Former Chief Justice Ordered to Hand Over Impeachment Advice Records by Wisconsin Judge

Former Chief Justice Patience Roggensack of the Wisconsin Supreme Court has been ordered by a judge to produce records related to her involvement in advising Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on the potential impeachment of Justice Janet Protasiewicz. Vos had sought advice from three former Supreme Court justices, including Roggensack, regarding the impeachment process. The liberal watchdog group American Oversight filed a lawsuit seeking records from Vos and the former justices, with Vos and two of the former justices complying and turning over their records. However, Roggensack did not produce any records and has not disclosed her advice to Vos. When a subpoena was attempted to be served at her home, an elderly man claimed not to know her. Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington has now issued an order giving Roggensack 30 days to produce any records she may have. The former justices have a responsibility to produce any records related to their work, regardless of their understanding at the time they accepted the invitation to provide their advice, according to Judge Remington. Vos initially considered impeachment if Protasiewicz did not recuse herself from a pending redistricting lawsuit. However, following the advice against impeachment from the former justices, Vos did not pursue impeachment. Now, Vos is suggesting that he may attempt to impeach Protasiewicz if she does not rule in favor of upholding the current Republican-drawn maps. Republicans argue that Protasiewicz has already formed a biased opinion about the maps based on comments she made during the campaign. The redistricting lawsuit seeks to have all 132 state lawmakers up for election next year in newly drawn districts. The current legislative electoral maps were drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2011 and have solidified the party’s majorities. Wisconsin’s Assembly districts have been criticized for being heavily gerrymandered, with Republicans winning more seats than expected based on their share of the vote.