MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Thursday a lawsuit was filed seeking an order declaring that Wisconsin Election Commission (WEC) Administrator Meagan Wolfe is lawfully holding over in her current position.
The lawsuit, filed in Dane County Circuit Court, also claims the Senate has no power to reject her.
WATCH: AG Kaul holds press conference on lawsuit
The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate voted Thursday to fire the battleground state’s nonpartisan top elections official ahead of a 2024 presidential election.
“The story today is not what the senate has purported to do with its vote. It’s that the senate has blatantly disregarded state law in order to put its full stamp of approval on the ongoing baseless attacks on our democracy,” said Attorney General Kaul. “We are going to court to minimize the confusion resulting from today’s stunt and to protect a pillar of our democracy—the fair administration of elections.”
Democrats say the vote was held improperly and that lawmakers don’t have the authority to oust Wolfe. The issue is expected to end in a legal battle.
"We need an administrator in place that has no shadow, that everyone agrees is the administrator so that we can all move forward and prepare for the 2024 election. And yet, today's action only injects uncertainty into that process," said Dem. Senator Mark Spreitzer, District 15.
"We have rules, we have process. This is an institution that we took an oath to respect, honor," said Dem. Senator Lena Taylor, District 4. "That's not what's happening today."
The fight over who will lead the elections agency stems from persisting lies about the 2020 election and creates instability ahead of the 2024 presidential race for the state’s more than 1,800 local clerks who actually run elections.
"If they don't have confidence in our elections, we're disenfranchising voters. They're not going to go out and vote if they don't feel their vote is not going to be stolen," said Rep. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, District 9.
WATCH: Meagan Wolfe provides remarks following Senate vote to fire her
A copy of the complaint can be found below:
Wolfe Summons and Complaint by TMJ4 News
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