MILWAUKEE — National attention is on Tennessee where the GOP-led State House expelled two Democrats for protesting against gun violence on the house floor.
Could something like this happen here in Wisconsin? Republicans gained a supermajority in the state Senate after Dan Knodl won the District 8 seat in Tuesday's election.
We reached out to Senator-Elect Knodl unsuccessfully to get his take on reports that while running for office, he said he would be open to removing judicial officials from office, including Supreme Court-elect Janet Protasiewicz.
We also caught up with Gov. Tony Evers while he was visiting Waukesha. We asked him about the likelihood that it could happen here. He replied, "Well I believe not and I know he's walked that back some, but at the end of the day, we need to work together."
Something Majority Leader of the Wisconsin State Senate, Devin Lemahieu, has echoed. A representative in his Madison office told us by phone Friday, the senator has no interest in removing anyone from office without substantial cause.
According to state law spotted by UW-Milwaukee Political Professor Mordecai Lee, it would take a two-thirds majority to expel an Assembly or Senate member for contempt and disorderly behavior.
Only two lawmakers have ever been disciplined by the state legislature, one senator for homicide and another for refusing to withdraw "disloyal" floor statements.
Looking at what happened in Tennessee, three representatives were protesting for stricter gun laws on the house floor, and two of those Democrats were expelled. Gov. Evers believes there is more to it than just that. "And why? What was the difference? And obviously, if you look at the three of them, it's the color of their skin."
Attorney James Hall, who served as the President of the NAACP Milwaukee Chapter from 2010-2014, agrees. "I think altogether the action was undemocratic and racial and its dangerous, in fact," said Hall.
Hall believes it would be a grave mistake for a supermajority to use their power this way in Wisconsin. "Well that certainly would not be politically feasible, I would answer that way. I think what happened in Tennessee will ultimately come back to bite them in the long run," he said.
One judge has faced possible impeachment, according to our state's court system biography: Levi Hubbel in 1853. The Wisconsin Historical Society states the State Assembly impeached him for judicial misconduct. The State Senate acquitted him.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.