What if Scott Walker resigns?

[midnight]

IF you examine the Wisconsin Constitution, you will find in Article V. Section 7. the following:

“Lieutenant Governor, When Governor

(1) Upon the governor’s death, resignation or removal from office, the lieutenant governor shall become governor for the balance of the unexpired term.

(2) If the governor is absent from this state, impeached, or from mental or physical disease, becomes incapable of performing the duties of the office, the lieutenant governor shall serve as acting governor for the balance of the unexpired term or until the governor returns, the disability ceases or the impeachment is vacated. But when the governor, with the consent of the legislature, shall be out of this state in time of war at the head of the state’s military force, the governor shall continue as commander in chief of the military force.”



From Craver’s column Politiscope :

If Walker resigned within 10 days of the recall petitions being certified by the GAB, he would not be on the ballot and other Republicans would be able to vie for the nomination in a primary. Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch would become acting governor and could appoint a new lieutenant governor. Nothing, however, would stop the recall election from going forward.http://www.bluecheddar.net/?p=19007

[MADem]

1. The Acting Governor can appoint the LT GOV?

What's to stop the Acting Governor from appointing Walker, then resigning, then having Walker re-appoint her?

Is there any legislative check/balance on this sort of thing?

My mind tends to gravitate towards these worst-case/oddball scenarios!

[Firebrand Gary]

2. The Lt Gov is being recalled as well.

[ewagner]

3. This is why Kleefish...

had to be recalled separately:

(1) Upon the governor’s death, resignation or removal from office, the lieutenant governor shall become governor for the balance of the unexpired term.

[Sabien]

4. Not gonna happen

Snotty Scotty has delusions of grandeur and is auditioning for the national spotlight.

[dragonlady]

5. Politiscope has a couple things wrong

First, upon Walker's resignation Kleefisch would become the governor, nothing "acting" about it, as shown in the language above. She would be acting governor only if the absence were temporary. Second, there is nothing in the constitution about appointing a new lieutenant governor when the current one is promoted. See Article V, Section 8:

If there is a vacancy in the office of lieutenant governor and the governor dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the secretary of state shall become governor for the balance of the unexpired term.

[midnight]

6. Does she remain for the full term even though she is also being recalled?

[dragonlady]

8. I would argue that the answer is no

The language on the recall petitions is "petition for the recall of Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch from office" but it doesn't specify that the office is lieutenant governor. That was a good way to phrase it.

The constitution says we can "petition for the recall of any incumbent elective officer after the first year of the term for which the incumbent was elected..." Since the lieutenant governor has absolutely no function under the constitution except to automatically replace the governor if certain events happen, she was in effect elected to the office of governor along with Walker, although she remains in standby mode until called upon. She is beyond the first year of the term for which she was elected. Therefore there is no reason that her recall cannot continue even if she begins to occupy the office of governor at some point during the process.

[midnight]

7. Looking for info. to verify Sec. of State responsibilities and found this minor little change since

the budget was passed.



Because of the Governor’s budget passed by the Legislature the Office of the Secretary of State’s functions have been significantly changed.

This Office no longer handles notaries public or trademarks and trade names functions. Therefore, for this type of information, please do not contact this office. Thank you!

These functions are now performed by the Department of Financial Institutions which is a separate agency and not a part of the Office of the Secretary of State.

Please contact that Department regarding information, questions, forms to complete and all other concerns about notaries public or trademarks and trade names. You may connect with that Department by calling 608-261-9555 or by going to their website at http://www.wdfi.org

[Big Tent]

9. Scott Walker for VP

I hope that the Republicans at the National level place Scott Walker as their VP candidate. This will be a difficult recall election to win, but if Walker does somehow manage to win, money can win a State election, but it cannot win a National election. Of course Walker knows his own state policies to a certain extent, but putting any governor in the VP slot of any party is Sarah Palin all over again. Governors simply do not know national policy unless they have been running for president for months and have been getting briefed and questioned about it.

Walker would be a drag on the Republican national ticket in Wisconsin, Ohio and in the rest of the industrial Midwest, including what I can the southern State of Missouri.

Scott Walker is not going to resign, the only way is to win the recall election against Walker.