MADISON, Wis. — Tuesday morning was the first time the public got to see a report from a Republican-led investigation into Wisconsin's 2020 election.
It was released moments before Michael Gablemen, a former state supreme court justice and hired as the investigation's frontman, began an hours-long presentation to the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections.
The investigation came with a $676,000 price to taxpayers. Criticism was swift, saying the report was misleading and inaccurate.
Gableman recommended dismantling the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission and made a controversial statement.
"I believe the legislature ought to take a very hard look at the option of decertification of the 2020 Wisconsin presidential election," Gableman told the committee.
The suggestion to consider decertification drew bipartisan criticism online and later clarification from legislative counsel that it is not a legal option.
The report also claimed Milwaukee, along with other cities in the state, broke the law when it accepted private grant money to run elections. The report claims the money was partisan and bribery.
"I would say that, again, the facts do not support this," Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director for Milwaukee's Election Commission, said during an interview.
Woodall-Vogg said the money went to pay poll workers, cover super high-speed ballot tabulators and a voter education campaign in light of the pandemic challenges.
Woodall-Vogg also disputed claims in the report that says the rate of Milwaukee County registered voters in nursing homes was 100%. She said in the City of Milwaukee alone it was 67%.
"We counted every single vote, and we are still defending every single vote," Woodall-Vogg said.
Governor Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul condemned the report calling it an attack on democracy.
