MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on Wisconsin special elections (all times local):
4:10 p.m.
A judge has rejected Gov. Scott Walker’s attempt to avoid immediately calling special elections for a pair of vacant legislative seats.
The ruling Tuesday from Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess (NIECE) means Walker has until Thursday to order the special elections.
But they still may not happen.
The Legislature plans to vote next week on a bill changing the special election law. Under the bill, Walker would not be allowed to order special elections this year.
Walker’s attorneys argued Tuesday it makes no sense to call the special elections given that the Legislature plans to change the law barring them from being held.
But Niess says the earlier ruling was “spot on” and there was no legitimate argument against delaying it, nothing that there’s been no appeal of that decision.
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10:50 a.m.
A judge has scheduled a hearing following a request from the Wisconsin Department of Justice to delay an order requiring Gov. Scott Walker to call special elections for a pair of vacant legislative seats.
Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess (NIECE) plans to hear arguments from attorneys on Tuesday afternoon.
The hearing comes as the state Legislature prepares to pass a bill designed to circumvent a judge’s order from last week giving Walker until Thursday to call special elections in two vacant seats.
A public hearing was scheduled for Wednesday in a state Senate committee on the hastily written measure that would remove the requirement for the governor to call special elections for vacant legislative seats “as promptly as possible.”
The state Justice Department is asking her to delay the order for a week, giving the Legislature time to act.
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8:22 a.m.
A judge is considering a request from the Wisconsin Department of Justice to delay her order requiring Gov. Scott Walker to call special elections for a pair of vacant legislative seats.
The request made Monday comes as the state Legislature prepares to pass a bill designed to circumvent the judge’s order. A public hearing was scheduled for Wednesday in a state Senate committee on the hastily written measure that would remove the requirement for the governor to call special elections for vacant legislative seats “as promptly as possible.”
Dane County Circuit Judge Josann Reynolds last week gave Walker until Thursday to issue an order calling special elections in the two vacant seats.
The state Justice Department is asking her to delay the order for a week, giving the Legislature time to act.
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