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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 13 OcTOber 2020
Wisconsin judge upholds mask order for enclosed spaces

By SCOTT BAUER and TODD 5 and up in all enclosed
RICHMOND spaces except at home.
Associated Press He issued another order in
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A September that extended
Wisconsin judge on Mon- the mask mandate until
day allowed the state's Nov. 21. Violators could be
mask mandate to stand, subject to a $200 fine.
rejecting an attempt by the The lawsuit argues that
Republican-controlled Leg- Evers can issue only one
islature and a conservative emergency declaration
law firm to overturn it, even per crisis. Attorney Anthony
as cases are spiking. LoCoco said during a hear-
The judge noted in his ruling ing last week t hat the mul-
that the Legislature could tiple declarations amount
vote to overturn the or- to a power grab and that
der from Democratic Gov. the mask mandate is an "in-
Tony Evers if they wanted vasion" of personal liberty.
to, but they haven't so far. The lawsuit also argued
The Wisconsin Institute for that masks are ineffective
Law and Liberty, which since Wisconsin's infection
brought the case, will ap- numbers have continued
peal, said the group's presi- to rise since Evers' mandate
dent Rick Esenberg. He did was imposed.
not say if they would at- This July 30, 2020 image taken from video by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services shows Assistant Attorney General
tempt to skip the state ap- Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers in Madison, Wis. Associated Press Colin Hector argued for the
peals court by asking the state that the three orders
conservative-controlled followed the recommen- ernor from issuing multiple Wisconsin Attorney Gen- were designed to address
Wisconsin Supreme Court dations of public health ex- emergency declarations eral Josh Kaul, a Democrat, the growing pandemic.
to take the case. Esenberg perts. "when the emergency con- praised the ruling and en- Wisconsin is among the
called the issue a "critical Evers called the ruling a vic- ditions continue to exist." couraged Republicans to worst COVID-19 hot spots
constitutional matter." tory in the fight against CO- "And, if the Legislature is un- "stop supporting this attack in the country, with more
Republican legislative VID-19. convinced that a state of on the mask requirement than 152,000 positive cases
leaders did not immediate- "We will continue doing ev- emergency does exist, the and instead to work with as of Monday. The seven-
ly return messages seeking erything we can to prevent Legislature has the ultimate Governor Evers to adopt day average of new con-
comment. The Legislature the spread of this virus," power to terminate it," the statewide policies that will firmed cases reached a
filed a brief in support of Evers said. "We ask Wiscon- judge said. allow us to more effectively new record high of 2,547,
the lawsuit. sinites to please stay home The judge also noted that to fight the virus and keep up from 2,395 a week ago,
The lawsuit argued that as much as possible, limit overturning the mask man- Wisconsinites safe." the state Department of
Evers overstepped his au- travel and going to pub- date, in place since Au- Evers first declared a pub- Health Services said. Medi-
thority by issuing multiple lic gatherings, and wear a gust, would "affect every lic health emergency in cal experts have attrib-
emergency orders to curb mask whenever out and person in Wisconsin by a March and renewed it in uted Wisconsin's spike to
the coronavirus pandemic. about." judicial act that usurps the July after the Legislature colleges and K-12 schools
Evers defended the mask St. Croix County Circuit governor's power to de- declined to extend it. The reopening and general fa-
order, saying it was within Judge R. Michael Water- clare a state of emergency July order mandated the tigue with precautions such
his power to impose the man said in his ruling that and the Legislature's power wearing of masks starting as wearing masks and so-
requirement and that he nothing prevents a gov- to end one." in August for anyone aged cially distancing.q

California GOP says it owns unofficial ballot drop boxes

By AMY TAXIN is prohibited by state law," who is challenging Demo-
Associated Press the memo said. cratic Rep. Harley Rouda
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cali- State GOP spokesman for his seat.
fornia's Republican Party Hector Barajas said that the There were also reports
on Monday acknowledged party owns the boxes. He about similar boxes at a
owning unofficial ballot declined comment on how church in the Los Ange-
drop boxes that state elec- many exist and where they les County community of
tion officials said are illegal. are located. Castaic and at various lo-
California election officials Barajas said the state's law cations in Fresno County.
received reports over the governing so-called ballot In Orange County, the dis-
weekend about the boxes harvesting allows an orga- trict attorney is investigat-
in Fresno, Los Angeles and nization to collect and re- ing at least two unofficial
Orange counties. turn groups of ballots. The boxes in two different cit-
On Sunday, the secretary controversy surfaced after ies, said Kimberly Edds, a
of state issued a memo a regional field director for spokeswoman for the dis-
telling county registrars the the state's GOP in Orange trict attorney's office. In this Oct. 5, 2020, file photo, California Secretary of State Alex
boxes were illegal and that County posed in a social Neal Kelley, the county's Padilla, left, and Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley
ballots must be mailed or media photo with one of registrar of voters, said offi- hold a news conference on Orange County's comprehensive
brought to official voting the unofficial boxes and cial drop boxes are clearly plans to safeguard the election and provide transparency in
locations. wearing a face covering recognizable and carry of- Santa Ana, Calif. Associated Press
"In short, providing unau- supporting the congressio- ficial county elections logo.
thorized, non-official vote- nal campaign of Michelle He said it wasn't clear how official boxes but after re- he notified the state and
by-mail ballot drop boxes Steel, a county supervisor many voters had used un- ceiving reports about them, district attorney's office.q