{"id":2031497,"date":"2023-09-14T08:02:01","date_gmt":"2023-09-14T12:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/2020-election-fallout-wisconsin-chief-election-official-facing-imminent-ouster\/"},"modified":"2023-09-14T08:04:30","modified_gmt":"2023-09-14T12:04:30","slug":"2020-election-fallout-wisconsin-chief-election-official-facing-imminent-ouster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/2020-election-fallout-wisconsin-chief-election-official-facing-imminent-ouster\/","title":{"rendered":"Wisconsin&#8217;s Election Official Faces Imminent Removal After 2020 Election"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2F2020-election-fallout-wisconsin-chief-election-official-facing-imminent-ouster%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2031497&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>Meagan Wolfe, the administrator of\u200d the Wisconsin Election Commission \u200d(WEC), has suffered another setback in her struggle to hang \u2063on \u2062to her office as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrat-secretary-of-state-explains-why-trump-cant-be-barred-from-being-on-the-ballot\/\" title=\"Democrat Secretary of State clarifies Trump's eligibility for ballot.\">chief\u2062 election official<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>On Sept. 11, the five-member state Senate Committee on\u2064 Shared Revenue, Elections, and Consumer Protection \u200bvoted 3-1-1 to recommend that the full Senate hand \u2062Ms. Wolfe her walking \u200cpapers over allegations \u200dof partisan behavior within her role.<\/p>\n<p>Voting against Ms. Wolfe&#8217;s nomination were Republican Sens. Dan Knodl, Dan Feyen, and Romaine Quinn. Sen. Mark\u2063 Spreitzer, a Democrat, was the lone committee member to vote to reappoint Ms. Wolfe to a\u200d second four-year term. Democrat Sen. Jeff Smith abstained.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\" id=\"in_article_related_stories\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/courts-likely-to-decide-fate-of-embattled-wisconsin-election-chief-5484387\">Courts Likely to Decide Fate of Embattled Wisconsin Election Chief<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/1\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/courts-likely-to-decide-fate-of-embattled-wisconsin-election-chief-5484387\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/wisconsin-elections-chief-meagan-wolfe-faces-uphill-battle-for-reappointment-5349943\">Wisconsin Elections Chief Meagan Wolfe Faces Uphill Battle for Reappointment<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">6\/23\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/wisconsin-elections-chief-meagan-wolfe-faces-uphill-battle-for-reappointment-5349943\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>    \u2062 \u200b \u2064The members cast their votes by paper ballots with no discussion.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A Long Listening Session<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>    The committee made its decision after conducting a four-hour-long public hearing on Aug. 29, in which\u200b a \u2064scathing critique of WEC\u2019s introduction of new policies and practices\u2014especially its management of the 2020 election\u2014was presented by the non-partisan Legislative Audit Bureau.<br \/>\n \u2064\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<p>Following the audit report, a parade \u2063of Wisconsinites from all over the state took the witness chair to\u200b speak against Ms. Wolfe continuing on as WEC \u2064administrator.<\/p>\n<p>Most of her detractors told the hearing that, based on what they consider her mishandling of the 2020 election, ordinary \u200bcitizens have lost trust in Ms. Wolfe\u2019s ability to fairly administer the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-appears-to-be-a-popular-lead-for-2024-straw-poll-shows\/\" title=\"DeSantis Appears To Be A Popular Lead For 2024, Straw Poll Shows\">upcoming 2024 presidential election<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode post-related-videos\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"lazyload-placeholder\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In 2020, Ms. Wolfe \u200dhad a hand in making and \u2062implementing decisions \u2063that many Republicans worry may have helped Joe Biden eke out a 0.63 percent victory over then-President Donald Trump\u2014a margin of just 20,682 votes out of the 3.3 \u200cmillion cast.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Meagan \u2063Wolfe, the head of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, speaks during a virtual\u200b press conference on Nov. 4, 2020. (Wisconsin Elections Commission via Reuters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<h2><strong>A Catalog of Missteps<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>    Some of the controversial actions Ms. Wolfe presided over include the installation of mail-in ballot drop boxes\u2014later declared illegal by the Wisconsin Supreme Court; the relaxing of signature verification standards and voter identification requirements; expanding the definition of \u2064&#8221;indefinitely confined&#8221; absentee voters to include thousands of ineligible people; and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/2020-election-fallout-wisconsin-chief-election-official-facing-imminent-ouster\/\" title=\"Wisconsin's Election Official Faces Imminent Removal After 2020 Election\">allowing elderly nursing home residents<\/a> to receive mail-in ballots\u2063 without them \u200dbeing delivered and returned by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/2020-election-fallout-wisconsins-chief-election-official-says-will-fight-looming-senate-ouster-as-democrats-eye-legal-loophole\/\" title=\"Wisconsin's Election Official Vows to Resist Senate Ouster Amid Election Fallout\">specially designated election officers<\/a>,\u200c as \u200crequired by Wisconsin law.