Frederica Freyberg:

We begin tonight with major movement in an important case affecting voters across the state. The lawsuit over Wisconsins current legislative boundary maps is now being fast-tracked in the Wisconsin Supreme Court with oral arguments set for November.That’s after liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz declined to recuse or step aside from the case and the liberal majority on the court ruled to take up the redistricting lawsuit. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos had moved to pursue impeaching Protasiewicz over statements she made during her campaign that the legislative maps are rigged and unfair. In her decision to reject recusing, Janet Protasiewicz wrote, “No other justice has decided that they must recuse, even though their prior writings, including from just last year, might indicate firm preconceptions of certain issues in this action. And if prejudgment is the concern,” she wrote, “their writings are just as relevant as my campaign remarks.” Vos had asked former conservative justices whether impeaching Protasiewicz was possible. One of them, David Prosser, told the speaker not to try saying, Impeachment is so serious, severe and rare, that it should not be considered unless the subject has committed a crime or the subject has committed indisputable corrupt conduct while in office.” In turn, Robin Vos released a statement on the matter saying, “Justice Protasiewicz should have recused herself. We think the United States Supreme Court precedent compels her recusal and the United States Supreme Court will have the last word here.” Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley also has her eye on the persuasion of the nation’s high court. In her dissent over the Wisconsin Supreme Court taking up the redistricting lawsuit, Bradley wrote, “Protasiewicz’s failure to recuse from this case despite her blatant bias should be reviewed by the United States Supreme Court before Wisconsin taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for a redistricting do-over.”