Court Filings in American Oversight Lawsuit Reveal Former Wisconsin Justice Jon Wilcox as Third Member of Secret Impeachment Panel

Filings in American Oversight’s open meetings lawsuit against the secret panel convened by Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos reveal the names of all three former state Supreme Court justices tasked with providing Vos advice on the potential impeachment of Justice Janet Protasiewicz.

The filings were made on Tuesday by lawyers representing Vos and the secret panel in American Oversight’s lawsuit. In a declaration accompanying a brief opposing American Oversight’s motion for a temporary restraining order on any further secret meetings, Vos named former Justices David Prosser, Patience Roggensack, and Jon Wilcox.

On Wednesday, Wilcox told the Associated Press, “I do not favor impeachment.”

Prosser was the only member to have previously confirmed his participation in the panel. Records American Oversight obtained from the secret panel earlier this week indicated that Roggensack was also involved. In September, the Associated Press reported that Wilcox said he was not on the panel.

The records from the panel also contained an opinion letter dated Oct. 6 from Prosser to Vos, recommending that impeachment not be pursued. That same day, Protasiewicz announced that she would not recuse herself from upcoming redistricting-related cases, a decision at the center of Vos’ threats to impeach.

The next hearing in American Oversight’s open meetings lawsuit against the panel is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 19. Read more about our recent work in Wisconsin here.