Assembly Speaker Vos Fights Redistricting Deposition Order

Vos Argues He Can't Be Deposed Due To Legislative Privilege, Which Protects Lawmakers From Being Sued

By
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, listens to Rep. John Nygren speak to the press Dec. 4, 2018 ahead of the Assembly gathering for an extraordinary lame duck session of the Legislature held Dec. 4 and 5, 2018, at the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison. Coburn Dukehart/Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism

Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has appealed a ruling that would force him to be questioned by attorneys representing Democratic voters in a federal redistricting lawsuit.

Vos on Friday asked that the federal court put its order on hold while he appeals to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

A three-judge panel on May 3 ruled that Vos is subject to questioning and must turn over documents as part of the lawsuit alleging the Republican-drawn maps are an unconstitutional gerrymander.

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The judicial panel on Monday rejected Vos’s request that its order be put on hold.

Vos argues he can’t be deposed due to legislative privilege, which protects lawmakers from being sued.

An attorney for Democrats says in a letter to Vos’s attorney that if does not turn over documents by May 22 and sit for a deposition on May 29 Vos will be in contempt of court.

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