Dozens of recall signatures under investigation for fraud, Vos renews push for recall reform

 

MADISON Wis. (CBS 58) -- Dozens of recall signatures being investigated by the Racine County district attorney have led some residents, including Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, to call for changes to the recall process.

As a former journalist, Paul Sloth was intrigued with the petition to recall his state Representative Robin Vos (R-Rochester).

One day, just out of curiosity, Sloth began scrolling through more than 1,300 pages of recall signatures until he noticed something strange. He saw two of his family members' signatures on the petition and was almost certain they never agreed to sign them.

"Once I saw their names I instantly texted and said, hey, your name is on this thing. Did you know that?" said Sloth, who lives in Rochester.

Sloth's brother-in-law and sister in law's phony signatures join a list of dozens the Racine County District Attorney office is investigating for fraud.

"It's very concerning," said Sloth. "It didn't directly affect me. My family members were far more outraged than I realized they would be."

Because of how easily their names were added without their permission, Sloth says he wants more safeguards in place and to ensure recalls are used for legitimate reasons.

"The whole point of a recall was making sure that you go after crooked and corrupt politicians and now it's just being abused," Sloth said.  "There's no reason to recall [Vos]."

Sloth, who said he doesn't support Vos, believes voters should take their frustrations out at the ballot box instead.

Vos agrees. He renewed calls this week to reform the recall process to apply only to politicians facing criminal charges.

It comes nearly ten years after Vos first floated the idea in wake of former Gov. Scott Walker becoming the first governor in the nation's history to survive a statewide recall in 2012.

Vos also suggested finding ways to help speed up the process when verifying a voter's age and address on a recall petition.

"There's no way to verify if someone is 18, that's a problem on the ballot," Vos told reporters Tuesday. "There's no way to verify someone is actually a resident because there's not enough time in the process… So, I think a huge number of the signatures are going to be thrown out."

A majority of those involved in the recall are right-wing critics of Vos because he resisted Donald Trump's demands to take the unconstitutional step of decertifying Joe Biden's victory in 2020 -- and for not impeaching the state's chief election officer Meagan Wolfe.

An initial review of the 10,000 signatures turned in by organizers of the recall showed there were not enough valid ones to trigger a recall election, according to officials at the state Elections Commission. They fell short of about 945 signatures.

Days later, the Racine County district attorney office said they received "numerous" complaints from residents who say their signatures were forged on the recall petition. Vos also said his campaign found hundreds of duplicate names and believes "there's a ton of fraud."

Vos plans to file a challenge to the signatures by the end of the week.

Organizers of the recall maintain they've followed "strict adherence to legal and ethical guidelines" in the process. Many of the individuals who collected signatures were out of state residents.

The Racine County district attorney's office is urging people to come forward if they believe their names are on the petitions.

You can find a list of the petitions here.