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Madison, Wisconsin (AP) — A conservatively controlled Supreme Court in Wisconsin has handed Republicans the latest weapons to undermine the Democratic Governor of the Fierce War.
Court decision — in case Conservatives who refused to resign from the Environmental Policy Committee More than a year after his term expired — another loss for Democratic Governor Tony Evers, who faced reelection in November. The Republicans have been trying to reduce Evers’power even before Evers took office, and have refused to identify many of his appointed persons. This week’s ruling gives them the ability to block them simply by rejecting a nomination vote.
“Most people on the street will say that when their term expires, there will be an opening. The Supreme Court said that common sense is not correct,” said Barry Baden, a professor of political science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He said. Perhaps we are saying that a person is serving lifelong as justice in the US Supreme Court. “
Republicans may rule parliament over the next few years, primarily for the Gerrymandering district.
After Evers was elected in 2018, before he took office, they temporarily stripped his power to appoint members of the state’s economic development agency and legislators with the ability to block executive branch rules. Passed the law during the lame duck session given to. policy.
So far, the Senate has refused to confirm about 42% of Evers’ 299 appointees, according to Evers’ office.In addition, the Senate has taken a rare step in 2019 Vote not to confirm Evers Secretary of Agriculture, Brad Fuff, after Republicans criticized that they did not provide enough money to help farmers on mental health issues. Pfaff had to resign.
The battle for appointment changed in the spring of 2021 at the end of Fred Plain’s term on the Policy Board of the Department of Natural Resources. Evers has appointed his successor. This is a move that will empower his appointed person with a majority of one member of the board and his administration to shape environmental policy.
Plain, appointed by former Republican Governor Scott Walker, Refused to resign. Since then he has cast a decision Increase wolf hunting quotas in the state To dispose of the limits in well water of a group of chemicals known as PFAS, which is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul has urged Plain to be expelled from the board. A conservative majority of the four judges in the State Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that vacancies must exist before the governor fills them.
This decision basically prevents the governor from replacing the former governor’s appointed person without the confirmation of the Senate.
The ruling stunned Democrats.
“Today I remind the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Republicans that we are still living in democracy. Its very basic function is the transfer of power in peace and respect.” Evers said. “(His appointed) should take into account their achievements and tell the people of our state whether they were appointed by the Democrats or shared the same ideas with Republicans in Congress. You should have the opportunity to serve. “
Cowl called this decision another symptom of the collapse of democracy.
“What this (judgment) is doing is to allow the Legislature to not represent the people of Wisconsin, expand its powers, and control the executive branch,” Cowl said.
Adam Gibbs, a spokesman for Senate majority leader Devin Lemeille, did not respond to the message.
Plain isn’t the only Republican appointed person who refused to leave. The 13-member Wisconsin Technical College Board has three members whose term ended in May 2021.
Nicholas Freisher, president of the American Association of University Professors’ Wisconsin branch, added another layer of politics to the Wisconsin University Systems Council, 16 of whom were appointed by the governor for a seven-year term. Said that it would be done. She said it could undermine the credibility of the national board.
“Like many others in our (governmental) system, there are certain norms, politeness, and shame related to making these systems work,” he said. “They are clearly outside the window.”
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Follow Todd Richmond on Twitter at https://twitter.com/trichmond1.
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