The Wisconsin plan to overturn an election ( theweek.com )

RMiddleton , 9 months ago

I felt highly agitated when I first learned of this plan but then I got more information and I calmed down a bit. From what I’ve read if this justice is removed the governor, a Democrat, would be entitled to appoint a replacement—possibly the same removed justice. Or someone else liberal & the removed justice could run again. There’s a way the Republicans could try more fuckery by the state house impeaching and the state senate refusing to hold a trial, because the state law says that an impeached official is barred from serving until the trial results in removal or acquittal. So GOP could try to say that once impeached the justice cannot serve, but delay the trial in the senate to avoid the governor appointing a replacement. Sigh this is so long! So anyway that’s a very narrow route to guaranteeing they get the result they want & obviously it bumps up against the article excerpts above, that voters would be angered and some GOP legislators are in unsafe districts. And finally if they did do that convoluted process to sideline a justice but delay the governor being able to appoint a successor I think the governor could very well rightfully interpret the situation as a vacancy on the court and appoint anyway. Which would of course probably go to court!

Phew.

I think all factors considered the situation in Wisconsin is not completely bleak.

Now the US Supreme Court, on the other hand, is a horrific tragedy.

assassinatedbyCIA , 9 months ago

And finally if they did do that convoluted process to sideline a justice but delay the governor being able to appoint a successor I think the governor could very well rightfully interpret the situation as a vacancy on the court and appoint anyway.

That would require a democrat to actually do something other that stand around an insist on the importance of decorum. It won’t happen.

wrath-sedan , 9 months ago

I’m the case of impeachment with no trial to permanently suspend Protasiewicz she also has the option to resign, which will allow Gov. Evers to choose a replacement… which can include Protasiewicz. This however would mean instead of serving her current 10 year term she would only serve 1, and while not ideal she clearly won her election by double digits and being unfairly impeached would probably just make her more popular.

reverendsteveii , 9 months ago

The fact that they repeatedly use the word trial here would normally present an interesting legal conundrum, as the impeached judge would have a constitutional right to a fair and speedy trial. Unfortunately the supreme court would likely end up ruling on what that means, and they’re openly and blatantly corrupt so I don’t expect their ruling to have anything to do with either the facts or the law.