by Benjamin Yount
The showdown over Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz and the state’s redistricting process continues after Protasiewicz announced she would not recuse herself from two challenges to Wisconsin’s electoral maps.
“I will set aside my opinions and decide cases based on the law. There will surely be many cases in which I reach results that I personally dislike. That is what it means to be a judge,” she said in a statement.
Republicans in the state legislature have criticized Protasiewicz for saying Wisconsin’s political maps are “unfair” and “rigged” while she was running for the state supreme court. Lawmakers have said that shows she has prejudiced herself in the cases. Republicans also criticized Protasiewicz for accepting millions of dollars from the state Democratic Party.
She dismissed those questions.
“Accepting the Legislature’s theory would also raise a swarm of continuing difficulties for each justice,” she wrote. “In recent Wisconsin Supreme Court races, the victor has received substantial financial support from a single entity.”
Democrats and Democratic-leaning groups in the state applauded Protasiewicz’s announcement.
“Justice Protasiewicz is absolutely correct to not recuse herself from the redistricting case before the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. As a duly elected Justice who won by a staggering 11 points, she has been entrusted to carry out her duties on the bench,” Sen. Melissa Agard, D-Madison, said in a statement. “Despite Republican’s desperate efforts to hold onto their gerrymandered majority, their push for recusal was never more than a blatant political maneuver and an effort to ignore the will of the people.”
“In the face of unprecedented and baseless impeachment threats directed at her by right-wing extremists with partisan motivations, Justice Protasiewicz remains steadfast in her commitment to upholding her oath and hearing all cases with fairness and impartiality,” Chris Walloch, executive director of A Better Wisconsin Together, added.
Republicans have not yet said what they plan to do, but a number of lawmakers have said impeachment needs to be on the table if Protasiewicz did not recuse herself from the cases.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court also announced it is fast tracking the legal challenges to Wisconsin’s electoral maps. A number of progressive groups in the state have asked the court to redraw the political maps ahead of the 2024 elections.
– – –
Benjamin Yount is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Janet Protasiewicz” by Janet for Justice. Background Photo “Wisconsin Supreme Court” by Daderot. CC0 1.0.
