GOP Bungling Could Cost Wisconsin Taxpayers Millions
Republican Lame Duck Laws Continue to Obstruct State A.G.
MADISON – After the 2018 fall elections, Republicans called for a lame duck Extraordinary Session and changed state law in an effort to consolidate power and undermine the democratically elected Attorney General Josh Kaul. 2017 Wisconsin Act 369 changed state law to require the Joint Finance Committee approve any of the Attorney General’s settlement agreements. To comply with the new law, A.G. Kaul requested approval from the Joint Finance Committee on a critical settlement. Republicans on the committee however, have so far refused to take action on the lawsuit, putting Wisconsin at risk of losing millions of dollars.
“In their reckless and politically-motivated reaction to A.G. Kaul’s election, Republicans passed poorly conceived proposals without thinking through the consequences,” said Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse). “Once again, we are seeing the confusion and chaos caused by the Republican lame duck laws. It is disgraceful that Republicans are preventing the Attorney General from doing the job he was elected to. The state could be at risk of losing millions of settlement dollars and taxpayers will bear the brunt because of Republican bungling.”
As Purdue Pharma and Johnson & Johnson reach settlement agreements with state and local governments for their role in the opioid epidemic, Wisconsin could lose out on millions in funding and consumer protections if Republicans continue to obstruct the A.G.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Lame Duck Laws
- Four Years Later, State’s Lame Duck Law Still Faces Court Challenge - Shawn Johnson - Jan 17th, 2023
- Judge Rules Against Law Giving Legislators Power Over Attorney General Settlements - Shawn Johnson - May 11th, 2022
- State Supreme Court Dismisses AG’s Lame-Duck Lawsuit - Ruth Conniff - Mar 25th, 2021
- Kaul Sues Legislature Over Lame Duck Laws - Melanie Conklin - Nov 24th, 2020
- AG Kaul Announces Legal Action to Allow DOJ to Again Enforce Wisconsin Laws Without Unconstitutional Legislative Interference - Josh Kaul - Nov 23rd, 2020
- Vos Thinks Lame-Duck Session Didn’t Go Far Enough - Melanie Conklin - Jul 31st, 2020
- The State of Politics: Court Rulings Against Evers Sow Confusion - Steven Walters - Jul 20th, 2020
- Court Tosses Dems’ Lame-Duck Suit - Laurel White - Jul 16th, 2020
- Op Ed: State High Court Nullifies 2018 Election - James Rowen - Jul 12th, 2020
- WI Supreme Court Upholds GOP Lame-Duck Laws - Laurel White - Jul 9th, 2020
Read more about Lame Duck Laws here
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