>> PROFESSOR CHERGOSKY, THANKS
VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ON APRIL 4th, WISCONSIN
VOTERS WILL ELECT THE SUPREME
COURT JUSTICE THAT WILL
DETERMINE THE IDEOLOGICAL
BALANCE OF THE COURT.
ON THAT SAME DAY, VOTERS IN THE
NORTHERN MILWAUKEE SUBURBS WILL
ELECT A STATE SENATOR THAT COULD
DETERMINE SOMETHING EQUALLY AS
LARGE.
WHETHER REPUBLICANS IN THE
SENATE HOLD A TWO-THIRDS
MAJORITY.
SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, ZAC
SCHULTZ, HAS THE STORY.
>> HI.
HOW ARE YOU?
I'M JODI HABUSH SINYKIN.
I'M RUNNING FOR WISCONSIN STATE
SENATE.
>> I'M DAN KNODL, STATE
REPRESENTATIVE, RUNNING NOW FOR
STATE SENATOR.
>> THE SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE
EIGHTH SENATE DISTRICT HAS THE
POTENTIAL TO BE OVERLOOKED ON
APRIL 4th.
AFTER ALL, NO MATTER THE
OUTCOME, REPUBLICANS WILL STILL
CONTROL THE LEGISLATURE AND
DEMOCRAT TONY EVERS WILL STILL
BE GOVERNOR.
IF DAN KNODL WINS, HE WILL
BECOME THE 22nd REPUBLICAN IN
THE SENATE, GIVING THEM A
TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY.
BUT REPUBLICANS WOULD STILL BE A
COUPLE VOTES SHY OF TWO-THIRDS
IN THE ASSEMBLY.
SO THERE'S NO THREAT OF THEM
BEING ABLE TO OVERRIDE A VETO
FROM GOVERNOR TONY EVERS.
>> WISCONSIN IS, IN FACT A
TIPPING POINT.
>> BUT DEMOCRAT JODI HABUSH
SINYKIN IS TRYING TO CONVINCE
VOTERS THE OUTCOME COULD IMPACT
THE ENTIRE STATE.
>> I HAVE SOME LITERATURE IF I
COULD GIVE TO YOU AND JUST
IMPRESS UPON YOU THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE APRIL 4th SPECIAL
ELECTION.
>> SURE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I APPRECIATE IT.
>> THAT'S BECAUSE TWO-THIRDS
MAJORITY IN THE SENATE WOULD
GIVE REPUBLICANS IN THE
LEGISLATURE THE POWER OF
IMPEACHMENT, THE ABILITY TO
REMOVE CIVIL OFFICERS OF THE
STATE FROM OFFICE FOR REASONS OF
CORRUPT CONDUCT.
>> I WOULD HOPE VOTERS DO HAVE
THAT IN THEIR MIND.
I WILL PUT IT IN THEIR MIND
BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT.
>> DAN KNODL WOULD BE THE 22nd
VOTE AND HE'S EAGER TO TEST OUT
THE LEGAL LIMITS OF IMPEACHMENT,
EVEN IF ANY ATTEMPT WOULD LIKELY
BE CHALLENGED IN COURT.
>> I THINK WE HAVE TO BE HONEST.
THAT IS LIKELY I HAVE REQUESTS
OUT RIGHT NOW FROM PEOPLE WHO
ARE MORE CONSTITUTIONALLY
SCHOLARLY THAN I AM TO TELL ME,
WELL, GIVE ME AN OPINION ON WHAT
THIS AUTHORITY MIGHT PROVIDE.
>> BUT 2014 MEMORANDUM FROM THE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL MAKES CLEAR
THE TERM "CIVIL OFFICERS" IS NOT
DEFINED.
SO THE FIRST QUESTION IS WHETHER
THIS WOULD ONLY APPLY TO
APPOINTING CABINET LEVEL
OFFICIALS OR STATE BOARD MEMBERS
OR WHETHER REPUBLICANS COULD TRY
TO IMPEACH GOVERNOR EVERS OR
JOSH KAUL OR A MEMBER OF THE
WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT.
>> THAT'S THE QUESTION, AND THAT
WE MAY NOT KNOW THE ANSWER
UNLESS WE TEST THAT AND USE THAT
AUTHORITY AND SEE HOW IT SHAKES
OUT, BUT I WILL INITIALLY LOOK
AT IT.
THAT COULD INVOLVE ANY ELECTED
OFFICIAL, PARTICULARLY ELECTED
OFFICIALS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
AS WELL.
SO I WOULD THINK IT'S -- I VIEW
IT INITIALLY AS ALL
ENCOMPASSING.
>> THOSE TYPE OF SHENANIGANS,
THOSE GAMES OF IMPEACHMENT
WHETHER THEY'RE TIED UP IN COURT
OR NOT, IT'S NOT WHAT WE NEED IN
WISCONSIN.
>> A WIN BY JODI HABUSH SINYKIN
WOULD TAKE IMPEACHMENT OFF THE
TABLE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT SHE'S
CAMPAIGNING ON.
>> AND I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF
YOU WERE SUPPORTIVE AND IF
THERE'S ISSUES YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT.
>> WELL, WHAT ISSUES ARE YOU
RUNNING ON?
