After the initial attempt failed to gather enough signatures due to Robin Vos’s refusal to decertify the outcome of Wisconsin’s 2020 presidential election, supporters of former President Donald Trump claim they have now collected sufficient signatures to trigger a recall election for Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.
Vos, who has been the state’s longest-serving speaker since 2013, has come under fire from fellow Republicans, including President Trump, for his stance on not decertifying the state’s 2020 presidential election results. Additionally, Vos resisted calls to impeach Megan Wolfe, the administrator of the Wisconsin Election Commission.
An earlier effort to remove Vos in April fell short of the required signatures. The deadline for submitting signatures for the second recall petition is May 28.
The campaign is being led by Matthew Snorek of Burlington and former state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman. Allegations against Vos have expanded to include accusations of corruption and inappropriate ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Charges, Counter-Charges
Vos, who successfully defended his position against a primary challenge in 2022, has referred to his critics as “whack jobs” and “morons.”
Vos has claimed that the original petition contained duplicate signatures, missing or incorrect information, and names of individuals who did not actually sign the petition, including his own name. He accused out-of-state organizers, including Democrats, of boosting the effort.
In response, Gableman alleged in a livestream on May 20 that Vos had circulated misleading information about the petition and had inappropriate connections with a group linked to the CCP.
The Wisconsin Election Commission will review the petition to determine the validity of the signatures once it is submitted. If a recall election is held, there is uncertainty about who would be eligible to vote due to changes in Assembly district boundaries since the last election.
The Election Commission has sought clarity from the Wisconsin Supreme Court on the district for a potential recall election, but the Court has declined to provide guidance. If more than two candidates participate in a recall election, a primary election would take place on Aug. 6, with the recall election scheduled for Sept. 3.
The primary election for the November general election is set for Aug. 13, with Vos currently running unopposed for the Republican nomination.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
