MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court has upheld Republican-authored lame-duck laws that curtailed the powers of the incoming Democratic attorney general. The ruling Thursday rejected arguments that the laws were unconstitutional, giving Republicans yet another victory. The Republican-controlled Legislature passed a series of laws in December 2018 designed to weaken Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul, both Democrats, before they took office in January 2019. The laws prohibit Evers from ordering Kaul to withdraw from lawsuits, give legislators the right to intervene in lawsuits without using Kaul’s Justice Department lawyers and force Kaul to get GOP legislators’ permission before settling lawsuits.
