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GOP Unveils Plan to Overhaul Wisconsin Elections Board

mzn37, flickr
Wisconsin Republicans on Wednesday introduced a plan to overhaul the board which oversees elections.

Republican legislative leaders on Wednesday introduced a bill that would dramatically rebuild the Government Accountability Board.  

The current panel is comprised of nonpartisan judges who oversee state elections and administer ethics laws.

The new board would be split into two commissions.  One would handle elections, the other ethics.  Commissioners would be partisan positions appointed by the governor and both parties in the legislature.

 The GOP had been talking for months about overhauling the GAB, after leaders became upset over the board's handling of recall elections in 2011 and 2012.  They were particularly angry over the board's role in helping Milwaukee prosecutors investigate Gov. Walker's campaign.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos called the GAB a failed experiment and says lawmakers will take up the plan in the next few weeks.  

Democratic state Rep. JoCasta Zamarripa of Milwaukee blasted the proposal, saying it would open the door to political cronyism and corruption.

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