Molly Beck
MADISON - Wisconsin's top election officials are recommending criminal charges against more than a dozen people who helped carry out a failed recall campaign against Assembly Speaker Robin Vos.
The bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission on Feb. 27 notified 13 people that the six-member panel found probable cause they had violated election fraud laws while attempting to gather enough signatures to force a recall election against Vos.
Supporters of President Donald Trump sought to organize a recall election against Vos over the Assembly speaker's criticism of Trump and his unwillingness to break the law and undo the 2020 Wisconsin presidential election.
The commission said two recall volunteers likely violated state laws by listing false addresses on paperwork required to circulate petitions and 11 violated laws by submitting fraudulent signatures of voters in 2024.
The 13 people were notified Friday of the recommended charges that will be forwarded to the Racine County district attorney, according to the letter obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Most live out of state. Just one person has a Wisconsin address.
Wispolitics.com first reported on the letter.
Vos filed a complaint against the volunteers and recall campaign organizers, but the commission did not find sufficient evidence to show the recall leaders had violated state laws.
According to letter, Vos submitted "credible affidavits from several individuals who claim they did not sign the recall petition" but whose signature appeared on the petitions.
At the time, the recall committee blamed the forged signatures on "sabotage" and unidentified participants "recruiting individuals from outside Wisconsin."
The organizers ultimately were unsuccessful in triggering a recall election despite trying twice to do so.
Vos, 57, announced last week he would retire at the end of his current term representing Wisconsin's 63rd Assembly District.
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