** News Roundup: Bringing Transparency to Wisconsin Secret Impeachment Panel
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After nearly a month of keeping key facts about his secret impeachment panel hidden from the public, this week Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos faced a steady stream of information finally coming to light — thanks in large part to American Oversight’s work.

Vos had announced back in mid-September that he’d convened a panel of former state Supreme Court justices to advise him on the potential impeachment of Justice Janet Protasiewicz, but he had refused to name all the members or inform the public about their meetings and work. But this week, the people of Wisconsin finally learned who all was on the panel, and also that two of its members had recommended against impeachment.
* In September, American Oversight filed a lawsuit ([link removed]) alleging that the panel was a violation of the state’s Open Meetings Law, which requires that governmental bodies provide notice of meetings and hold them in open session. We also filed public records requests for related communications and documents.
* Until this week, former Justice David Prosser had been the only known member ([link removed]) of the three-person panel. During a hearing ([link removed]) in our lawsuit, he said that they had met to discuss the issue but refused to name the other members.


On Monday, American Oversight obtained records ([link removed]) from Prosser in response to our request to the secret panel. The documents indicated former Justice Patience Roggensack was also involved — and they also included ([link removed]) an Oct. 6 letter ([link removed]) from Prosser to Vos in which Prosser advised against impeachment.
* “To impeach a justice solely to delay a case or cases will be viewed as unreasonable partisan politics,” Prosser wrote.
* The release of Prosser’s opinion appeared to be a setback for Vos’ effort to remove Protasiewicz for her refusal to recuse herself from redistricting-related cases. “Republican lawmakers in this political battleground state appear to be easing off” the impeachment effort, the Washington Post reported ([link removed]) .


Then on Tuesday, Vos revealed in court filings ([link removed]) in American Oversight’s lawsuit the names ([link removed]) of the other two members.
* In a declaration ([link removed]) accompanying a brief opposing our motion for a temporary restraining order on any further secret meetings, Vos named Roggensack, as well as former Justice Jon Wilcox, who in September had told the Associated Press ([link removed]) that he was not on the panel.
* On Wednesday, Wilcox told the Associated Press ([link removed]) , “I do not favor impeachment.”
* Vos has now said ([link removed]) that he would instead be looking at how Protasiewicz rules on redistricting, signaling that he likely would not seek impeachment based on her decision not to recuse.


“But for American Overisight's quick work to seek records and challenge Speaker Vos's plan to proceed in secret, the Wisconsin people still would not know who Speaker Vos had tasked for his advisory panel, and Justice Prosser's opinion against impeachment might not have seen the light of day either,” said Heather Sawyer, American Oversight’s executive director.
* The next hearing in our open meetings lawsuit is scheduled for next Thursday, Oct. 19.

On the Records

EEOC Commissioner’s Communications with Anti-Abortion Groups
Records we obtained, reported on by Politico ([link removed]) , show that Andrea Lucas, a commissioner on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, solicited comments directly from prominent anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ groups regarding the EEOC’s enforcement plans.
* Last year, Bloomberg Law had reported that Lucas had used “commissioner charges” ([link removed]) — a process that allows EEOC members to start a discrimination investigation without a majority vote — to investigate companies’ abortion travel policies.
* The documents we obtained show that Lucas asked the right-wing Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) to comment on the EEOC’s intended law enforcement priorities. She also requested input from the Family Research Council, another influential religious right-wing organization.
* “It’s important to shed light on public officials who are speaking with groups at the center of that nationwide effort to roll back protections” for LGBTQ and abortion rights, Heather Sawyer told Politico.
* ADF has played a major role ([link removed]) in the wave of abortion restrictions and anti-LGBTQ measures. Recently, we wrote about documents ([link removed]) we obtained showing Florida leaders’ meetings with ADF and other right-wing groups. And you can learn more about our ongoing investigation into threats to abortion rights here ([link removed]) .

Other Stories We're Following

Election Denial and Threats to Democracy
* 'Alive and well': Election deniers linger in statewide, presidential elections (USA Today ([link removed]) )
* Mike Lindell’s lawyers say he owes ‘millions’ in fees (New York Times ([link removed]) )
* MyPillow goes dark: Mike Lindell pauses TV ads amid financial struggles (Daily Beast ([link removed]) )
* Judge in Cochise County dismisses election lawsuit related to jail tax (Arizona Republic ([link removed]) )
* Jim Jordan repeatedly pushed false stolen election rhetoric in lead-up to January 6 (CNN ([link removed]) )
* Push to hand count ballots throws a Texas county’s election administration into chaos (Votebeat ([link removed]) )


Voting Rights
* North Carolina Republicans enact voting changes that weaken governor’s ability to oversee elections (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* North Carolina Republicans override governor’s veto on key election law (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* How Florida’s sluggish voter registration process sent ex-prisoners back to jail (The Appeal ([link removed]) )
* Alabama is creating its own voter database. Experts aren’t sure that’s wise. (News from the States ([link removed]) )
* Miyares orders group to stop sending misleading election fliers in Va. (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* Warner, Kaine urge DOJ to probe Gov. Youngkin’s ‘purge’ of voter rolls (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* National anti-gerrymandering group gives Ohio redistricting failing grade (Ohio Capital Journal ([link removed]) )
* Supreme Court seems inclined to reinstate disputed South Carolina map (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* 'It keeps me up at night': Michigan officials struggle to carry out citizen-led voting changes for 2024 (NBC News ([link removed]) )


