Former President Donald Trump responded to oral arguments in the Wisconsin State Supreme Court regarding a case challenging state election maps. Democrats sought to overturn Republican-drawn legislative maps, prompting Trump to criticize the court’s involvement and share a Wall Street Journal editorial questioning the lawsuit’s timing. The lawsuit, initiated by voters, aims to have all 132 state lawmakers run for election under new maps in 2024. Trump decried “tremendous cheating” in Wisconsin. The state’s district maps were initially drawn under former Republican Governor Scott Walker, sustaining GOP majorities.
The Wall Street Journal article suggested Democrats supported Judge Janet Protasiewicz’s election to help reshape state Legislature control through redrawing political maps. It characterized the situation as a “looming judicial coup.” The legal battle in Wisconsin is crucial as the state has often been a battleground, with the upcoming 2024 election adding significance. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley questioned Democrats’ motives, highlighting the extraordinary nature of ordering elections for all 132 lawmakers mid-term. Trump had won Wisconsin in 2016, and the state certified for Biden in 2020.
Justice Protasiewicz’s comments during her campaign, labeling the legislative maps as “rigged,” prompted Republicans to consider impeachment if she didn’t recuse herself. A left-wing group’s lawsuit, claiming the impeachment panel violated state laws, was dismissed. Wisconsin’s legal scenario follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of Alabama’s Republican-drawn congressional map. The court had earlier ruled against Alabama, alleging a violation of the Voting Rights Act. The Wisconsin case, though marred by political tensions, centers on whether the districts are unconstitutionally non-contiguous and comes amid broader debates on redistricting.
