MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on Wisconsin lame-duck legislative session (all times local):
8:40 p.m.
Wisconsin’s Democratic Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul says the Republican lame-duck proposals that would limit powers of the attorney general’s office are “horrible” and should be rejected.
Kaul said in an interview Sunday that no rationale has been offered for the measures. He says Republicans are trying to undermine results of the November election. Kaul defeated Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel and Democrat Tony Evers defeated Gov. Scott Walker. Other bills would weaken the governor’s powers and move the 2020 presidential primary.
One measure would essentially allow the Legislature to hire outside attorneys rather than rely on the attorney general to defend challenges to laws it passed.
Kaul says, “In an advanced democracy, this is not how the process is supposed to work.”
Evers says he’s exploring all options for stopping the bills, including lawsuits. Kaul, an attorney, wouldn’t comment on potential legal action.
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5 p.m.
Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers says a Republican lame-duck legislative session is an “embarrassment” and he is looking at ways to stop the bills being considered from becoming law, including legal action.
Evers spoke to reporters Sunday at a Milwaukee law firm. On Monday, the Republican-controlled Legislature was holding a public hearing on a sweeping package of proposals, setting up votes in the state Senate and Assembly on Tuesday.
The measures would move the 2020 presidential primary, restrict early voting and weaken the powers of both Evers and Democratic Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul.
Evers says the proposals go “to the heart of what democracy is all about.” He says Republicans are trying to undo results of the Nov. 6 election but he thinks voters can stop it by lobbying their representatives.
Evers also says he’s exploring other options, including lawsuits.
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1:21 p.m.
Wisconsin Republicans are preparing to move ahead quickly on a series of lame-duck proposals designed to move the 2020 presidential primary, restrict early voting and weaken both Democratic Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul and Gov.-elect Tony Evers.
A public hearing is set on the measures Monday afternoon, with a committee vote to follow immediately. That would allow both the Senate and Assembly to take up the measures Tuesday, a month before Evers is to replace Republican Gov. Scott Walker.
Evers scheduled a news conference at a law firm office in Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon to discuss the proposals.
Legal challenges are likely to some of the changes being sought, including limiting early voting to no more than two weeks before an election and giving the Legislature the power to intervene in legal cases.
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