Wisc. Democrats mount legal challenge against fake recall candidates

Democrats in Wisconsin on Thursday demanded that election officials disqualify fake candidates running in recall primary elections this spring, according to the Associated Press.

The Democrats are being represented by attorney Jeremy Levinson, who claims the fake candidates are violating Wisconsin election laws.

"The fraudulent candidates and the RPW [Republican Party of Wisconsin] have explicitly acknowledged that, in fact, these fraudulent primary candidates are part of an effort to manipulate the electoral process in support of Republican incumbents facing recall," Levinson wrote in a complaint to the Government Accountability Board.

Levinson claims that the candidates are required to state under oath that their candidacy is representing the political party for which the primary is to take place. But the fake Democratic candidates are running in the primary elections to help the Republican Party, and have publicly admitted that is their intention.

"The RPW's scheme," Levinson wrote, "involves serial election fraud and invalidates each of the six phony candidacies."

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R), Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch (R) and four Wisconsin Republican state senators all face recall elections on May 8 or June 5.

But by running the fake candidates, the Republican Party forces primary elections to be held on May 8, ensuring that all of the incumbents will face an election at a later date, June 5.

The Republican Party of Wisconsin has denied violating any laws by running the fake candidates.

“The complaint filed today by Attorney Jeremy Levinson is nothing more than a publicity stunt," Republican Party of Wisconsin Communications Director Ben Sparks said in a statement.

"Last year, the Government Accountability Board certified the placement of all protest candidates to appear on the ballot, and its Executive Director Kevin Kennedy even stated publicly that running protest candidates did not violate the law. We’re confident that each of the candidates will appear on the May 8th ballot, ensuring clear primary and general election dates.”

[Image via Karen Hickey]