Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and the Republican Party of Wisconsin are calling into question the temporary injunction issued by Dane County Circuit Judge David Flanagan Tuesday halting Wisconsin’s voter identification law.
An ethics claim filed by the RPW against Flanagan claims the judge failed to remain impartial in his ruling because he signed a recall petition against Gov. Scott Walker, a defendant in the case.
“Gov. Walker is listed as a defendant in the case, and by signing a petition to recall the governor, Judge Flanagan made his bias clear,” Republican Party of Wisconsin Communications Director Ben Sparks said. “As such, we urge the Wisconsin Judicial Commission to take up this matter and investigate these allegations as soon as possible.”
The ruling, issued Tuesday, orders that the voter ID law, which requires photo identification to vote, cease to be enforced by the GAB. This injunction could mean voter ID will not apply to the April 3 Republican presidential primary and general local elections.
Van Hollen, who also plans to generate legal action opposing the injunction said in a statement Wednesday, “We will be moving quickly to bring this matter before an appellate court to ensure that the properly-enacted and legally-sufficient Voter ID law will be in full force and effect before the April elections.”
UW-Madison Professor John Witte said it is “unclear” if the injunction will hold until April 3 because of several factors including the appeals against the injunction and other lawsuits filed challenging the voter ID law.
“Ordinarily, this trial would have been done, the injunction would have been held, and voter ID would not have been able to be used on April 3. Given this case, the opposition may go after the entire ruling,” said Witte.
The GAB is scheduled to meet Monday to discuss the voter ID injunction.
