A Dane County judge has granted the Government Accountability Board an extension to certify recall petitions against three Democratic state Senators. The decision by Judge John Markson was to grant the one week extension sought by the GAB’s Kevin Kennedy, to allow his staff to finish work on petitions seeking the recalls of Senators Bob Wirch, Jim Holperin and Dave Hansen. “We’ll work this weekend, and the board’s meeting is going to be on Wednesday the 8th, and we expect to have all the materials for the board’s review before that meeting,” said Kennedy.
While Judge Markson did grant the extension, he did not order GAB to set the same date for recalls against the three Democrats and the six Republicans who’ve also been targeted. Noting that challenges and primaries could derail any such requirement, Markson said any such order by him would “be highly doubtful from a practical standpoint.”
Recall Wirch organizer Dan Hunt – who last week called for Kennedy’s resignation – said the judge’s decision was expected, since the GAB had requested the action late last Friday. Hunt is confident the agency will certify the recall against Wirch, noting they submitted 18,300 signatures, more than enough even in the face of challenges. But asked whether he still thinks Kennedy ought to resign, Hunt said “I do.”