Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch said Thursday her campaign will not challenge any of the approximately 845,000 recall petitions filed against her, citing insufficient time to review the signatures.
Her announcement comes shortly after Gov. Scott Walker also said earlier in the week there was not enough time to review and challenge any of the one million signatures filed against him.
Kleefisch said in a letter to the Government Accountability Board while she will not challenge any signatures, she “demands that the GAB adhere to its prior public statements…to identify and strike duplicate names, identify and strike fictitious names, and identify and strike petitions were GAB cannot determine that the signatory is a qualified elector.”
Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk and candidate in the likely gubernatorial recall election said in a statement Thursday Kleefisch’s announcement should encourage the GAB to begin the recall election no later than the March 19 deadline.
“By not challenging the signatures, Gov. Walker and Lt. Gov. Kleefisch have admitted there are enough signatures to force this recall and it is time for the election to be called,” Falk said.
However, the GAB said Monday it needs more time to review the signatures and plans to extend the March 19 deadline.