So much for the Republicans’ magic wand idea to seize control of Wisconsin
Just as it was becoming clear to everyone that Georgia Republicans were never going to be able to magically remove Fulton County DA Fani Willis from office, Wisconsin Republicans began bragging that they were going to magically remove Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz from office.
While it’s always been clear that Georgia Republicans were never even trying to remove Fani Willis, and just wanted to score cheap political points with their base by acting like they were trying to remove her, the Wisconsin situation is a bit murkier. But over the past couple weeks I’ve tried to point out that Republicans don’t have a magic wand in that state either. Even if they’re serious about trying to remove Protasiewicz, that would be an uphill battle for them – and one that we can fight back against every step of the way.
To that end, today a Wisconsin oversight panel declined Republicans’ request that it investigate Protasiewicz for potential removal from office. This doesn’t mean the whole thing is over. The Republican state legislature can still try to hold impeachment hearings and go that route. The Republicans are insisting they already have the votes to remove her, but Republicans always start every process by publicly insisting that they have the votes, whether they do or not – and there’s no indication that they have the votes for removal.
In any case it’s more important than ever to remember that there are never, ever, ever any magic wands that the Republicans can use for instantly and automatically getting their way (in politics there are never any magic wands on either side). Republicans announcing that they’re going to remove a Supreme Court Justice, and Republicans actually pulling it off, are two very different things.
This is why you don’t ever cower to Republicans when they threaten to get their way via magic wand. You don’t say “Oh no they’re going to get away with it all, we’re doomed!” If you take that approach, you’re merely signaling to Republicans that you’re going to lay down and complain instead of fighting them, which only emboldens them to try more of these kinds of things.
The only proper approach to a Republican threat is to say “Okay, if that’s how you want to play it, then by all means go for it, but we will fight you and we will defeat you.” Anything else is an invitation for them to come at us more aggressively.
