Guest by post by Bob Unruh
This article originally appeared on WND.com
Their ‘lack of respect for longstanding institutional process is reckless’
In the most recent election for the state Supreme Court in Wisconsin, a liberal defeated the conservative candidate, giving that ideological group the 4-3 majority for the first time in years.
So the liberals did what liberals do: They met secretly, took control of the decision-making without even consulting the other three justices on the bench, and started firing employees.
Now they’re getting slammed by the chief justice for their overreaching power grab.
“The court’s action today violates the Wisconsin Constitution which endows the chief justice with administrative authority. The authority of the chief justice is being undermined and eroded unlike any time in this court’s history. … This lack of respect for longstanding institutional process is reckless,” said Chief Justice Annette Ziegler in a statement after the four liberals voted, without consulting anyone else, to fire Randy Koschnick, the director of the state courts.
“A vote of four may dictate decisions of our court, but those votes are taken during formally noticed court conferences scheduled by the chief justice; no such conference has occurred,” Ziegler said. “Apparently several of my colleagues do not think court conferences are necessary to conduct court business when there is a pre-ordained determination. Their actions today effectively silence those members of the court who have not been privy to these secret discussions.”
The change in direction by the court came about because Janet Protasiewicz, a liberal, was sworn into office on Tuesday, replacing conservative Pat Roggensack, who retired.
Koschnick confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation there had been no complaints about his work.
“The unauthorized action taken today by some of my colleagues firing Director of State Courts Randy Koschnick is flawed procedurally, legally, and on its merits,” Ziegler said. “As chief justice, I contemplated actions I might take to attempt to stop this unauthorized action, but given my colleagues’ reckless conduct, other court employees would also become victims of this unauthorized action.”
She pointed out the decision was made by the four “without regard for the Constitution, case law, or supreme court rules which address who can fill such a position of public trust.”
“And what is the rush ….? What is the purpose of doing such an unauthorized action as the first order of business for the 2023-24 term? I have not been made aware of any urgent issues that would require the immediate removal of Director Koschnick.”
She said, “My colleagues’ unprecedented dangerous conduct is the raw exercise of overreaching power. It is shameful.”
Copyright 2023 WND News Center
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