In the States
* Missouri asks Supreme Court to revive state law barring local police from helping to enforce federal gun laws (CNN ([link removed]) )
* Dan Patrick says PAC leader’s meeting with white supremacist was a “blunder,” but will keep group’s $3 million contribution (Texas Tribune ([link removed]) )
* Ark. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to face GOP-led audit over $19K lectern (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* Inmate deaths raise questions about temperatures in Oklahoma prisons (Oklahoma Watch ([link removed]) )


LGBTQ Rights
* Wisconsin GOP to vote on banning youth transgender surgery, barring transgender girls from sports (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Transgender restrictions pass Assembly with GOP votes, get hearing in Senate (Wisconsin Examiner ([link removed]) )
* Full appeals court will hear Arkansas AG’s request to reverse ruling on transgender care for minors (Arkansas Advocate ([link removed]) )
* Federal judge in Oklahoma clears the way for a ban on medical care for transgender young people (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Sex education classes often don’t include LGBTQ+ students. New restrictions could make it worse (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* ‘A mess’: Nebraska gender-affirming care in disarray as new restrictions puzzle providers (The Hill ([link removed]) )


Abortion and Reproductive Rights
* In quick reversal, Ninth Circuit will reconsider Idaho abortion case (Idaho Capital Sun ([link removed]) )
* Missouri's strict abortion ban could change. Even a GOP-led group thinks it should. (NPR ([link removed]) )
* Florida’s Republican attorney general will oppose putting abortion rights amendment on 2024 ballot (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Conservatives target Ohio to end their losing streak on abortion votes (Politico ([link removed]) )
* Abortion rights are on a winning streak at the ballot box. Ohio could test that. (19th News ([link removed]) )
* Judge’s order cancels event that would have blocked sole entrance to a Kansas abortion clinic (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Report: Abortion declined significantly in North Carolina in first month after new restrictions (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Abortion opponents are trying to deter people from traveling out of state for care (19th News ([link removed]) )
* Abortion bans complicate medical training, risk worsening OB/GYN shortages (Washington Post ([link removed]) )


Threats to Education
* Okla. board moves forward with nation’s first religious charter school (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* Texas schools chief took over Houston district, but has let underperforming charter networks expand (Texas Tribune ([link removed]) )
* Book bans in Texas spread as new state law takes effect (Texas Tribune ([link removed]) )
* Is Pennridge secretly banning books? This dad went to court to find out. (Philadelphia Inquirer ([link removed]) )
* Guns are seized in U.S. schools each day. The numbers are soaring. (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* With Moms for Liberty endorsement, ‘Science of Reading’ faces more political controversy (Education Week ([link removed]) )
* Moms for Liberty meets its match: Parents in this swing suburban district are fighting back (Salon ([link removed]) )
* Despite Ohio State Board of Education President canceling meeting, 11 members met anyway (Ohio Capital Journal ([link removed]) )
* New College of Florida dropout rate spikes, retention rate falls amid DeSantis' transition (Sarasota Herald-Tribune ([link removed]) )


Government Transparency and Public Records Law
* NC treasurer bucks Republican legislative leaders on their public records exemption (Raleigh News & Observer ([link removed]) )
* Florida settles Covid-19 public records lawsuit, agrees to release weekly data on its website again (Orlando Sentinel ([link removed]) )
* Missouri attorney general vows to complete 2022 public records requests by end of this year (Missouri Independent ([link removed]) )
* Emails support whistleblower’s claim that Arkansas governor altered public records, attorney says (Arkansas Advocate ([link removed]) )
* New Jersey’s high court weighs whether prosecutors’ group is a public agency (New Jersey Monitor ([link removed]) )


Immigration
* Texas private company paid $75 million in 1 year to bus migrants out of state, report shows (KTRK ([link removed]) )
* Texas Senate committee moves quickly to advance immigration and border legislation (Texas Public Radio ([link removed]) )
* Justice Department won’t charge border patrol agents who killed Native American man (Intercept ([link removed]) )


Trump Accountability
* Is Mar-a-Lago worth $1 billion? Trump’s winter home valuations are at the core of his fraud trial (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* After years of exaggerating his business assets, Trump confronts them in court (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* A tantalizing detail in a new Trump legal filing (Washington Post ([link removed]) )
* Donald Trump's classified documents case gets new questions from judge and attorneys (NPR ([link removed]) )
* Judge scolds prosecutors as she delays hearing for co-defendant in Trump classified documents case (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Colorado judge strikes down Trump’s attempt to toss a lawsuit seeking to bar him from the ballot (Associated Press ([link removed]) )


Jan. 6 Investigations
* Prosecution witness list grows in Trump Fulton election case (Atlanta Journal-Constitution ([link removed]) )
* Alex Jones, Ronna McDaniel potential witnesses in Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro’s Georgia trial (Associated Press ([link removed]) )
* Facing big legal bills, defendants in Georgia Trump case seek donations (New York Times ([link removed]) )
* Citing Trump's social posts, special counsel asks for juror protections in election interference case (ABC News ([link removed]) )

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