5-29-13 citizen action critical of recall legislation

The director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin says a proposal that would make it harder to recall local Wisconsin elected officials from office reduces accountability.  The measure would require anyone who petitions to recall an elected official to prove that person has been charged with a crime or an ethics violation.  Citizen Action Director Robert Kraig says that’s not why the recall provision was implemented decades ago.  "The recall goes back to the beginning of the last century.   It was a way to give the public a check when politicians ran for office and that did something totally surprising or maybe even contrary to what they promised,'  Kraig said.  Kraig says lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle have taken issue with the recall depending on what party is the focus of the recall.  "Iits not a partisan thing.  Governor Walker's political career actually took off because of a recall election in Milwaukee County against the county executive who did a controversial pension deal and other this proposal Scott Walker would not have become Milwaukee County Executive,"  Kraig said.   The Assembly’s Committee on Campaigns and Elections discussed the bill last week.