Wisconsin’s Democratic governor was irate last week following a bombshell decision from the Wisconsin Supreme Court that marked a major victory for Republicans in the state.
The bombshell ruling centered around the rules regarding when a state-appointed official should leave his or her post, whether it should be when their term expires or when a replacement is appointed. The state’s highest court decided the latter, essentially crippling Gov. Ivers’ agenda.
Reporting from the Associated Press indicated:
The court’s decision — in the case of a conservative who refused to step down from an environmental policy board for more than a year after his term expired — marks another loss for Democratic Gov. Tony Evers as he faces re-election in November.
The AP reporting added:
Republicans have worked to reduce Evers’ powers since even before he took office and have refused to confirm many of his appointees. This week’s ruling gives them the ability to block them simply by declining to hold a nomination vote.
Wisconsin’s Supreme court is a conservative-majority court.
A 4-3 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling, which fell along partisan lines, affirms a strategy by the State Senate to keep Republican board members in office by refusing to confirm replacements nominated by Gov. Tony Evers. Our democracy is crumbling.https://t.co/2a0Mvs9wlI
— Thomas Kennedy (@tomaskenn) June 30, 2022
As the Daily Caller reported, the case centered around Frederick Prehn, a Republican-appointed member of the Wisconsin Board of Natural Resources (DNR board).
The outlet noted:
The Wisconsin Supreme Court disagreed and rejected Kaul’s motion to allow Prehn to be removed by the governor without cause. The expiration date of Prehn’s position does not create an automatic vacancy, the Court’s opinion stated.
Evers’ reacted poorly to the situation, saying in a statement, “Today, I remind the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the Republican Party of this state that we do still live in a democracy, a very basic function of which is the peaceful and respectful transfer of power, even – and most especially – when you lose.”