Republicans in Wisconsin Go All Vlad Putin

 Janet Protasoieicz was born in Milwaukee and raised there. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin and then the Marquette University school of law. She spent the next 26 years of her life working in the Milwaukee DAs office. The only reason I bring this all up is to let you know she is no stranger to either the state of Wisconsin, or its politics.

On February 21, 2023 she ran for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in what was supposed to be a non-partisan race. It was her second political campaign. Ten years earlier she had lost when she ran against an incumbent circuit court judge in her home town. She won the primary this time around, but didn't get the 50% needed to secure the seat. In April there was a run off between her and the runner up, Daniel Kelly.

That April election was also supposed to be non-partisan. It was anything but. 

Daniel Kelly had been paid around $120,000 after the 2020 election for legal advice by the Republican National Committee and the Wisconsin GOP. The republican state chair, Andrew Hitt admitted he and Kelly had, "extensive conversation," about appointing a second set of Wisconsin electors which would change the outcome of the presidential election and give the state to Donald Trump. This scheme, like all the others failed. In addition Mr. Kelly was steadfastly in favor of an 1849 Wisconsin law which forbids all abortions in the state unless the mother's life is in danger.

Janet Portasiewicz was up front about her support of women's health care rights, LGBTQ rights, and her belief the republicans had blatantly gerrymandered the state voting districts in order to perpetuate their legislative majority. 

Money and, "volunteers," on both sides came pouring into Wisconsin from all over the place. The super pac, Fair Courts in America, a hard core right wing outfit alone spent $1.8 million on ads supporting Kelly. The national media went into a frenzy and called the election a referendum on abortion rights. 

When the smoke cleared in April, Protasiewicz had won by a little over 11%. Kelly, being a republican, told the press, Protasiewicz was, "Not a worthy opponent to which I can concede. " He also claimed she was a, "serial liar who had demeaned the judiciary." Refreshingly, what he didn't say was the vote had been rigged.

However, within a month of the election some state republican lawmakers were floating the idea of impeaching the new justice. Now that particular notion is gaining steam. And, thanks to that gerrymandering Protasiewicz has objected to, they have the numbers to do it. Republicans currently hold 64 out of 99 seats in the house and 22 of 33 state senate seats. 

But, wait, you might justifiably say. What will the charges be? What high crimes, misdemeanors, or judicial misconduct has the newly minted Supreme Court Justice committed? 

Well, as near as anyone can tell, Janet Prottasiewicz's most grievous offense is that she's a liberal who beat their right wing Trumpy boy like a gong. That and she's for a lot of the stuff they hate. 

The truth is these clowns aren't even pretending there is any malfeasance on Protasiewicz's part. They are simply trying to overturn a legal election because they don't like the results. Even at the height of their power, those hard drinking, cigar chewing Irish lads of Tammany Hall never pulled shit like this. At least Trump claimed the election was stolen before he tried to overthrow the government. No one in the legislature has even hinted at that. The impeachment of Janet Protasiewicz is an unabashed and brute power grab. Indeed, fuck Trump's cheap lies, not to mention over a million voters. Republicans in Wisconsin have gone all Vlad Putin on the people of the state.

The republic for which we stand can't survive when its politicians begin to discard the will of the people in order to remain in power. Places like Wisconsin, Florida, Ohio, and Texas are leading us down a road which ends in a dark, ugly place. A place where elections are irrelevant and the people are held in utter contempt by legislative whim and a horrifying cult of personality.  It is a place that has nothing to do with liberty and self determination, but everything to do with a dictatorship.

sic vita est

9-12-23