Unions, senator file 3rd lame-duck lawsuit in Wisconsin

By TODD RICHMOND
February 4, 2019

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A coalition of labor unions and a Democratic lawmaker filed another lawsuit Monday challenging measures Wisconsin Republicans approved in a lame-duck session, alleging in part that the new laws illegally weaken the governor and attorney general while placing an “incalculable” financial burden on taxpayers.

GOP legislators passed a sweeping package of legislation in December to weaken new Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul, both Democrats. The measure prohibits Evers from withdrawing from lawsuits, a move designed to block him from pulling Wisconsin out of a multistate lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act. Other key provisions in the bill force Kaul to get approval from the Legislature’s budget committee before settling lawsuits, allow lawmakers to intervene in lawsuits and restrict early-voting hours.

Liberal-leaning groups including the League of Women voters filed a lawsuit in Dane County court last month challenging the laws, arguing Republicans convened illegally to adopt the legislation. Liberal advocacy group One Wisconsin Now challenged the early voting restrictions in federal court last month and convinced U.S. District Judge James Peterson to block them.

Now comes a third lawsuit. Five unions, including the Service Employees International Union and the Wisconsin chapter of the American Federal of Teachers, and their members along with state Sen. Janet Bewley filed the action in Dane County court. The lawsuit brands the lame-duck laws “an assault on the will of the voters and an unprecedented ‘power grab.’”

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