Senators targeted in recall effort to submit challenges Thursday



MILWAUKEE -- Thursday, Republican senators targeted in the recall effort will get a chance to present their challenges to the petitions process to the Government Accountability Board. At least one senator thinks he has a pretty good chance of crushing the recall effort.

It's been 20 days since petitioners dropped off nearly 100,000 signatures in all, to recall four Republican state senators. Thursday, those senators will fire back.

Senate Majority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald, Pam Galloway of Wausau, Van Wanggaard of Racine, and Terry Moulton of Chippewa Falls will turn in their challenges to the recall signatures at the GAB headquarters in Madison Thursday. Fitzgerald says he'll be challenging thousands of the roughly 20,600 signatures to recall him. About 16,700 good signatures are needed for a recall, so if Fitzgerald can cancel out more than 3,900, he won't face a recall election. "I think I have enough signatures on an individual basis to halt the recall," Fitzgerald said.

Lori Compas led the effort to recall Fitzgerald and is considering running against him. "I know that we've done this fairly, and we have enough signatures. I am confident that we have many, many more signatures than necessary to trigger a recall," Compas said.

Wanggaard also believes there will be a recall election for his job. That's despite his plan to challenge thousands of the roughly 24,000 signatures submitted to recall him. "It's more like 22,000, so right off the bat, their numbers aren't right, so that's a challenge," Wanggaard said.

Recall petitioners say they will have five days to review the challenges made by the senators, and prepare rebuttals.