RILEY VETTERKIND
The Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday declined a request from Republicans to adopt new redistricting rules meant to keep litigation over drawing the state s next political maps in the state Supreme Court.Â
The decision, handed down via an unsigned order, represents a defeat for Republicans as Wisconsin lawmakers gear up to draw the state s next set of 10-year maps in a political environment that is already more difficult for the GOP given they have lost control of the governor s office since the last map-drawing process 10 years ago. The court determined that, as drafted, the procedures proposed in this administrative rule petition are unlikely to materially aid this court s consideration of an as yet undefined future redistricting challenge, and voted to deny the petition, the court said. In the decision, however, justices said the denial of the petition doesn t predict whether the court would bypass lower courts to take up a redistricting case,
Restoring Democracy in Wisconsin
Jeff Mandell
Wisconsin was the leading progressive state for a century until the 2010 election of Scott Walker, GOP majorities in both houses of the legislature and the most gerrymandered districts in the county. A three-judge federal panel, with two judges appointed by Republican presidents, ruled our legislative districts to be unconstitutional. Law Forward is a non-profit, non-partisan, impact litigation firm focused on advancing and protecting democracy in Wisconsin. Off the Cuff spoke with Law Forwardâs founder Jeff Mandell. A graduate of the University of Chicago law school, Mandell moved to Madison with his wife in 2015 because it âwas a place where we could raise our kids that reflected our values.â
Archdiocese sues Wisconsin over prisoner visit restrictions
Jail bars and court gavel
MADISON, Wis. (AP) The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has filed a lawsuit demanding that Wisconsin corrections officials relax COVID-19 protocols and allow ministers to visit inmates.
Conservative law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed the lawsuit Friday on behalf of the archdiocese in Jefferson County.
The lawsuit alleges that the Department of Corrections adopted a policy in March 2020 banning volunteer visits, preventing clergy from the archdiocese from meeting in-person with inmates to provide spiritual guidance, communion and penance.
The filing contends the policy violates a state law that grants clergy of all faiths weekly visits with inmates and inmates freedom of religion.
By Tom King
May 8, 2021 6:54 AM
MILWAUKEE, WI (WSAU) A couple of groups have filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Corrections over a policy that did not allow any visits to prisoners since March of 2020 because of the pandemic.
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the conservative Wisconsin Institute For Law & Liberty filed the suit this week in Jefferson County.
The DOC is still not allowing clergy members to visit even if they have been vaccinated and the groups say that the prisoners constitutional rights are being violated as some religious services cannot be given virtually.
A spokesman for the DOC said “they are committed to expanding in-person visitation at the earliest possible time and as soon as health experts deem it safe to do so.”