Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman is dropping subpoenas to officials in five cities, instead asking them to turn over documents they’ve already produced through previous open records requests, Madison’s city attorney says.
Mike Haas said Andrew Kloster, who worked in the Trump administration is now assisting Gableman, told him during a call yesterday that city officials would no longer be required to travel to the former justice’s office on Oct. 15 or 22 for depositions if they turn over the records.
Gableman has issued two rounds of subpoenas so far. The first went to clerks in Green Bay, Kenosha, Madison, Milwaukee and Racine. The second went to the mayors and the person “most knowledgeable in regard to the November 2020” election. The clerks were directed to be in Brookfield at 9 a.m. Oct. 15, while the other city officials were told to be there at 9 a.m. Oct. 22.
Haas estimated Madison has received 15 to 20 open records requests related to the 2020 election. Those documents will be put on a thumb drive and sent to Gableman, he added.
Haas said Kloster told him that after reviewing the documents, the investigators will decide how to proceed and reserve the right to request more documents.
“All of the stuff that they could’ve asked for without a subpoena is what they’re asking for now,” Haas said.
