MADISON, Wis. — In response to reports that a secret panel empowered by Robin Vos to advise Republican politicians on the impeachment of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz recommended against impeachment, Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler issued the following statement:

“Wisconsin has now learned that even Robin Vos’ own secret impeachment advisor has told him not to impeach Justice Protasiewicz—that there is no evidence to warrant impeachment, and that such an impeachment would appear ‘solely partisan,’ ‘unreasonable partisan politics,’ and would ‘backfire.’ This advice from former Justice David Prosser preceded last Friday’s well-reasoned opinion by Justice Protasiewicz dissecting the arguments for her recusal and making clear that she is bound by her oath to consider the case before her. Speaker Vos owes it to the people of Wisconsin to immediately clarify whether he intends to pursue a groundless, unprecedented, and unconstitutional impeachment. 

“Until he does so, Wisconsin voters will know that he and his caucus are continuing their outrageous campaign of political extortion and threats to nullify a landslide election, and the public will continue to weigh in to urge him and his colleagues to respect the will of Wisconsin voters. Thousands of Wisconsinites have already urged their Republican legislators to pull back from the brink of a constitutional crisis. The public’s fury at the GOP’s threat of election subversion will only grow until Vos removes his finger from the nuclear button.” 

ICYMI — Key quotes from Robin Vos’s impeachment advisor David Prosser:

“Justice Protasiewicz is not accused of any crime or misdemeanor. Consequently, the issue is whether Justice Protasiewicz can be impeached for ‘corrupt conduct in office.’ I do not see any evidence of ‘corrupt conduct’ after Justice Protasiewicz took office as a member of the Supreme Court on August 1, 2023.”

“Impeachment that appears to be solely partisan will likely backfire.”

“To impeach a justice solely to delay a case or cases will be viewed as unreasonable partisan politics.”

“​​There should be no effort to impeach Justice Protasiewicz on anything we know now.”