You've been talking about this for a couple days. Why no charges?
Just a press conference for appearances?
Kaul said through a spokeswoman that Department of Justice officials are available to assist in "any case involving credible evidence of fraud" but noted no charges had been filed in the case Schmaling discussed in a press conference Thursday.
In the complaint, the daughter said she had legal authority over her mother's health and financial decisions and had not been notified that her mother had voted despite having serious cognitive issues nor did anyone at the center explain how she received a ballot.
"I am writing this, as I feel my mother was taken advantage of in her mental state," the woman wrote Nov. 24 to the commission, which forwarded the complaint to the Racine County District Attorney, who referred it to Racine County Sheriff's Office for investigation.
It is not illegal for Wisconsin residents with cognitive decline to vote unless there is a court order finding them incompetent.
The chairwoman of the bipartisan state elections commission said Schamling's allegations were untrue and accused him of stirring up baseless questions after election officials worked hard to make sure nursing home residents could vote during the coronavirus pandemic.
In total, 48 people at Ridgewood voted absentee, and Luell said he sent letters to all of their families asking if they felt their family members could have requested and completed a ballot. Eight said no, including Judy — whose last name the sheriff's office declined to release.
"People have a right to vote, people have varying degrees of understanding, and I get that, you don't need a PhD to vote," said Luell. "But these loved ones believe their loved ones had such cognitive difficulties that they would not have had the ability to request a ballot and execute their right to vote."
Under the Wisconsin Constitution and state statute, people cannot be denied the right to register or vote because they are allegedly incapable of understanding the objective of the elective process unless a court has found them incompetent — meaning that while the family members can raise concerns, they don't have the power to determine whether their family members were able to vote.
"That means the opinion of a care provider, a family member, a friend or any other person about the competency of a person should not be allowed to prevent that person from registering to vote or voting," said Beckert.
I still think you have the right to vote for whoever you choose, Hempy.
Will you try to take away your parents rights when they get older?