A Dane County judge has ruled that a liberal watchdog group is entitled to attorney fees in a case seeking records from the Republican-led elections investigation.
Judge Valery Bailey-Rihn said that the public got a full look at the investigation thanks to American Oversight.
“We have absolutely found out from this case, or at least my case that there was absolutely no evidence of election fraud. We have also found out that apparently the assembly and some of the leaders of the people, the States believe that they have no obligation to comply with the open records law.”
Bailey-Rihn said Republican leadership in the Legislature has shown a blatant disregard for open records laws.“They don’t understand it. They don’t follow the Attorney General Guide on the open records compliance guide, they leave it to people that they don’t train and they don’t understand what they’re supposed to do and why.”
The judge said Speaker Robin Vos and the Assembly will have to pay the fees, but declined to impose punitive damages in the case.