Wisconsin is the last state that may prosecute Trump's fake electors, but AG Josh Kaul is mum

[BumRushDaShow]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by JudyM (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: USA Today

Published 5:19 a.m. ET April 26, 2024 | Updated 5:19 a.m. ET April 26, 2024


After Arizona became the fourth state to bring charges against fake electors involved in the Trump campaign's alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 presidential election Wednesday night, eyes turned to the three remaining states where the effort took place: New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Officials in New Mexico and Pennsylvania have said they are unlikely to prosecute Trump allies who sent documents to then-Vice President Mike Pence purporting to certify Trump won the election in their state, because those fake electors placed certain limits on their claims. That leaves Wisconsin as the state most likely still to pursue charges.

Prosecutors had already filed charges in Michigan, Nevada, and Georgia. In Georgia, defendants include Trump himself, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. And Trump is facing federal charges in Washington, D.C. for conspiracy and obstruction related to the nationwide fake elector scheme. Trump has asked the Supreme Court to declare him immune from those charges.

The top law enforcement official in Wisconsin hasn’t tipped his hand on whether his office is investigating the issue at all, but he also hasn’t ruled out prosecution. Gillian Drummond, a spokesperson for Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, said the department “does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation, except in unique public safety circumstances” but that Kaul “believes that those who committed crimes in an effort to unlawfully subvert the outcome of an election should be held accountable.”

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/04/26/wisconsin-could-prosecute-trump-2020-fake-electors/73452583007/

[Firestorm49]

1. Kaul "hasn't ruled out prosecution." My ass! The only time he mentioned that "nobody is above the law"

was when he was trying to get re-elected. I’ve sent several disparaging letters to his office asking if it’s true that under his watch Wisconsin now officially has a two tier justice system.

I cut him some slack early on in this sordid chapter of history, believing that the GOP restrictions on the ability to prosecute certain cases was dependent on GOP approval, since the legislature and assembly has restricted the free reign of executive powers under Evers, while previously granting Skippy Walker unprecedented powers.

I know I’m not supposed to bash our own (sorry) but the issue of our democracy is far more important than coddling the inaction of a dormant AG.

[BumRushDaShow]

2. I expect a lot of this is due to how unprecedented what happened was

It took 3 years for the states that finally "did something" to realize that NO it's NOT the "federal government" that controls the Elector selection and certification process in the states, it's the STATES that do that - all BEFORE they send their materials to "the federal government". It was all a somewhat mundane, mostly ceremonial thing every 4 years, until 2020 when a bunch of rogue loons decided to hijack that process.

Hopefully your AG will look at what neighbor MI did and find a way.

Here in PA when that happened, our AG at the time - Josh Shapiro (who is now Governor) carefully reviewed what they did and how they (like NM) included a caveat on their paperwork that provided an "exit clause" to get out of possible prosecution... meaning they knew what they were doing was wrong, so planned for it.

[Firestorm49]

3. "Find a way" - I'd like to believe that but to date it's been radio silence on Kaul's part.

You either uphold the law or you don’t. The “fake” electors knowingly tried to con the system to their benefit - no real surprise from a party well known for their less than honorable tactics.


Gillian Drummond, a spokesperson for Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, said the department “does not confirm or deny the existence of an investigation, except in unique public safety circumstances” but that Kaul “believes that those who committed crimes in an effort to unlawfully subvert the outcome of an election should be held accountable.”

[BumRushDaShow]

4. Remember that the first one to take it on was GA starting 2 years ago

and in that case, it was in a state that has a GOP governor, SOS, and legislature. The state laws apparently allowed the county (Fulton) where the capital (Atlanta) is, to take that lead, and that gave us the first indictments of some "fake electors" last summer. Of course being a red state, they have thrown every obstacle in D.A. Fani Willis' way to keep from going to trial for what is a huge RICO case.

MI filed their charges last summer and that trial is ongoing since February, and AZ only got around to indictments this week.

It's *possible* (if the state uses "grand juries" ) that one is empaneled, but usually that process tends to be secretive.

