Wisconsin officials push to destroy 2020 absentee ballots

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Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson says he is unaware of any city election officials, current or former, who have sat for an interview with FBI agents seeking to discuss the 2020 election.

“I know there’s been outside counsel that has been engaged on this as well, which I’m grateful for, the partnership we’re having with some of the outside counsel there,” Johnson said on WISN 12’s “UpFront,” which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “But my understanding as of this moment is no.”

Agents are said to be specifically asking questions related to Milwaukee’s nearly 180,000 absentee ballots and the processing of those ballots at the city’s central count location.

The ballots have yet to be destroyed. The county’s corporation counsel has cited an ongoing lawsuit as the reason for preserving the ballots.

Johnson said he doesn’t know all the details about why the ballots are still there, but he wants the privacy of Milwaukee voters to be protected.

“If there was or is an opportunity to destroy that, to secure the sanctity of the vote for the people in Milwaukee, so that they know that their vote is private and the federal government can’t figure out who folks voted for, I think we should do that,” Johnson said.

Meantime, Don Millis, the Republican chair of the bipartisan Wisconsin Elections Commission, is urging Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to intervene and destroy Milwaukee’s 2020 absentee ballots.

Millis told “UpFront” he had a “very constructive conversation” with Milwaukee County Clerk George Christenson and learned there were 265,000 absentee ballots from which it could be determined who voters cast their ballots for, not just for the presidency, but other offices as well.

“No one’s entitled to see those,” Millis said. “Our constitution was built on the idea of a secret ballot, and I’m just frustrated that this hasn’t happened. I just wish the decision makers who are in charge of this would see that and move more quickly.”

Millis added, “Best case scenario would be tomorrow. But I just don’t think that’s going to happen. I think it’s going to probably be weeks or months before that happens.”

Millis said the law permits the ballots to be destroyed.

“No one has a right to see them, and so if there is quote unquote litigation, those are documents that should not be sought to a litigation hold,” Millis said. “And it would seem to me incumbent upon the court to see it that way and give permission for Mr. Christenson to do what he’s authorized and required to do.”

Millis said there has been staff-level discussion with the attorney general’s office.

“I’d be satisfied if he chose to intervene, to take the steps that need to be taken,” Millis said.