Wisconsin judge sets December hearing on blocking election subpoena

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A judge on Monday set a December hearing on whether to block a subpoena demanding records from state elections officials.

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman sent subpoenas earlier this month to the Wisconsin Elections Commission and the state’s five largest cities demanding election records and ordering officials, including WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe, to appear for private interviews Friday.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has hired Gableman to investigate the results of the 2020 election, even though recounts and court rulings have confirmed Democrat Joe Biden won the state.

Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul on Thursday asked a judge to issue a restraining order nullifying the subpoenas Gableman sent to the elections commission, saying the subpoenas are too board and Gableman can’t interview subjects in private. Gableman later agreed to cancel the interviews and accept a limited amount of documents from the cities.

Dane County Judge Rhonda Lanford held a status hearing on the restraining order Monday. Attorneys for Vos and Gableman said they had just been retained within the last 12 hours and hadn’t had time to review the case. Assistant Attorney General Gabe Johnson-Karp said there’s no urgency on a restraining order since Gableman has backed off on his interview demands.

Lanford set a hearing for Dec. 23 on whether to issue an injunction permanently blocking the subpoenas.