Coverage of Michael Gableman and the 2020 elections investigation

Michael Gableman has been fired, marking an end to the more than $1.1 million taxpayer-funded, GOP-ordered review that has failed to uncover any evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

"We’ll never get to the end of the question because you’re expecting more than what this individual and the organization was prepared — and able — to deliver," Dane County Circuit Court Judge Frank Remington said.

Remington also ruled that the office had met the conditions necessary to remove Remington's previous contempt order, but ordered the office to pay $24,000 in penalties for the 12 days it took the office to satisfy the purge conditions.

The lawsuit was filed last year following Gableman's request that the Waukesha County sheriff compel the mayors of Madison and Green Bay to meet with him or else face jail time.

A letter sent Thursday to Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway signed by Vos, R-Rochester, and Assembly Chief Clerk Ted Blazel indicates the subpoena issued last year "is withdrawn and all obligations for compliance are terminated."

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Ralph Ramirez's brief says "the case is dismissed in its entirety without costs being assessed to any party."

The federal DOJ issued a statement of interest Thursday in the case, stating that the federal Voting Rights Act and Americans with Disabilities Act guarantee voters with disabilities a right to receive ballot return assistance.

Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul vowed to aggressively prosecute anyone who attacks or harasses election workers as he proclaimed his faith in the state’s election system.

The $1.3 million request would cover 10 full-time positions to staff the new program, which aims to handle the rising number of public records requests and complaints filed with the agency since the 2020 presidential election.

Club for Growth's independent expenditure group shelled out millions between July 26 and Aug. 5 on television, radio and digital ads targeting Kleefisch, who served two terms under former Gov. Scott Walker.

Under the guidance, clerks do not need to confirm a person's disability or the identity of the voter or assistor to accept the ballot.

Conservatives currently hold a 4-3 majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but conservative Justice Patience Roggensack will not seek another term in April, meaning the court's power dynamic could shift next year. 

The poll also found the race for governor tightening, with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers tallying 47% support and Republican Tim Michels with 44%.

Harris' trip to Wisconsin will come less than two months before a heated Nov. 8 general election in the state that sees contested races for governor, U.S. Senate and attorney general.

The lawsuit argues the subpoena "imposes an undue burden, seeks to infringe on Speaker Vos’ legislative immunity from civil process, lacks a lawful purpose, and was issued from an unlawful Committee."

The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission couldn't agree Monday on what to tell the state's local election officials about how to handle poll watchers.

Between the primary election and early October, Barnes' campaign focused on positive ads while other Democratic groups aired negative Johnson ads.

Janel Brandtjen, who has clashed with the state's top legislative Republicans, said she left a closed GOP meeting because of family commitments.

"I want to win, and we lose with Trump," Former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said on ABC. "It was really clear to us in '18, in '20 and now in 2022."

Brandtjen was unseated from her position after using it over the last year to provide a platform to conspiracy theorists and deniers of the results of Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election.