Evers says he will extend mask mandate, veto stricter rules for absentee voting, decide later whether to run again jsonline.com/story/news/pol… —via @MollyBeck
.@GovEvers hasn't decided whether he will seek a second term in 2022 but also doesn't want his lieutenant governor, @TheOtherMandela, to run for U.S. Senate that year.
.@GovEvers said he may try to legalize recreational marijuana next year to raise money for the state.
He would be sure of facing stiff resistance from Republicans who control the Legislature if he did that.
Evers said he would veto legislation Republicans are considering that would change voting rules for those who are indefinitely confined because of age or disability. Confined voters can vote absentee without showing an ID.
Evers backs an idea supported by some Republicans that would allow clerks to count absentee ballots before Election Day.
But he said he would not accept legislation that does that if the legislation made other changes to voting laws that he opposes.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
.@judgekarofsky comes out swinging in arguments over lawsuit Trump brought over the election in Wisconsin's two most populous counties.
"This lawsuit, Mr. Troupis, smacks of racism," Karofsky tells Trump attorney Jim Troupis.
.@justicedallet notes Trump is challenging an election form that has been in use for more than a decade. That form was used when Trump won the state in 2016.
"What I’m hearing you say then is really the form was fine in 2016 when it helped the president to win," Dallet says.
At the outset of a trial in one of Trump's lawsuits, Reserve Judge Stephen Simanek says he will not allow anyone to intervene or file friend-of-the-court briefs.
Meanwhile, Trump's allies in the state Legislature will hold a hearing today over how the election was conducted. Some background on that hearing is here: jsonline.com/story/news/pol…
Thursday could prove crucial in Trump's elections lawsuits in Wisconsin bit.ly/2JVklYd
Today's hearing is going slowly.
After 30 minutes of technical troubles and a discussion of how to handle witnesses, the court is taking a 20-minute break.
After the break, U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig will likely decide how much testimony to allow.
After a two-hour break, the court is back.
Judge Brett Ludwig tells the attorneys that handing over the state's electoral votes to state lawmakers would likely be the most remarkable ruling in the history of the judiciary.
The Republican state lawmaker leading a hearing on elections won't say whether he believes Biden won in Wisconsin bit.ly/2K5Hgjw
Rep. @Ron_Tusler, the chairman of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections, said he would not vote early in person in the spring election, as he did in November, because he no longer believes the procedure is being conducted legally by officials around the state.
Asked if he wanted to have the Legislature change how the state’s electoral votes will be cast, Tuslersaid “I’m undecided on that right now."
He acknowledged any change would have to happen before the Electoral College meets Monday & doing so would be difficult.
Preparations are under way for Dane County’s recount at the Monona Terrace.
“The first day is slow. The first day is not ideal, and then it picks up pace.” — @samcdonell, the Dane County clerk and chair of the county’s Board of Canvassers.
Today they are starting to count the number of ballots and absentee envelopes. They won’t start tallying votes until tomorrow. They’ll use high-speed tabulating machines to do that.