Politics

Wisconsin Republicans are threatening to impeach recently elected liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz if she does not recuse herself from upcoming cases related to the state's gerrymandered legislative maps. Speaker Robin Vos suggested Protasiewicz has pre-judged the issue, which could warrant impeachment. Democrats warned that Republicans will go to extreme lengths to undermine the will of voters after Protasiewicz took a seat that had been held by conservatives for 15 years. Her comments calling the maps "rigged" and "unfair" prompted the GOP impeachment threats. However, voting rights groups argued the recusal demand stems merely from Republican unhappiness with losing their gerrymandered advantage rather than real pre-judgment. The standoff raises alarming questions about political interference in the state's highest court.