Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman announced on Friday that there has been cooperation from subpoenaed Wisconsin cities in the ongoing election audit.
“Following our recent issuance of subpoenas, we have received encouraging responses from most of the city officials involved, and we expect their full cooperation in scheduled interviews and the expected transfer of all related documents, data, and communications regarding their management of the 2020 election,” Gableman said.
According to a press release from Gableman and the Office of Special Counsel, mayorial officials in Racine, Madison, and Kenosha have “all agreed to participate in interviews and share documents, data, and communications requested.”
As reported by The Wisconsin Daily Star, “Gableman is conducting an investigation of the 2020 election in Wisconsin, not to overturn the results which gave President Joe Biden a win by 0.6 percentage points, but to ensure that ‘government officials [are] accountable to the public for their actions surrounding the elections.’”
Gableman said that Wisconsin election officials have “a duty to the people” of Wisconsin to be “forthcoming” during the investigation.
Two other cities, Green Bay and Milwaukee, were also issued subpoenas. Gableman said that Milwaukee City Attorney Tearman Spencer shared during a Thursday press conference that the city “intends to comply with reasonable requests made by the special counsel.”
The one city that Gableman is still awaiting confirmation from is Green Bay. According to the press release, “Gableman appeared Tuesday night for a lively and productive discussion with the Common Council during their regularly scheduled meeting.”
Gableman said he anticipates an “equally cooperative response” from both Green Bay and Milwaukee.
Gableman said, “I’ve been clear from the very beginning that this is not an adversarial process, and we appreciate the initial cooperation from officials in Kenosha, Madison, and Racine. We anticipate an equally cooperative response from Milwaukee and Green Bay.”
The press release from the Office of Special Counsel said it has “expressed willingness to make adjustments to the deadlines specified in the subpoenas for cities that agree to cooperate with the requests.”
“This investigation has always been about identifying potential failures, improving election transparency and ensuring our elections are run properly, and restoring public confidence in the election process, which should be inclusive, accountable, and transparent,” Gableman said. “That’s a goal that everyone should be able to support, regardless of politics.”
Gableman shared that anyone who is interviewed by the Office of Special Counsel is granted immunity under Chapter 13 of Wisconsin Statutes.
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Hayley Tschetter is a reporter with The Minnesota Sun and The Wisconsin Daily Star | Star News Network. Follow Hayley on Twitter or like her Facebook page. Send news tips to [email protected].
Photo “Michael Gableman” by WI Office of Special Counsel. Background Photo “Arizona Capitol” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.
