September 29, 2011

STATEMENT ON JCRAR HEARING

(MADISON) Senator Lena C. Taylor (D-Milwaukee), a member of the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR), issued the following statement on the Committee’s hearing this afternoon:

“Today, the GOP reinforced that they will be relentless in their attack on civil rights in Wisconsin. The Government Accountability Board interprets state law election law and that is what they did. They did not create any rules. They were an interpretation of what complied with the Voter ID Law and what is permissible under the current recall petition forms.

The hearing was the result of political pressure to protect Scott Walker from recall and keep Republicans in office. If the Committee requires the GAB to turn their interpretations into emergency rules, they will give Scott Walker the ability to veto some of the very decisions that could lead to his recall.

Recalls are a way for citizens to petition the government and the vote is their voice. Both of these principles are a part of the foundation of our democracy. The hearing today was just another blow to these principles and revealed the latest method of taking away citizens’ right to their own government.”