>> WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH MAJOR
MOVEMENT IN AN IMPORTANT CASE
AFFECTING VOTERS ACROSS THE
STATE.
THE LAWSUIT OVER WISCONSIN'S
CURRENT LEGISLATIVE BOUNDARY
MAPS IS NOW BEING FAST-TRACKED
IN THE WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT
WITH ORAL ARGUMENTS SET FOR
NOVEMBER.
>> THAT'S AFTER LIBERAL JUSTICE
JANET PROTASIEWICZ DECLINED TO
RECUSE OR STEP ASIDE FROM THE
CASE AND THE LIBERAL MAJORITY ON
THE COURT RULED TO TAKE UP THE
REDISTRICTING LAWSUIT.
REPUBLICAN ASSEMBLY SPEAKER
ROBIN VOS HAD MOVED TO PURSUE
IMPEACHING HER OVER STATEMENTS
SHE MADE DURING HER CAMPAIGN
THAT THE LEGISLATIVE MAPS ARE
RIGGED AND UNFAIR.
IN HER DECISION TO REJECT
RECUSING, JANET PROTASIEWICZ
WROTE, "NO OTHER JUSTICE HAS
DECIDED THAT THEY MUST RECUSE,
EVEN THOUGH THEIR PRIOR
WRITINGS, INCLUDING FROM JUST
LAST YEAR, MIGHT INDICATE FIRM
PRECONCEPTIONS OF CERTAIN ISSUES
IN THIS ACTION, AND IF
PREJUDGMENT IS THE CONCERN," SHE
WROTE, "THEIR WRITINGS ARE JUST
AS RELEVANT AT MY CAMPAIGN
REMARKS."
VOS ASKED WHETHER IMPEACHING
PROTASIEWICZ WAS POSSIBLE.
ONE OF THEM, DAVID PROSSER, TOLD
THE SPEAKER NOT TO TRY SAYING,
QUOTE, IMPEACHMENT IS SO
SYRIAIOUS, SEVERE AND RARE, THAT
IT SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED
UNLESS THE SUBJECT HAS COMMITTED
A CRIME OR THE SUBJECT HAS
COMMITTED INDISPUTABLE CORRUPT
CONDUCT WHILE IN OFFICE.
IN TURN, ROBIN VOS RELEASED A
STATEMENT ON THE MATTER SAYING,
"JUSTICE PROTASIEWICZ SHOULD
HAVE RECUSED HERSELF.
WE THINK THE UNITED STATES
SUPREME COURT PRECEDENT COMPELS
HER RECUSAL AND THE UNITED
STATES SUPREME COURT WILL HAVE
THE LAST WORD HERE."
CONSERVATIVE JUSTICE REBECCA
BRADLEY ALSO HAS HER EYE ON THE
PERSUASION OF THE NATION'S HIGH
COURT.
IN HER DISSENT OVER THE
WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT TAKING
UP THE REDISTRICTING LAWSUIT,
BRADLEY WROTE, "PROTASIEWICZ'S
FAILURE TO RECUSE FROM THIS CASE
DESPITE BLATANT BIAS SHOULD BE
REVIEWED BY THE UNITED STATES
SUPREME COURT BEFORE WISCONSIN
TAXPAYERS ARE FORCED TO FOOT THE