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Conservatives in a key battleground state were not victorious in winning a Supreme Court seat on Tuesday, but they managed to do much better in a state Senate race.
“Republican state Rep. Dan Knodl defeated a Democratic attorney to win an open Senate seat in Tuesday’s special election, creating a GOP supermajority in the chamber that could be used to impeach Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and other office holders,” US News reported.
Knodl won the 8th District race against Democratic lawyer Jodi Habush Sinykin, representing Milwaukee’s northern suburbs, a seat that has historically leaned Republican. The seat became vacant after Alberta Darling, the longtime Republican incumbent, decided to retire in November, prompting Evers to call for a special election.
“This campaign has always been about focusing on the issues, like rising prices, crime, and education, and I am incredibly grateful to the voters of the 8th Senate District for placing their trust in me to represent them in the Wisconsin State Senate,” Knodl said in a statement Wednesday, the outlet reported.
“Whether you voted for me or my opponent, I intend to resolutely and faithfully represent all of my constituents,” he added.
Wisconsin Republicans threaten to impeach newly elected Democratic State Supreme Court justice: report via AlterNet https://t.co/neFynrWwL0
— Jeffrey Levin 🇺🇦 (@jilevin) April 5, 2023
With Knodl’s victory, Republicans in the Wisconsin Senate now hold 22 out of 33 seats in the chamber, providing them with the required number of votes to override a gubernatorial veto. However, a successful override requires a two-thirds vote in both the Senate and the Assembly, where Republicans remain two seats short of the 66 seats required.
The win also provides Senate Republicans with enough votes to convict a civil officer, including the governor, other constitutional officers like the attorney general, and judges in impeachment trials. However, Knodl has stated that he probably would not endorse an attempt to impeach Evers, US News reported.
The state constitution provides for the impeachment of civil officers, including the governor, lieutenant governor, and judges. According to a February analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau, other constitutional officers, such as the attorney general and the state schools superintendent, can also be impeached.
“Knodl has said he’s not interested in impeaching Evers, saying he has been able to work with the governor. But he said he wants to impeach Milwaukee judges for being too lenient on criminal defendants. That list could include Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz, he said. She won Tuesday’s election to the Supreme Court and will take the seat in August,” US News noted further.
Knodl is also targeting Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm, whom Republicans have accused of being too lenient on crime. They have been calling for his removal for years, and their calls grew louder when Chisholm acknowledged that his office’s bail request for Darrell Brooks Jr., who has been charged in the Waukesha parade tragedy, was far too low.
In November 2021, Chisholm’s office requested bail of $1,000 for Darrell Brooks Jr. after he allegedly attempted to run over his ex-girlfriend with his SUV. The judge agreed to the request and Brooks was released from jail after posting the bail. Days later, Brooks drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, which is a Republican stronghold, killing six people and injuring dozens more.
Chisholm has stated that one of his assistant prosecutors handling Brooks’ case did not have access to his risk assessment and, therefore, should not have requested such a low bail amount.
On the bail front, conservatives came out on top on Tuesday as well regarding a pair of ballot issues.
Wisconsin voters have approved two constitutional amendments aimed at reforming the state’s bail system. One amendment allows judges to detain individuals accused of serious or violent crimes, as well as set higher bail amounts. The other amendment permits judges to consider additional factors beyond an accused person’s likelihood of returning to court.
Both amendments passed with around 67% and 68% of the vote, respectively. The move towards bail reform in Wisconsin comes after criticism of the state’s cash bail system, highlighted by the Waukesha attack.
