Wisconsin Constitution states that any recall to the governor or the lieutenant governor would apply independently of each other. That’s the conclusion of state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, who issued his formal opinion to clarify the matter (Thursday) at the request of the Government Accountability Board.
“The fact of the matter is it’s not going to slow down or stop the recall of Scott Walker or Rebecca Kleefisch,” says Graeme Zielinski with the Wisconsin Democratic Party. He says try as they might, Republicans “will not stop the people from being heard.”
Recall organizers would have to circulate separate petitions to recall Kleefisch. Zielinski says “They can make us collect these signatures hopping on one leg and squinting with our arms tied behind our back. The recall of Scott Walker and Rebecca Kleefisch is going to happen.”
Democrats want to recall the governor because of his plan to severely limit collective bargaining, along with state funding cuts to education and the controversial voter ID legislation. Voters would be able to choose whether they wanted to recall both constitutional officers, or just one or the other.
Just over 540,000 signatures are needed to trigger a recall of Walker, and the same amount for Kleefisch. That’s one-quarter of the total votes cast for governor in November 2010. Recall organizers plan to start circulating petitions November 15th. They will have 60 days to collect the signatures required by law.
AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report 1:23
