
Judge strikes down Scott Walker’s vote-suppression measure
Progressive groups Citizen Action of Wisconsin and One Wisconsin Institute sued over the moves. [Alternet]
Judge Rejects Anti-Democratic Lame-Duck Laws in Wisconsin
In this case, brought by ... One Wisconsin Institute, Judge James Peterson ruled that the laws violated a 2016 court order. [Care2]
The Battle for Power in Wisconsin Seems Bound for Court. It’s Only Going to Get Uglier.
“The Supreme Court has been there for Walker every step of the way,” said Scot Ross, the executive director of the One Wisconsin Institute, a liberal organization that along with Mr. Holder’s group promised to challenge some of the provisions signed Friday. [New York Times]
Walker Signs Bills Limiting Gov.-Elect Tony Evers’ Power
Liberal group One Wisconsin Now has said it has plans to challenge the law in court. [Wisconsin Public Radio]
One Wisconsin Institute Announces Coming Legal Action Against GOP ‘Lame Duck’ Voting Rights Attacks
This attack by Republicans in the legislature is not just unprecedented — it's undemocratic, it's unconstitutional, it's un-American.
Walker signs lame duck bills; Evers says it thwarts “will of the people”
One Wisconsin Institute announced it's pursuing legal action against some of the legislation. [WBAY-TV]
‘A Very Dark Day for Democracy’: Scott Walker Signs Wisconsin GOP’s ‘Legislative Coup’ Into Law
In a statement on Thursday, the One Wisconsin Institute announced that it plans to take legal action against Walker for signing a bill that restricts early voting to no more than two weeks before an election. [Common Dreams]
Lame-duck Wisconsin governor signs bill undercutting incoming Democrat
The organization that successfully challenged the previous incarnation, One Wisconsin Institute, said on Friday it will do so again. [Reuters]
Liberal groups move to sue after Walker signs lame-duck bills in Wisconsin
One Wisconsin Institute... said Friday afternoon that lawsuits would be coming after Walker signed the bills. [Politico]
Devil’s Advocates Radio: December 14, 2018
Will there be a lawsuit? Yeah, probably. Scott Walker signed the three #LameDuckCoup bills into law today and Scot Ross may sue as part of One Wisconsin Now. [WRRD-AM]
Scott Walker Immediately Sued For Bill Stripping Democrats’ Power
[One Wisconsin Institute], with the backing of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, is suing Walker over the new laws. [PoliticusUSA]
Would you believe this one?
“Scott Fitzgerald and Robin Vos are trying to pull off a Donald Trump-level gaslighting with their excuses for why they called a sore loser legislative session.” [the Isthmus]
Scott Walker’s Legacy: Giving Taxpayer Funds to Corporations and Destroying Democracy
Scott Walker’s going to have to tell the people of Wisconsin how restricting their right to vote is creating more transparency. [the Progressive]
After Losing, Wisconsin Republicans Are Trying to Subvert Democracy. They Will Fail.
The request for this early voting crackdown was made by Robin Vos’ office a mere eight days after the election. [In These Times]
Lame-duck limits on early voting – and the arguments for them – resemble ones already rejected by a judge
The lawsuit that resulted in the earlier limits being struck down was brought by two liberal groups. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
UNSPUN: December 12, 2018
Tensions are running high in state politics as Governor Scott Walker considers a package of bills passed in a special legislative session. [WMTV-TV]
Courts likely to strike down Republican lame-duck power grabs, experts say
A 2011 lawsuit filed by One Wisconsin [Institute] resulted in a federal judge striking down Wisconsin Republicans’ attempts to suppress the vote. [the Guardian]
‘It’s a hot mess’: Tony Evers urges Scott Walker to veto GOP lame duck proposals limiting his powers on ‘Meet the Press’
Ross was especially critical of a provision in the plans to limit early voting to two weeks. It has been as much as six weeks. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Tony Evers ‘not particularly encouraged’ by chat with Scott Walker on vetoing GOP lame-duck bills
Scot Ros told Gousha that Republicans are "attacking early voting" and defying the judge's order in the 2016 case. [Wisconsin State Journal]
Power Grabs in Wisconsin & Michigan
Power Grabs in Wisconsin and Michigan. Guest 1: Analiese Eicher, Program Director, One Wisconsin Now. [Progressive Voices Network]
Activist group eyes legal action
One Wisconsin Now says Republicans are attacking access to voting by placing new limits on early voting. [WISN-TV]
Opponents look at legal options as they await Scott Walker’s actions on lame-duck bills
One Wisconsin Institute has signaled it may rekindle its legal fight against the early voting restrictions. [Wisconsin State Journal]
