Community | March 29, 2011 | 14 comments

Wis. officials reject judge's order on law

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MADISON, Wis., March 29 (UPI) -- Wisconsin officials say a law stripping most public employees of collective bargaining rights is still in effect despite a judge's order not to enforce it.

Dane County Judge Maryann Sumi issued the order after a daylong hearing Tuesday, noting state officials had ignored her order last week enjoining the state from enforcing the law.


"Apparently that language was either misunderstood or ignored, but what I said was the further implementation of Act 10 was enjoined," the judge said. "That is what I now want to make crystal clear."

Speaking outside the courtroom, Assistant Attorney General Steven Means said the law "absolutely" remains in effect, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca said it was "just startling that the attorney general believes you should not follow court orders anymore," the newspaper reported.




Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/03/29/Wis-officials-reject-judges-order-on-l...


Sumi said the restraining order would be in effect through Friday, when another hearing is scheduled for a legal challenge by the Dane County prosecutor, who argues state Republican lawmakers violated the Wisconsin Open Public Meetings Law when they passed the bill.

Despite the judge's initial order last week against enforcing the law, Republican lawmakers and officials in the administration of Gov. Scott Walker, also a Republican, had the state Legislative Reference Bureau publish the law Saturday, and the next day the state began charging state employees more for their healthcare and pension benefits and stopped deducting union dues from workers' paychecks.

A state appeals court Tuesday refused a request by state Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen to withdraw an appeal he filed last week questioning Sumi's order blocking the Wisconsin secretary of state from publishing the law, a requirement under Wisconsin law for a new law to take effect, the newspaper said. Van Hollen sought to withdraw his appeal after the Legislative Reference Bureau published the law.

Administration Secretary Mike Huebsch told reporters Monday the bill became law with publication by the Legislative Reference Bureau and the state is legally required to enforce it.

Thousands of public employees demonstrated against the bill, and 14 Democratic senators blocked its passage for weeks by fleeing to Illinois, although Republicans eventually came up with the legislative workaround whose legitimacy is being disputed in court.



Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2011/03/29/Wis-officials-reject-judges-order-on-l...
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14 comments // Wis. officials reject judge's order on law

  • COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM
    • +2
      COMMONSENSEFORCOMMONGOOD_COM  

    • This is the tip of the corporatist iceberg walking away with the show, while looking into the face of any law against it, and defying it to stop them. What would you do if an intruder just stared you in the face while carrying your possessions out of your house, as you stood there and told him to stop, but he didn't?

    • 2 years ago
  • The_Wanderer_KS
  • JustZ
    • +3
      JustZ  

    • These greedy crooks have no fear. Let's give them some.

      Walker and his entire administration should be removed from their offices and arrested immediately, effectively putting every other state on notice that crooks... even elected crooks... go to jail in the new America.

    • 2 years ago
  • SFirman
  • scooter3282
  • sharin
    • +4
      sharin  

    • Under Wisconsin law, someone who intentionally defies a court order is in contempt of court, and can be fined up to $2,000 for each day that they disobey the court or imprisoned for up to six months

    • 2 years ago
  • timetide
  • bike10
  • thefewbutproud
  • SFirman
  • sffsmessiah
    • +3
      sffsmessiah  

    • This is a corporate-financed coup d'etat where the media convinces people to vote against their interests to elect a group whose motivation is to write whatever law they want and use the mechanisms of government (while ignoring others) to impose their worldview as the status quo.

      Bad times.

    • 2 years ago
  • Weasel_Boy64
    • -1
      Weasel_Boy64  

    • Yeah Yeah .... and so goes the next chapter of our latest decline into a third world nation!

      Do any of you here really think any current efforts are going to curtail Corporate interest in buying that which they want out of the politicians who make it into office? (I would say elected to office if truly believed the vote worked as it should.)

      Liars and con-men, with the gift of gab become politicians, and thus become the next class to lead us into downfall as long as it lines their pockets. Both sides, DEMS and REPS!!!

      Has hacking websites made any difference? When caught, they can use national security coverage to silence and hold you indefinitely, and they will!

      Did demonstrating stop anything from going through? It only slowed it down by just a bit!

      We gather here and vent our frustration and who do think really hears it? Do you think anyone other than us listens? Maybe the other side watches to see signs of organizing, or anything that may appear to be a threat, but that is about it.

      MSNBC was once a progessive liberal voice and look what happened there! HuffPost used to be a congregating spot for liberals ... and now?

      "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."

      "Amendment I
      Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

      It has become clear that it is due time to submit our petition of grievances, and if that gets no response ...... then.....

    • 2 years ago
  • Chukarhunter
  • Seauvan
    • +7
      Seauvan  

    • Leave it to the Republicans to change the rules as they see fit! It is publication by the Secretary of State in the official state newspaper that is required for the law to take effect, NOT the Legislative Reference Bureau. That's like saying a law passed by Congress can take effect without the President's signature or a veto override as long as it is cataloged by the Library of Congress.

      The Republicans are turning Wisconsin into a national laughing stock.

    • 2 years ago

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