Madison, Wisconsin (AP) — Republicans in Wisconsin work to undermine the credibility of the bipartisan system that President Joe Biden created to hold elections in the state after a slight victory in last year’s presidential election. I’m out. To better control the election.
On Wednesday, both the Wisconsin Election Commission and the Party Legislative Commission will analyze the 2020 presidential election, which will boost election-related progress in the state. At the same time, Republican lawmakers continue to attack with pressure campaigns to resign the state’s reputed election commissioners. This is a clear attempt to set up a GOP party ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
“This is really just a politics of horror and revenge,” said Kevin Kennedy, Wisconsin’s chief elections officer for 34 years before retiring in 2016. “This isn’t about ideas … they have statues they want to burn, and that’s it.”
More than a year after the 2020 presidential election, former President Donald Trump and his allies continue to push false claims that the Democratic Party has stolen a second term from him. This is a new promotion by the Republican Party, which limits costly and timely party election reviews in a few states and postal voting, which is very popular in the pandemic and accepted by voters of both parties. It appears in the law.
Current and former election officials have also warned that the relentless attempt to distrust Biden’s victory has led to a decline in public confidence in the election and a threat of physical violence against electoral workers. They are worried that many years of election managers will be kicked out of their jobs and in some cases create a gap in experience that could be filled by party actors.
In Wisconsin, elections are overseen by a bipartisan election commission of equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats. The Commission’s manager is a nonpartisan position currently held by the agency and its predecessor, 10-year veteran Meagan Wolfe.
Wolf was appointed to the board by the Commission in 2019 and was unanimously confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate for a term ending in mid-2023.
Republicans relocated their attacks to the Commission and Wolf when efforts to overturn Trump’s defeat in Wisconsin failed due to proceedings and recounts. At least 10 Republicans are seeking the resignation of her or one or more members.
If Wolf resigns, a Republican-controlled Senate is likely to appoint her successor. That person plays an important role in deciding what guidance will be issued to more than 1,200 local election clerks in the state that actually holds the election.
Wolf on Tuesday called the attack on her “unfounded” and said he was more determined not to resign.
“I really think the phone is based on people who are upset that they don’t want to change their behavior. I’m not going to engage in partisan politics,” she told The Associated Press. “People recognize politics when they see it. They are smart enough to understand that many of the rhetoric surrounding it is motivated by partisan politics.”
A bipartisan group of more than 50 election experts from across the country came to Wolff’s defense and sent a letter to Republican Rep. Robin Vos calling him “one of the most skilled election managers in the country.” rice field. Wolf will chair the National Electronic Registration Information Center and will be chairman of the National Association of State Election Commissioners in February.
The attack on Wolf and the integrity of the 2020 elections have made Wisconsin “the ground zero of the anti-democratic movement,” said David Becker, managing director of the Independent Election Innovation Research Center.
Becker said election workers and civil servants such as Wolf are being used as scapegoats. “Because leaders don’t have the political courage to tell their supporters the truth about the election, and the truth is that it’s the safest, most transparent, verified, and scrutinized election in American history. That’s it. “
Republican lawmakers oppose Wolf and the Commission after nonpartisan audits have recommended dozens of changes in the way elections are conducted and detailed methods by which the Election Commission did not comply with some state laws during the 2020 pandemic. I hurriedly raised the criticism. The audit found nothing was a widespread fraud or abuse and did not question Biden’s victory in the state.
Racine County Sheriff Trump has filed a felony charge against five of the six members for their decision not to send special voting agents to nursing homes during the pandemic, as required by law. Recommended.
At the time the Commission decided, many of these facilities did not allow visitors, including families. The Commission instead demanded the use of absentee ballots for residents of such facilities, the move they said was designed to protect their voting rights.
Wisconsin counties have not been prosecuted against Wolf or members of the Commission.
In addition to attacking the Election Commission, the Republicans also support the investigation ordered by legislative leader Vos for the 2020 elections. That effort is being guided by a conservative former Wisconsin Supreme Court judge who told lawmakers that his investigation would involve investigating allegations raised by sheriffs.
The Election Commission was scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss the audit. At the same time, the Parliamentary Election Commission will receive the latest information on the Republican-ordered election investigation.
Meanwhile, state Republicans are feeling pressure from Senator Ron Johnson, who said in November that the legislature needed to control the state’s federal elections. Opponents said such a move would be banned under a decision by the US and State Supreme Courts. Republican leaders in the state legislature also expressed concern about the legality of doing so.
Republicans cannot easily change the election commission or change the way elections are held in the state. The change in law is due to the fact that it must be signed by Democratic Governor Tony Evers. He made it clear that he would thwart such an attempt.
“Wisconsin held fair, accurate, and safe elections under a system primarily created by the Republicans. The results of our elections have been proven over and over again,” Evers said. Said in a statement on Tuesday. “It is clear that Republican efforts and rhetoric are more focused on pre-determining elections and maintaining political power than making them safer.”
Evers is being voted on next year, and if he loses the Republican Party, there is a clear way to make extensive election changes before the 2024 election.
Former Vice-Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, one of the Republican governor candidates, was critical of the election committee and called for a suspension of guidance given to local electors during the coronavirus pandemic in November. I filed a lawsuit.
The attack on the current Commission is similar to the Republican attack on its predecessor, the Government Accountability Commission, which was disbanded in 2015 under a law signed by the government at the time. Republican Scott Walker.
Mike Haas, the first administrator of the current Commission, was expelled by Republicans for working on Walker’s investigation while at the previous agency. Haas resigned after a Republican-controlled Senate refused to confirm him.
Kennedy, who retired from the state election post in the midst of Republican criticism, said he shouldn’t expect Wolf to give up pressure on her.
“If she wants to end it, she’ll leave,” Kennedy said.
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Associated Press writer Christina A. Cassidy contributed to this report from Atlanta.
Republicans Target Wisconsin Electoral System, Nonpartisan Board of Directors | WGN Radio 720
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