Impeachment Threat Looms Over Wisconsin Supreme Court Maps Case - The New York Times

Impeachment Threat Looms Over Wisconsin Supreme Court Maps Case - The New York Times: Justice Janet Protasiewicz’s decision to participate in a case challenging state legislative district maps could spur Republicans to impeach her.

The Wisconsin Legislature sought to intervene in an original action in the state's Supreme Court - a challenge to Wisconsin Legislative Districts. The Legislature moved to disqualify recently elected Associate Justice Janet Protasiewicz.  The state's high court is sure to soon face challenges to the electoral districts in a body   drawn to the advantage of Republican candidates, who hold a near super-majority even though in the past five years a majority of Wisconsin votes have gone to Democrats.

The Legislature moved to have Protasiewicz recuse, asserting her gratitude for the Democratic party's $9.9 million spent in support of her 11 point win  risked bias in a redistricting decision.  Some have threatened to move to impeach her before she decides a single case.  The Justice, in Wright v. Wisconsin Elections Commission refused to recuse.  In a 47 page opinion she  declared:

Allowing politics or pressure to sway my decision would betray my oath and destroy judicial independence. As [conservative former] Justice [David T.] Prosser[,Jr.]  has warned, unjustified recusal can affect the integrity of the judicial branch: "Successful recusal motions alter the composition of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, so that, in a very real sense, a party moving for a justice's recusal is trying to change the composition of the
court that will hear its case."

• GWC