Michael Gableman Statement on Robin Vos Recall
Delivered at Wisconsin Election Commission (WEC) Office Building, Madison, 6-19-2024
Click here for Gableman Investigative Report
We stand before you today untied in our resolve to uphold the principles of democracy and to ensure that the voices of the people are heard. The recall petition against Speaker Robin Vos is a testament to the power of the people and their right to hold their elected officials accountable. We demand that the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) set a date for the recall election on Tuesday, July 30th, 2024.
Our effort to gather the necessary signatures have been met with numerous challenges and unfounded allegations. Despite these obstacles, we have successfully collected over 9,000 signatures-well above the required threshold of 6,850. These signatures represent the voices of the citizens of the 63rd Assembly District who demand change and accountability.
It is crucial to address a fundamental issue with Speaker Vos’s challenge to our recall petition: Vos did not follow the law and his response cannot be considered. According to Wisconsin Administrative Code EL 20.03(5), “The complainant, not the complainant’s representative, shall verify the allegation of the complaint. The complainant verifies the complaint by signing a statement under oath before a notary public or other person authorized to administer oaths.” This requirement clearly states that a lawyer cannot sig the challenge on behalf of the complainant. However, Vos did not sign the complaint and instead, allowed his attorney to do so on his behalf. Vos’s failure to comply with this requirement makes his challenge procedurally deficient and illegitimate.
Despite this, Speaker Vos has attempted to subvert this democratic process by challenging the validity of our petition through his attorney. He has alleged but shown no evidence of fraud and procedural irregularities, and we stand firm in our commitment to the truth. The signatures we gathered are legitimate, and the people who signed our petition did so with full knowledge of its purpose.
It is important to note that even after their extensive challenges, Vos’s team seems to have conceded that we have over 7,000 valid signatures. This is more than enough to meet the required threshold for a recall election. This acknowledgment by Vos’s own team further underscores the legitimacy of our recall petition.
The burden of proof is, was and always has been, on Vos’s team to substantiate any claims they make against our petition. They have repeatedly tried to shift this burden onto us despite their challenge being illegitimate. They have not proven any of their allegation. Despite their best efforts to undermine our petition, they have failed to present credible evidence to support their claims.
We must highlight a critical issue that undermines the fairness of this process. Attorney James Witecha of the Wisconsin Election Commission has been providing guidance to Vos’s legal team, potentially subverting the statutes and laws designed to ensure a fair recall process. How can we expect a fair shot at this recall when Vos’s attorney openly states he is being guided by WECV and Administrator Wolf? This raises serious concerns about the impartiality of the WEC and the integrity of the recall process.
It is particularly troubling that this recall was initially driven by Speaker Vos’s protection of Meagan Wolfe from impeachment. Now, it looks even worse that Wolfe and the WEC are seemingly going against the law and statutes to assist Vos in fending off this recall. This situation not only undermines any trust left in our democratic institutions but also highlights a serious conflict of interest that must be addressed.
We cannot and will not allow the voice of the people of District 63 to be silenced. This recall is not just about one individual-it is about the fundamental right of the citizens to hold their elected representatives accountable. The attempts to dismiss our petition and deny the people their constitutional right to a recall election are unacceptable and undemocratic.
The allegations of fraud have been thoroughly debunked. The claims of out-of-district signatures have been disproven by John Von Haden’s meticulous work. He demonstrated that the vast majority of the signatures in question were indeed legitimate residents of the 63rd Assembly District. Furthermore, the instances labeled as fraud were merely citizens assisting their loved ones in signing the petition-a practice that is both legal and ethical, and was noted at the time by the signature collector.
It is clear that our petition is valid, and it is time for the Wisconsin Election Commission to act. We demand that the WEC set the date for the recall election for Tuesday, July 30th. The people of the 63rd Assembly District have spoken, and their voices must be heard and honored. Any further delay is a direct affront to their constitutional rights and a betrayal of the democratic principles we hold dear.
Let us not forget that this recall is about preserving the integrity of our elections and democracy and ensuring that our elected officials are accountable to the people they serve. The Wisconsin Election Commission must act now to certify our petition and schedule the recall election without further delay.
We will not be silenced. We will not be denied out rights. The time to act is now. We call upon the WEC to uphold the principles of democracy and set the recall election date for Tuesday, July 30th.