Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Legislature is considering impeaching Justice Janet Protasiewicz, a newly elected liberal state Supreme Court justice, even before she has heard a case. This comes as the court is being asked to throw out legislative electoral maps drawn by the Republican-controlled Legislature in 2011. Protasiewicz won the election in April, giving liberals a 4-3 majority on the court. Some Republican lawmakers argue that Protasiewicz has prejudged the redistricting cases due to comments she made during her campaign. They also claim her acceptance of nearly $10 million from the Wisconsin Democratic Party disqualifies her. The court has yet to decide whether it will hear the redistricting challenges, and Protasiewicz has not indicated whether she will step aside in the cases. If she does step aside, the court would be split 3-3 between liberal and conservative justices, but conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn has previously sided with liberals on major cases. The impeachment process would require a majority vote in the Assembly and a two-thirds majority in the Senate, both of which the Republicans have. The court has no deadline for its decisions, and it remains unclear when or if impeachment proceedings might proceed.
