March 18, 2011

Not so fast!, judge tells Walker and GOP

Was it really this easy?

Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi today undid -- albeit temporarily -- Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature Republicans' end run around collective bargaining.

And while all she did was issue a temporary restraining order preventing publication -- and therefore implementation -- of Walker's so-called "budget repair" bill, Sumi said that Dane County District Atty. Ismael Ozanne is likely to win on the merits of his lawsuit claiming violation of the state's Open Meetings law.

"It seems to me the public policy behind effective enforcement of the open meeting law is so strong that it does outweigh the interest, at least at this time, which may exist in favor of sustaining the validity of the (law)," she said, according to the Journal Sentinel.

Walker's lawyers promise to appeal, so hold the celebration. In any case, Judge Sumi said the Legislature has the right to come back into session -- after giving proper notice, of course -- and pass the bill again.


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