Kevin Kennedy (FILE PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)
Kevin Kennedy, director and general counsel of the Government Accountability Board, says his group is “focused on administering the upcoming election,” and won’t respond to personal comments.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos on Tuesday said the GAB — which oversees elections, campaign finance, lobbying laws, and investigates ethics violations — is “dysfunctional, unresponsive, and totally undemocratic.”
When questioned by reporters the next day about Vos’ harsh comments, Governor Scott Walker said the issue is “not even on my radar,” but he’d look at it in the future if necessary. “From our standpoint, we’ll certainly look at it. But for us, it’s just not a priority.”
At a WisPolitics luncheon Tuesday, Speaker Vos singled out Kennedy, saying he “has to go” because “he is an embarrassment.”
Kennedy said in a statement “Speaker Vos’ statement contained several factual errors,” so the GAB is “developing a way to advise the speaker and members of the Legislature of the correct information.”
Coming out of a bioscience conference in Madison, the governor said citizens are more interested in the economy than whether to dismantle the elections agency. “Again, that’s one that I haven’t really spent much time or effort looking at that. It’s certainly something to look at in the future if that came up.” Walker says he’s focused right now on issues more relevant to Wisconsin residents.
Among other things, Vos is upset with the GAB’s new ballot design for November’s election.
Walker said he hasn’t had a conversation with Vos about those concerns.
The GAB is made up of six former judges, appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.