Chairman Lipscomb on Executive Abele’s Motion to Dismiss
On a technical issue of process, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Sosnay granted County Executive Abele’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit without prejudice.
On a technical issue of process, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge William Sosnay today granted County Executive Chris Abele’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit without prejudice. The motion argued whether the case could be filed by the County Board Chairman or only the County Board of Supervisors. Today’s decision to dismiss based on a lack of standing was confined to this technicality rather than the merits of the broader case.
Lipscomb said, “County Executive Chris Abele continues to skirt the law, as he did with his absence at last week’s public hearing on the Domes and his continued compensation of political appointees at levels that exceed the limitations on pay established by the Board of Supervisors. It is clear from today’s hearing that there still is a legal dispute, that we will ask the courts to settle.”
Specifically, County Executive Chris Abele continues to violate Act 14, the law he lobbied the Wisconsin State Legislature and Governor Scott Walker to adopt, with his continued refusal to show up for work to answer questions in a transparent and public setting. Just last week, the County Executive again failed to show up for the job he was elected to do when he refused to participate in the public hearing on the future of the Mitchell Park Domes in disregard of the hundreds of Milwaukee County residents who attended the meeting held by the Board’s Committee of the Whole.
The Abele v. Lipscomb lawsuit was initiated per File No. 15-622, which was adopted by the Board by a 14-2 veto-proof super-majority vote. With this legislation, the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors authorized:
“the initiation of an action to declare the rights and powers of the County Board and the Milwaukee County Executive related to Chapter 59, Chapter 63, Chapter 66 and other sections of the Wisconsin State Statutes, as affected by 2013 Wisconsin Act 14 and 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, at such time as the Chairperson of the County Board deems appropriate, with the advice of counsel.”
“The resolution and authorization was not part of the record reviewed by the Court. It always was my understanding that, as Chairman, I was representing the interests of the Board of Supervisors and the public, not just my own, in bringing this lawsuit based on the adopted resolution.” Lipscomb said.
In line with Judge Sosnay’s ruling, I expect a new case will be filed soon, so the courts have an opportunity to decide these issues on their merits. I remain confident that the courts are the appropriate forum to decide these issues of Executive overreach,” Lipscomb added.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by County Board Chairman Theodore Lipscomb, Sr.
As a suggestion, you may want to address what “the lawsuit” is before the fourth paragraph for anyone who may not be as familiar.
When did Theo go so off the rails? Not sure what’s goofier, his weird lawsuit or the dam Marina and him and championing.
Theo Lipscomb is a fine one to be talking about doing things “in the interest of the general public”. If that were true, why did he tie the Estabrook Dam removal vote to the approval of the County budget in one binding motion, which prevented our County Supervisors from doing their duty and voting out the dam. The public was definitely NOT served there. Theo Lipscomb is the very definition of a slimy politician, and I am ashamed to have him as my elected representative.