GOP VOTE VIEWED AS EFFORT TO WEAKEN NEW GOVERNOR

Lame-duck move in Wisconsin ripped by Democrats.

MADISON, WIS. — Wisconsin Republicans weathered protests, internal disagreement and Democratic opposition Wednesday to pass far-reaching legislation that would shift power to the GOP-controlled Legislature and weaken the Democrat who defeated Republican Gov. Scott Walker last month.

The vote, coming after an all-night debate, was the culmination of a lame-duck legislative session aimed at reducing the authority of the office Republicans will lose in January. Gov.-elect Tony Evers and Democratic Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul warned that resulting lawsuits would bring more grid- lock when the new admin- istration takes over.

Walker has signaled his support for the bill. He has 10 days to sign the package from the time it’s delivered to his office.

Republicans lost all statewide races in the midterm elections amid strong Democratic turnout. But they retained legislative majorities thanks to what Demo- crats say are gerrymandered districts that tilt the map.

“Wisconsin has never seen anything like this,” Evers said in a statement Wednes- day. “Power-hungry politicians rushed through sweep- ing changes to our laws to expand their own power and override the will of the people of Wisconsin who asked for change on November 6th.”

The GOP move comes as Michigan Republicans discuss taking action before a Democratic governor takes over there. North Carolina lawmakers took similar steps two years ago.

The legislation passed in a session marked by stops and starts as GOP leaders tried to muster enough votes in the Senate. That chamber ultimately approved the package 17-16, with just one Republican voting against it, around sunrise. The Assem- bly approved it on a 56-27 vote about two hours later, with just one Republican defecting.

“This is a heck of a way to run a railroad,” Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling said as Senate debate resumed at 5 a.m. after a seven-hour impasse. “This is embarrassing we’re even here.”

Walker, who was booed and heckled by protesters Tuesday during an Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the Capitol rotunda, is in his final five weeks as governor.

A spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a question about how quickly he would act. Walker was in Washington on Wednesday for former President George H.W. Bush’s funeral .

In one concession, Wisconsin Republicans backed away from giving the Legis- lature the power to sidestep the attorney general and appoint their own attorney when state laws are chal- lenged in court.

Faced with a Democratic governor for the first time in eight years, legislative Republicans came up with a package of lame-duck bills to protect their priorities and make it harder for Evers to enact his.

“You’re here because you don’t want to give up power,” Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz said as debate concluded in that chamber. “You’re sore losers. Does anybody think this is the right way to do business? If you vote for this, shame on you. You will go down in history as a disgrace.”

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos countered that the bills would ensure a balance of power between the Legis- lature and the executive branch.

“We have allowed far too much authority to flow to the executive,” Vos said. “To you this is all about politics. To me, it’s about the insti- tution.”

Vos last month cited the desire to protect key Republi- can achievements from being undone by Evers. Among them: a massive $3 billion subsidy spearheaded by Walker to bring Foxconn, a key Apple Inc. supplier, to Wisconsin along with thousands of jobs. Evers has said he would like to renegotiate the deal.