2nd former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice advises Republican leader against impeachment

MADISON, Wis. — A second conservative former Wisconsin Supreme Court justice asked to investigate taking the unprecedented step of impeaching a liberal justice on Wednesday came out against it. Former Justice Jon Wilcox told The Associated Press that there was nothing to justify impeaching Justice Janet Protasiewicz, as some Republican lawmakers have floated because of comments she made during the campaign about redistricting and donations she accepted from the Wisconsin Democratic Party. But I think it’s for very serious things.” The Wisconsin Constitution reserves impeachment for “corrupt conduct in office, or for crimes and misdemeanors.” Wilcox, along with former justices David Prosser and Patience Roggensack, were tapped by Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos to look into possible impeachment. “I do not know whether the retired justices have or will collaborate with one another, as I have not given them a directive on how they are supposed to research the topic of impeachment.” Vos raised the threat of impeachment in August just after Protasiewicz joined the court, flipping majority control from conservatives to liberals for the first time in 15 years.