(Published Wednesday, April 18, 2007 10:26:57 AM CST)
A d v e r t i s e m e n t
By Scott Bauer Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. - With a Milwaukee-based U.S. Attorney's role in prosecuting voter fraud cases in the national spotlight, Republicans in the state Assembly on Tuesday yet again passed a measure that would require voters to show ID at the polls before casting their ballots.
But given Democratic opposition to the measure, it probably will die in the Senate.
Assembly Republicans renewed their arguments that requiring voters to show a state or federally issued photo ID before casting a ballot was a way to combat fraud.
Opponents argued all the requirement would do is keep those without an ID - primarily minorities, senior citizens and college students - from voting. And they said there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Wisconsin.
Tuesday's debate came after the state Elections Board last week released an audit that identified 82 felons who may have voted illegally in the 2006 election. The board sent the names to district attorneys for possible prosecution.
Eighty two possible fraud cases out of more than 2.1 million votes cast does not point to a massive problem that needs to be fixed, said Rep. Jon Richards, D-Milwaukee.
Reports of voter fraud during the 2004 presidential election in Milwaukee sparked a federal investigation and prompted the Legislature to continue pushing for the voter ID requirement.
U.S. Attorney Steve Biskupic of Milwaukee reported in December 2005 that the probe found no evidence of partisan efforts to sway the outcome, and that sloppy record keeping by election officials would make it difficult to prove most of the cases that were uncovered.
Biskupic's record pursuing voter fraud cases, as well as prosecuting a state employee on charges that she steered a contract to a travel agency that donated to Gov. Jim Doyle's re-election campaign, has been under the spotlight in recent days.
Biskupic, an appointee of President Bush, said over the weekend that he had been told his name was on a list of targeted prosecutors whose performance and loyalty to Bush were questioned.
A U.S. House committee looking into the recent firings of eight federal prosecutors has listed Biskupic among those it wants to interview as part of its probe.
Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee, including Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, last week requested records relating to the voter fraud and Thompson cases handled by Biskupic.
Similar photo ID bills have been vetoed three times since 2003 by Doyle. The version passed Tuesday is a constitutional amendment, which doesn't require Doyle's signature but must clear the full Legislature twice before being put to voters for their consideration.
It previously passed both houses of the Legislature when they were controlled by Republicans. In order for the issue to be put on the November 2008 ballot, it would have to pass the Senate again this year.
But unlike when it passed last session, this year the Senate is controlled by Democrats.
Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson, D-Beloit, has promised that the measure won't come up for a vote.
The amendment passed the Assembly on a 54-43 vote.
