WDC Files Lame-duck Amicus Brief Print
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Written by Wisconsin Democracy Campaign   
Friday, 10 May 2019 09:18

judgementNon-partisan citizen group joins League of Women Voters case challenging the legitimacy of the lame-duck session.


MADISON - It’s not every day that the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign goes to court.

But this week, the Wisconsin Supreme Court accepted our amicus brief in the League of Women Voters case challenging the legitimacy of the lame-duck session.

Our brief took on one of the main Republican arguments: that the Legislature is in “continuous session” until the next Legislature is sworn in. The brief points out that the logic of the Republicans’ argument would mean that “a lobbyist could never make campaign contributions and a legislator could never accept campaign contributions from a lobbyist.” The reason for this is simple: Current Wisconsin law allows lobbyists to make contributions only when the legislature is not in session. But since their argument is that the Legislature is always in session, they’ve got a big problem on their hands.

matt-rothschild-2018“The Legislature’s theory thus requires a finding that legislators and candidates for legislative office violate the law each time they accept campaign contributions from lobbyists,” the brief states. “If true, the Legislature’s own argument could lead to the mass indictment of legislators.”

There are other problems with this argument, as you can see here:

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign Submits Amicus Brief in Lame-Duck Case

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And don’t forget: Next Thursday, May 16, is our annual celebrationat the Lussier Family Heritage Center with Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes as the keynoter! The center is at 3101 Lake Farm Rd, Madison, just south of South Towne and Nine Springs. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Hope to see you there!