Judge Who Voided Collective Bargaining Law Has Tie To Labor Dispute



June 7, 2011
by Personal Liberty News Desk

A legal expert from The Heritage Foundation has questioned the validity of the recent decision to void Wisconsin’s law that limits collective bargaining rights for public workers.

According to OneNewsNow.com, senior legal fellow Hans von Spakovsky suggested that Judge Maryann Sumi, who rendered the May 26 decision, should have withdrawn from the case because of her personal connection to the case. Sumi’s son was an organizer for one of the big unions that protested Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s legislation, von Spakovsky claimed.

In her 33-page decision, Sumi rejected the law — which passed through the State Senate on March 9 and was signed by Walker on March 11 — claiming that lawmakers violated the Badger State’s Open Meetings Laws. The State Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case beginning June 6.

Von Spakovsky told the media outlet that Sumi blatantly ignores the law herself, failing to acknowledge the specific exemption that allowed legislators to pass the bill.

“She basically said that they didn’t give a 24-hour notice of a legislative meeting,â€