Republicans Wish Protasiewicz Would Recuse Herself From Redistricting Lawsuit

Five of Wisconsin’s Republican members of Congress, along with the GOP-controlled Legislature, are asking the newest liberal member of the state Supreme Court not to hear a redistricting lawsuit that seeks to redraw congressional maps ahead of the November election. The court has not yet decided whether to hear the case filed this month by the Elias Law Group, a Democratic law firm based in the nation’s capital. The court has already overturned Republican-drawn state legislative maps and is in the process of determining what the new lines will be. The new lawsuit argues that decision last month ordering new state legislative maps opens the door to the latest challenge focused on congressional lines. Republicans asked in that case for Justice Janet Protasiewicz to recuse herself, based on comments she made during her campaign calling the legislative maps “rigged” and “unfair.” She refused to step aside and was part of the 4-3 majority in December that ordered new maps.