Knodl, who attempted to delay certification of 2020 presidental election, tapped to lead Wis. Senate elections committee

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By Steve Schuster
[email protected]

Newly sworn-in Republican Sen. Dan Knodl was tapped Tuesday to lead the Wisconsin Senate Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection.

As previously reported, just moments before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, Knodl joined dozens of lawmakers across the country, including more than a dozen in Wisconsin in executing a letter to then-Vice President Mike Pence demanding the vice president not certify 2020 presidential results that Biden won.

Knodl’s appointment to chair the committee has received sharp criticism from Democrats, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The Journal Sentinel reported Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard, a Democrat from Madison, said Knodl was unfit to oversee such legislation given his participation in the letter.

On Tuesday May 9, 2023, Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu (R-Oostburg) announced the appointment of Knodl to the following Senate Committees:

Chair- Senate Committee on Shared Revenue, Elections and Consumer Protection

Member- Senate Committee on Economic Development & Technical Colleges

Member- Senate Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety

Member- Senate Committee on Licensing, Constitution & Federalism

“Senator Knodl will bring added experience and expertise to the Senate,” said Leader LeMahieu. “His appointment will further strengthen the excellent work being done in these Committees,” he added in a May 9, 2023 press release.

Knodl won the hotly contested race for Wisconsin’s 8th Senate District swing seat in a special election against Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin on April 4.

The winner of that seat has now determined that Republicans control the Wisconsin Senate.  During Knodl’s campaign, he said if he wins the election he believes the Wisconsin Constitution would give Republicans the power to use the Senate as a trial court to “convict” and “impeach” Democrats throughout the state.

Knodl said if elected he would consider removal of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Janet Protasiewicz through impeachment proceedings. The Republican controlled Legislature unsuccessfully previously attempted to remove Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm from office.

“Wisconsin Constitution Article 7 … to complete an impeachment it starts in the House in this case the Assembly with a simple majority so that would be the moving body initially to bring forward impeachment proceedings and the Senate would act as the trial court but needs a 2/3 majority to convict or to actually impeach, so this seat I would be that … 22nd republican senator to have the 2/3 majority so that is … authority that comes to us only with those numbers in place,” Knodl said.

The Wisconsin State Journal reported April 6 that Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard said she found Knodl’s comments concerning, despite assurances by some Republicans Wednesday that impeachment would not be a top priority.

Former Attorney General Eric Holder told the Wisconsin Law Journal during an interview in April that Wisconsin’s 8th Senate District is extremely gerrymandered by then-Gov. Scott Walker back in 2011. Holder said, it’s a “tough district,” to win for Democrats because of the gerrymandering. The result? Twelve years after Walker’s redrawing of political districts, Wisconsin Republicans now control 23 of the Senate’s 33 seats.