by Benjamin Yount
The Wisconsin Elections Commission will soon answer the charges from an October audit that found dozens of instances when the commission didn’t follow the state’s election laws.
Commissioners are scheduled to meet Wednesday morning to provide an official response to the audit’s questions, and Rep. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, is very interested to hear what the Commission has to say.
“The audit is damning,” Brandtjen told The Center Square on Tuesday. “It makes it very clear that WEC is not doing its job.”
The audit found 30 areas where WEC needs to improve and found another 18 areas where Wisconsin lawmakers may need to step in and either enforce the law or clarify the state’s election laws.
“How do you reclaim the fact that we are now a year past an election and we’re still finding out more and more things that weren’t done statutorily to provide a clear and transparent election,” Brandtjen asked.
The Assembly Committee on Elections, which Brandtjen chairs, is also scheduled to meet Wednesday morning. Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Mike Gableman is due to provide an update on his investigation into last year’s election. Brandtjen’s committee is also investigating the matter.
Wednesday marks the first time WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe is expected to give an official answer about the 2020 election since she and Attorney General Josh Kaul filed a lawsuit in October to stop her and Gableman’s investigation.
“We have an organization that’s gone rogue,” Brandtjen said of the WEC.
“As far as what their response is going to be, I presume it’s going to be a long committee meeting with more promises made,” Brandtjen said. “But I don’t know how that gives us any confidence going forward.”
The Elections Commission meeting is set to start at 8 a.m. in Madison. Brandtjen’s committee is set to meet at 10 a.m.
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Benjamin Yount is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Janel Brandtjen” by Representative Janel Brandtjen. Background Photo “Wisconsin Capitol” by Goodfreephotos_com.
