Suit challenges Evers’ use of veto powers

Posted at 2:49 p.m. on August 1, 2019

The Brillion News

MADISON – The Supreme Court of Wisconsin is being asked, in a lawsuit filed on July 31, to set aside several of Governor Tony Evers’ 78 vetoes of elements of the 2019-2021 state budget bill.

Filing the suit was the conservative public interest law firm Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL).

The suit contends that Evers misused his partial veto power to create new laws never approved by the legislature.

WILL contends that Evers over-reached his power when he fundamentally changed several policies enacted by the state legislature in the budget bill.

Both houses of the state legislature have Republican majorities.

WILL President Rick Esenberg said the state’s governors have strong veto powers.

“The governor’s veto power has been used creatively, and sometimes absurdly, by governors of both parties,” Esenberg said.

More information on the lawsuit will be included in the August 8 print edition of The Brillion News. The photo accompanying this story is of Rick Esenberg.