Kaul declines to represent Evers in lame-duck lawsuit

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Attorney General Josh Kaul says he won’t represent Gov. Tony Evers in a lawsuit over a lame-duck legislative session that weakened their powers.

That means that both Evers and Republicans who wrote the laws will be using private attorneys in the legal fight.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Monday that Kaul told Evers on Jan. 18 he would not represent him because one of the law’s being challenged reduced the power of Kaul’s Department of Justice. Kaul says because the department has a “substantial interest” in the case, it would be a conflict of interest to represent Evers, who is named as a defendant.

Evers last week chose to be represented by the Madison law firm of Pines Bach at a cost of $275 per hour, up to a total of $50,000.

The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, Disability Rights Wisconsin and Black Leaders Organizing for Communities filed the lawsuit arguing the lame-duck laws were passed improperly.