Tony Evers

Author: Will Kenneally

Gov. Tony Evers is withdrawing the more than 80 Walker appointments the state legislature confirmed in a lame duck session last December.

The appointments by former Gov. Scott Walker were just part of the actions deemed unlawful Thursday by a Dane County Circuit Court judge who said the legislature was not empowered to meet in last year's extraordinary session. The slate of bills passed by the Republican-controlled legislature and signed by Walker also took power away from the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general, including their ability to act without legislative approval in some areas.

With the legislation on hold, Attorney General Josh Kaul took steps Thursday to remove the state from a federal lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act — a move for which he would have needed legislative approval under the lame duck bills.

Republicans knocked both moves, with Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau saying Evers's withdrawal of appointments “shows a disrespect for the law and for the courts.” Republicans promised to challenge the Dane County court ruling in a state appeals court in Wausau.

On Friday the state appeals court ruled that all parties would have until Monday afternoon to make further arguments before the court would decide on staying the lower court's ruling.

The original story can be found here: https://wsum.org/2019/03/22/judge-strikes-down-lame-duck-laws-republicans-challenge-ruling/.