Wisconsin Election Commission Rejects Recall Petition Targeting Top Elected Republican
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin State Elections Commission has dismissed a recall petition that aimed to target the state’s top elected Republican official, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who has drawn the attention of former President Donald Trump.
Anger Over Refusal to Decertify Election Results
The recall effort was initiated by supporters of Donald Trump who were frustrated with Robin Vos for refusing to decertify President Joe Biden’s narrow victory in Wisconsin during the 2020 election. Trump supporters were further disappointed when Vos did not back a plan to impeach Meagan Wolfe, the state’s top elections official.
Petition Rejects Petitioned
On Wednesday, the Wisconsin Elections Commission staff recommended the rejection of the recall petition, citing insufficient valid signatures. The commission convened the following day in a unanimous 5-0 vote to officially reject the recall effort, emphasizing the shortage of signatures.
Republican Commissioner Bob Spindell stated, “It really boils down to an arithmetic problem. Commission staff looked at it from every single angle, and no matter which angle they looked at, the petitions were woefully short.”
Gableman’s Representations and Controversies
Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman, who was hired by Robin Vos to investigate election irregularities in 2020 but later dismissed for his poor performance, represented the petition circulators. Gableman, a staunch critic of Vos and an ally of Trump, argued that the recall effort was deliberately sabotaged by individuals who wanted it to fail. Wisconsin Public Radio reported that Gableman alleged the campaign had been “infiltrated by outsiders from New York and Florida” and disclosed that the matter had been reported to the FBI.
Vos Dismisses Recall Organizers and Challenging Signatures
Speaker Robin Vos has publicly dismissed the recall organizers as “whack jobs and morons” and has previously stated that the effort had already failed after challenging the validity of thousands of signatures.
The Inflated Power of Vos
Vos, being the most influential Republican in the Wisconsin Legislature, has been in office since 2004 and holds the record for the longest-serving Assembly speaker in the state’s history. His incumbency began in 2013 and has since granted Vos significant political authority within the GOP-led Legislature.
A Second Recall Effort Emerges
Recognizing the likelihood of their initial effort falling short on the necessary signatures, recall organizers initiated a second recall campaign last month. This subsequent endeavor is currently ongoing and is yet to be submitted for review by the Wisconsin State Elections Commission.