In light of lame-duck session, demonstrators hold “Respect our Vote” rally at Capitol
"They have hidden behind closed doors and in secret to conspire and contrast a direct assault on the peaceful transition of power." [WISC-TV]
GOP power grabs pour gas on ‘resistance’ in key Midwest states
“Progressives have to defend a Supreme Court seat in April of 2019 — this will help them do that,” said Scot Ross, the executive director of One Wisconsin Now, a liberal outside group. [Politico]
County clerks fear early voting bill could become “very complicated”
In 2016, One Wisconsin Now filed a lawsuit after Republican’s tried a similar measure to curtail early voting. [WKOW-TV]
Walker likely to sign legislation to balance power in state government
The liberal group One Wisconsin Now tweeted Wednesday that it was already in consultation with attorneys. [Wisconsin Watchdog]
Wisconsin Schools the Nation on Hypocrisy and Partisan Power Grabs
"More than 565,000 people early voted in the November 2018 election. Record-setting early voting is not an emergency -- it's democracy," [Center for Media and Democracy]
Lame-duck session: Early voting limits sow confusion in advance of February election
The attorney for the organization that filed the lawsuit, One Wisconsin Institute, has vowed to challenge the latest restriction. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Wisconsin’s extraordinary session: Is absentee voting a fairness issue?
One Wisconsin Now ... said it would likely sue over the new cap, too, after the bill is signed. [Capital Times]
Wisconsin Republicans Approve 82 Scott Walker Appointees In 1 Day
Wisconsin Republicans intent on invalidating the results of the 2018 election and undermining the orderly transfer of power. [Huffington Post]
Winners and losers: Vos and Fitzgerald get what they want, plus a public outcry, in lame-duck session
One Wisconsin Now ... sound like they are chomping at the bit to challenge the grab bag of GOP goodies. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Controversial lame-duck proposals now in Scott Walker’s hands as Democratic groups eye lawsuits
Others, including the liberal group One Wisconsin Now, have indicated they plan to file lawsuits over the proposals [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
Wis. lawmakers limit Governor’s power in marathon lame-duck session
Republicans are thumbing their noses at a federal judge's order and we are conferring with our counsel about next steps. [WTMJ-TV]
Capitol “coup”
One Wisconsin Institute is considering challenging the new early voting restrictions. [Isthmus]
Wisconsin GOP Rams Through ‘Lame Duck Legislative Coup’
"Scott Walker may be on the way out of office for the first time in a quarter century ... but his corrosive brand of politics lives on in his fellow Republicans." [Common Dreams]
Opponents consider lawsuits if lame-duck legislation becomes law
Analiese Eicher said the liberal advocacy organization is willing to take any legal action necessary. [WKOW-TV]
While Wisconsin Slept Republicans Rejected Will of Voters and Worked Against Orderly Transition of Power
While Wisconsin slept last night, Republicans worked behind closed doors on schemes to reject the results of the November 2018 midterm elections.
Republicans Reject Results of 2018 Elections and Undermine Transition of Power
Republicans in the legislature are rejecting the results of the 2018 elections they lost and actively undermining the orderly transition of power.
Democratic leaders, protesters fire up crowd for fight with GOP
“Republicans like Robin Vos and Scott Fitzgerald want to end that because they think the problem with these elections was that too many people voted.” [Capital Times]
Citizen Rights Group Call on WI Legislature to “Respect Our Votes”
"The underlying theme though that it's just incredibly disrespectful to the 2.6 million-plus voters who cast a ballot in this most recent election.” [Public News Service]
‘This is not democracy’: Republicans try to shrink power of incoming Democrats
Republicans believe they lost the November election because too many people voted here, and are trying to undo the results of the vote. [the Guardian]
Devil’s Advocates Radio: December 3, 2018
The Wisconsin GOP is set to make an unprecedented power grab to enhance their powers and limit Governor-elect Evers. [WRRD-AM]
GOP Blames Voters Voting for Electoral Defeats, Proposes Plan to Limit Participation in 2020 State High Court Race
Republicans appear to have settled on an explanation for why they lost every statewide race on the ballot in the November 6 elections: Too many voters voted.
Scott Walker, lawmakers consider helping conservative justice before Tony Evers becomes governor
Analiese Eicher noted Republicans fought plans to hold special elections this year and complained about the cost of past recall elections. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]