>> I'M VERY MUCH RUNNING ON
WOMEN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE AND HAVE
HEALTHCARE OPTIONS.
>> LIKE DEMOCRATS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, SINCE THE FALL OF ROE
VERSUS WADE, SHE'S CAMPAIGNING
ON ABORTION.
>> WHAT I AM CONTINUING TO HEAR
THE GRAVEST CONCERN TO FOLKS IS
WOMEN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE AND
WOMEN'S HEALTHCARE OPTIONS IN
GENERAL.
THAT'S REALLY THE NUMBER ONE.
>> AND TO ME BEING PRO-LIFE IS A
POSITIVE THING.
>> KNODL HAS BEEN IN THE
ASSEMBLY OR 14 YEARS AND HAS
REPRESENTED LARGE PORTIONS OF
THE SENATE DISTRICT OVER THAT
TIME.
HE SAYS THAT REPRESENTATION
EXTENDS BEYOND THOSE ALREADY
LIVING HERE.
>> SO I BELIEVE I NEED TO BE THE
VOICE OF NOT ONLY THOSE THAT ARE
ADULTS, BUT YOUNGER PEOPLE AND
THE UNBORN.
THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE.
>> REPUBLICANS IN THE ASSEMBLY
RECENTLY INTRODUCED A BILL THAT
WOULD PROVIDE RAPE AND INCEST
EXCEPTIONS FOR ABORTION IN THE
FIRST TRIMESTER AND CLARIFIES
WHEN AN ABORTION CAN BE
PERFORMED TO SAVE THE LIFE OF A
MOTHER.
>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE GIVE
ENOUGH CREDENCE TO CURRENT LAW
WHICH PROTECTS THE LIFE OF THE
MOTHER, WHICH IS A MAIN FACTOR.
SO -- BUT I AM ALSO -- I DO
SUPPORT RAPE AND INCEST
EXCEPTIONS.
>> THE BILL WILL GO NOWHERE AS
GOVERNOR EVERS PROMISED A VETO
AND SENATE REPUBLICANS SAID THEY
WON'T EVEN TAKE IT UP.
JODI HABUSH SINYKIN SAYS EVEN
SUPPORTING THE ASSEMBLY BILL
PUTS KNODL OUT OF LINE WITH MOST
VOTERS.
>> WHAT THEY DON'T APPRECIATE IS
THAT KNODL, WHO IS MY OPPONENT,
IS EXTREME ON ABORTION.
>> THE EIGHTH SENATE DISTRICT
HAS BEEN A SAFE REPUBLICAN SEAT
FOR DECADES.
REPUBLICAN ALBERTA DARLING HELD
THE SEAT FOR 30 YEARS BUT SHE
RESIGNED LAST FALL, SETTING UP
THE SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL OUT
THE LAST TWO YEARS OF HER TERM.
OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS, THE
SEAT HAS FOLLOWED THE PATH OF
SUBURBS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND
SHIFTED MORE DEMOCRATIC.
>> I HAVE TO ADMIT, CERTAINLY
THERE'S A SHIFT THAT HAS BEEN
GOING ON.
JUST LOOK AT THE ELECTION
CYCLES.
>> KNODL SAYS SOME OF THAT SHIFT
HAS BEEN PEOPLE MOVING OUT OF
MILWAUKEE TO GET AWAY FROM
CRIME.
>> AND NOBODY CAN DENY THAT
THERE'S CRIME, RISING CRIME
PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE
AND THAT EXTENDS OUT INTO THE
SUBURBS AND SO WE FEEL THAT.
>> HA JODI HABUSH SINYKIN SAYS
REPUBLICANS ARE TO BLAME FOR
SHORT-CHANGING REVENUE,
PREVENTING CITIES FROM HIRING
ENOUGH POLICE OFFICERS.
>> THIS LEGISLATURE REALLY UNDER
MY OPPONENT'S WATCH, THEY ARE
PART OF THIS PROBLEM.
THEY ARE NOT PROVIDING OUR LAW
ENFORCEMENT WITH WHAT THEY NEED
TO KEEP US SAFE.
>> KNODL HAS A DIFFERENT
SOLUTION TO BATTLING CRIME IN
MILWAUKEE.
HE WANTS TO SEE THE SENATE USE
ITS NEW IMPEACHMENT POWERS TO
TARGET JOHN CHISHOLM.
>> I'VE HAD STATEMENTS BEFORE
CALLING FOR HIS RESIGNATION.
JUST DON'T FEEL THAT -- AND WHEN
WE SEE THE REVOLVING DOOR,
THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN MILWAUKEE
AND WE SEE THE COURT CASES AND
THE AFTERMATH OF PEOPLE GETTING
OUT WITHOUT -- WITH LOW BAIL,
SPECIFICALLY AND CAUSING EVEN
MORE HARM.
THAT'S A PROBLEM AND THAT GOES
TO THE PROSECUTOR.
>> IT'S A CLASSIC MOVE TO POINT
TO AN INDIVIDUAL, A
REPRESENTATIVE TRYING TO KEEP
OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND BLAME
THEM FOR THE VERY THINGS THAT
THEIR POLICIES ARE CAUSING.
>> REPORTING FROM GERMANTOWN,