Speaker Vos held in contempt of court for failing to produce records about GOP election investigation
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) --A Dane County judge has found the Republican leader of the Assembly in contempt of court for failing to provide records related to his review of the 2020 presidential election.
On Wednesday, Dane County Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn ruled Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) violated the state's open record laws by not turning over documents regarding the GOP-ordered election investigation.
According to the ruling, Vos will have to turn over records within 14 days and pay $1,400 a day if he fails to do so. Since the investigation is being paid by taxpayers, it's unclear who might have to foot the bill.
JUST IN: A judge finds Assembly Speaker Robin Vos in contempt for violating a court order by failing to turn over records in response to a public records lawsuit filed @weareoversight
— Emilee Fannon (@Emilee_Fannon) March 30, 2022
Order here: https://t.co/dYLsnxshTj
Under the order, Vos and the Assembly will need to locate records that were either deleted or lost. If they can't, the judge asked for an explanation.
"Each respondent shall submit evidentiary proof to a reasonable degree of certainty that they have complied with their duties under the public records law to search for responsive records created by their current and/or former contractors," the order states.
The ruling grants another victory to the liberal watchdog group American Oversight who has filed three lawsuits seeking open record requests about the taxpayer review that's being led by retire Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman.
Earlier this month, over 700 pages of records were released by Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington which reveal details how Gableman was conducting his review.
Gableman was hired by Assembly Republicans last year and was given a $676,000 taxpayer salary for the investigation. He's paid a monthly salary of $11,000.