[moniss]

7. Yes a big part of our problem here in WI

is that the GQP legislature has the authority to prevent the AG spending any resources on this or that as they please. They've done the same sort of thing with local taxing for schools etc. Even if a school district was in full agreement with all the affected taxpayers to do a major increase they are capped at what they can do by state law. Now they can do a bond referendum for building a school but if the parents just wanted to have their school get a super state of the art AV equipment set-up or top notch computer graphics lab etc. using non tax money that is not allowed. Some people used to fund raise out of their own pockets for things but beyond a certain dollar level it becomes counter-productive because the state has a "state spending per pupil" allowable amount for school districts and they will decrease the amount the state sends the district to offset any real gain you would get by parents chipping in out of their non-tax funds.

It even goes to the lunacy around the school lunch program. We all know about the schools bad treatment of shaming poor kids who don't have "money in their account" and making them eat a bologna sandwich while everybody else gets a hot meal. That bullshit makes me see red and so when I found out that the district in the small town my Mom lived in was doing that to kids I contacted the school and I offered to cover for that semester what they said was their projected "deficit" for these kids accounts. They rejected me and told me that they understood my good intentions but by law they would be required to report the dollar amount to the state and the state would then offset that against what their other money from the state would be.

To say we in WI are f**ked up would be an understatement. But it gets even worse. In the late '90's I knew some Special Ed teachers. We all know the difficulties. But this one teacher, middle school, was being disciplined by her district. Sometimes people don't know that Special Ed kids are maybe not in the best of home circumstances for money and care. This means instead of a coat they only have a sweater. Maybe no gloves or hat. No boots to keep their feet dry. I won't go into how bad the teasing can be and how it makes it that much more difficult of a learning environment. So this young teacher, well liked by her students and making good progress, would go to the resale stores and out of her own pocket spend a dollar or so on this old pair of boots or $5 for a coat etc. She would then take these to her classroom and they were "spares" in a closet in a corner of the room and kids could use them when going outside or going home when weather was bad. She got raked over the coals by the district for "unauthorized" activity.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Yeah I know...

Scott Walker grabbed your state and drenched it in lunacy.

The one thing that you have that GA does NOT have though, is a Democratic governor (even with him being hamstrung by the GOP). In GA, the only reason why Fani got as far as she did was because Kemp and Raffensperger apparently didn't like the "shake down" tactics of 45.

As long as you guys can hold the state Supreme Court (and maybe even increase the (D)s in the future), that will be helpful. That helped here in PA when (D)s finally got majority control of our state Supreme Court and in 2018, were able to ungerrymander the crap the GOP put in place here back after the 2010 census, a time when they captured a trifecta of branches.

[moniss]

10. Yes indeed

and PA is one of my favorite states to drive in. Away from the Pike and I-80 of course. I love the drive on US 6 from end to end especially in the Fall. I used to run US 322 all the time from State College on down. I actually was crazy enough to run a full size semi across US 30 all the way. Tight curves. One of my most enjoyable leisure spans of time was getting to spend 4 days in the area north of Lancaster. Years ago now. I think my last visit was around 2008.

I try to get my local sausage maker to make "non-sweet" Lebanon Bologna for me but without success. People here in WI think it would be like Oscar Mayer but I try and explain that you have to eat it to understand the difference. Getting to spend time in some driving past beautiful Amish farms on the side roads reminded me of our small Amish communities here in WI.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Lancaster Pike is a beautiful (and old-fashioned) route

and whenever I have been out that way, I make sure to get my "Shoofly pie"! Rte 30 is nuts traffic-wise over closer to Philly (although I used to hit the Microwarehouse that was located along it years ago).

[sybylla]

5. The gerrymandered WI state legislature has done a lot to hamstring the state AG.

They are the very same fuckers he would be prosecuting for abetting the scheme.

If he were to come out with charges before they lose their supermajority, he will be removed from office.

He really has zero choice but to keep his head down, focus on the investigation, and get the prosecution ready behind the scenes, so he can present those charges as soon as he is free of threats against his job and office to do so.

I am hoping for a February 1 announcement at the latest, because the lame duck legislature will fuck up as much as they can on the way out the damned door.

[Puppyjive]

6. Every fake elector should be charged

They should have been charged a long time ago. The statute of limitations will run its course and nothing will happen to the criminals.

[onetexan]

9. What is the reason why Josh Kaul stalling?

[JudyM]

12. Locking

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