Wisconsin State Sen. Scott Fitzgerald Lies about Overseas Servicemembers as GOP Blocks Elections

Updated:

AG @BradSchimel says Legislature is giving up its plans to pass a bill to cancel special elections. https://t.co/JmKUpEm4IN

— Patrick Marley (@patrickdmarley) March 29, 2018

Wisconsin State Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, (R-Juneau, Wisconsin) spoke a blatant falsehood in defense of the unprecedented Republican effort to block elections disenfranchising over 229,000 Wisconsinites.

As reported in the Wisconsin State Journal today:

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, testified at the hearing that anywhere from 85 to 150 overseas voters, including some in the military, could be disenfranchised if the special elections proceed under the timeline set up in current state law. He noted there were no overseas ballots cast in the 10th Senate District special election in January, which was called 10 weeks in advance of the election.

"This is a real group that could be disenfranchised if this bill doesn’t pass," said Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald is lying, lying to all Wisconsinites, including military and overseas votes.

Point One: Without special elections that Scott Walker has refused to call, all constituents of the two vacant legislative districts have been and are disenfranchised. Every constituent has been disenfranchised since Walker refused to call elections the last three-plus months.

Point Two: On a previous lie on March 23, Fitzgerald said, "After consulting with DoJ and other, we have decided it's best to move forward on an extraordinary session in order to clean up the statute on special elections ensure that it aligns with the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act."

Bull.

The Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act (MOVE) is a federal law with which Wisconsin is in full compliance, and is aligned.

MOVE mandates states and territories transmit ballots for federal elections "to absent uniformed services and overseas voters no later than 45 days before federal elections."

The next Wisconsin federal election is on Aug. 14. This means the state must mail ballots on or before June 30, 45 days prior to Aug 14.

If special state elections are held in June, May, or any other month, the state will continue to be in compliance with MOVE and related regulations and consent degrees.

MOVE does not apply to Wisconsin's Spring elections and special state elections because there are no federal elections involved.

Fitzgerald's latest ploy is a red herring meant to district from the fact he and Scott walker are illegally disenfranchising overseas servicemembers and 100,000s of other citizens for the benefit of the Republican Party.

That Fitzgerald is now disgracing the service of our armed forces by lying and blocking elections is a disgrace.

Wonder if Fitzgerald asked overseas servicemembers if they serve so Republicans can block elections.