Four Republican state senators in Wisconsin will challenge recall petitions in their districts.
Reuters reported:
Four Wisconsin lawmakers targeted for possible recall later this year filed challenges on Thursday to the validity of thousands of signatures gathered to force the special elections, the state’s Government Accountability Board said.
Organizers of the drive to recall the four Republican state senators submitted more than 18,000 pages of signed petitions with the board last month. Thursday was the deadline for the four lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, to lodge objections with the board.
In a statement, Fitzgerald cited “a wide range of irregularities, errors and outright falsehoods” in the petitions submitted to force him to defend his seat. He said he planned to challenge 4,300 of the signatures, which could be enough to derail the effort to unseat him.
All four Republicans supported the controversial curbs on public-sector union collective bargaining powers that were enacted in Wisconsin last year.
The measure, which greatly reduces the power of most public-sector unions in the state, triggered nine recall elections of state senators last summer. Two Republican senators were recalled.
Critics of the law have also targeted Governor Scott Walker and Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, both Republicans, for possible recalls later this year.
Three democrats are ready to take on Republicans in the recall elections.
