Court Hearing Reveals Shocking Lack of Oversight of Republicans’ Costly Sham Election Review

MADISON, Wis. — In sworn court testimony, a top aide to Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos revealed a shocking lack of oversight of the costly sham review of the long ago decided 2020 election. In response to questioning, Steve Fawcett, the staff person designated as the point of contact between Vos’ office and the inquiry manager Michael Gableman, reported that he did not ensure state laws were being complied with and does not know if contractual obligations are being fulfilled by the inquiry staff being paid with public tax dollars.

“Representative Vos and his staff might not have any idea what’s going on with their costly sham election review,” commented A Better Wisconsin Together Executive Director Chris Walloch. “But most of us know the right-wing faction behind this sham needs to stop wasting our money, stop wasting our time and stop trying to sabotage our elections.”

Fawcett was testifying in court at a hearing on a lawsuit brought by the watchdog group American Oversight questioning if Representative Vos and members of the sham inquiry he authorized, run by Michael Gableman, are complying with Wisconsin’s open records law.

According to reports of his testimony, Fawcett indicated “… he had not initially asked Gableman to search his records in response to requests from American Oversight … Fawcett said he did not give Gableman any parameters for how to conduct his search of records and did not do anything to ensure he had turned over all relevant records.”

When further pressed about the apparent lack of records being turned over in response to requests for information, Vos’ aide is reported to have replied, “I don’t know how they conduct their business.”

Asked if Gableman was making weekly reports about his findings, as required in the contract that will cost taxpayers at least $670,000, Fawcett replied, “I have no idea” and further indicated he has never visited the office being rented for the inquiry and in fact does not even know where it is.