\n  <\/div>\n<p>Those speaking at the hearing\u200d in favor of Ms. Wolfe\u200d commended her for her competence, experience, and responsiveness to the needs of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/group-our-vote-matters-is-suing-facebook-dominion-mark-zuckerberg-certain-state-officials-others-for-infringing-upon-right-to-vote-assemble-and-speak-freely-you-can-jo\/\" title=\"Group \u201cOur Vote Matters\u201d Is Suing Facebook, Dominion, Mark Zuckerberg, Certain State Officials, Others for Infringing Upon Right to Vote, Assemble and Speak Freely \u2013 You Can Join Too\">local election officials<\/a> during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>Several supporters \u2063said it would be difficult for localities\u200b to manage the upcoming 2024 presidential election without Ms. Wolfe&#8217;s expertise.<\/p>\n<p>Concerning\u2064 the WEC\u2019s missteps and legal problems,\u200b her supporters contended that she was merely carrying out the\u2064 wishes of her superiors.<\/p>\n<p>By law, WEC is a body composed of three Republicans and three Democrats. It was created by the state legislature\u2064 in 2016.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>    In recent letters and memos released to the public in which\u00a0Ms. Wolfe defended herself, she asserted the same argument \u200babout her subordinate\u2062 role. But the <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.legis.wisconsin.gov\/statutes\/statutes\/15\/III\/61\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statute<\/a> establishing the WEC states in pertinent part: \u200d\u201cThe elections commission\u2062 shall\u2064 be under the direction\u2062 and supervision of an administrator \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A\u200b Political Stratagem?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>    Just before\u2064 Ms. Wolfe\u2019s term \u200dwas set to expire at midnight\u200d on June 30, the WEC met for the \u200dpurpose of reappointing her to another\u200b term.<br \/>\n\u2062\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<p>By statute, four votes are \u2064needed to move her appointment forward for confirmation by the Wisconsin State Senate. Ms. Wolfe only mustered three\u2014surprisingly, they \u200bwere all from the Republican members.<\/p>\n<p>Aware that Ms. Wolfe had worn\u2062 out her welcome among \u2062the Republican supermajority in the Senate and that she was headed there \u2064for a defeat, the three WEC Democrat members decided to abstain.<\/p>\n<p>They explained\u2063 that while they \u2064supported Ms. Wolfe, the parliamentary tactic of\u2062 abstaining might enable them to save her \u200cfrom almost certain \u200brejection by the Senate.<\/p>\n<p>In May 2019, Ms. Wolfe was unanimously confirmed by that same \u200bbody.<\/p>\n<p>WEC\u2019s three Democrat members are\u200b now trying to keep the Republican legislative majority from ousting Ms. Wolfe by contending that because she failed to get four\u2064 votes from WEC, she has not been formally nominated and therefore, there is no \u200cvacancy and no valid nomination for the Senate to advise and consent on.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\">\n<figure style=\"width:600px\" class=\"alignnone\"><figcaption>Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of \u200cthe Milwaukee election commission, collects the count from absentee\u200d ballots from a voting machine in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Nov. 4, 2020. (Scott Olson\/Getty\u200d Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<h2><strong>GOP Resolve<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>    The parliamentary move by unelected WEC commissioners to stymie the Senate has led some Republican lawmakers to assert that such an action thwarts the will of the people \u2062as expressed \u200bthrough their elected representatives.\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<p>Speaking for the GOP majority,\u2064 Mr. Knodl, \u2062the committee\u2019s chairman stated, \u201cWe \u200cwill \u2064not abdicate the Senate\u2019s authority.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The day after the \u200bWEC&#8217;s Democrat \u200cmembers \u2062abstained, the \u200bSenate passed a resolution on a part<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Meagan Wolfe, Wisconsin Election Commission administrator, faces another setback in her fight to retain her position as chief election official. The state Senate Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections, and Consumer Protection voted 3-1-1 on Sept. 11 to recommend her removal. The full Senate will decide her fate soon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":369,"featured_media":2031498,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2031497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/369"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2031497"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2031497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2031498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2031497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2031497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2031497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}