After uncovering documents showing lawmakers signed agreements promising secrecy during the redistricting process, a Wisconsin immigrants rights group filed a complaint Monday alleging Republican leaders violated state law.
The documents show “almost all” Republican legislators signed legal agreements stipulating that lawmakers who sign “agree not to disclose the facts and/or contents of such discussions or any draft documents within [their] possession” while the state redistricting maps were being drafted, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Monday.
The legislature must redraw voting district lines statewide every 10 years to account for the latest census data. In the past few decades, the task has fallen to the courts due to partisan gridlock in the legislature.
By virtue of their legislative majority, state Republicans passed the new maps without relying on the courts. Meanwhile, Democrats claimed the redistricting lines were designed explicitly to preserve GOP control.
According to the Sentinel, records also include a memo apparently written by an aide to the Speaker of the Assembly that assesses various GOP candidates’ performances under the old versus new district maps.
Milwaukee-based Voces de la Frontera uncovered the documents while pursuing a separate redistricting lawsuit.
“The whole thing was done under a very unfair and unlawful process,” said Voces spokesperson Joe Shansky of the findings. “The idea is that we throw these lines out and begin again in a very transparent and open manner.”
Voces’ complaint, filed with the Dane County district attorney’s office Monday, alleges that GOP leaders violated both the state constitution and Wisconsin Open Meetings Laws.
