After much talk and controversy from both sides, the lawsuit between Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen and the Government Accountability Board finally began its proceedings Thursday morning at the Dane County Courthouse.
Presided by Judge Maryann Sumi, the Government Accountability Board, represented by attorney Lester Pines, and Van Hollen, represented by attorney Steven Means, met to discuss the several motions brought to Sumi in regards to this case.
The two parties discussed the motion to disqualify Van Hollen from the case as well as the motions to intervene by the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, Madison Teachers Inc. and the Madison Fire Department.
The Government Accountability Board wants Van Hollen dismissed from the case because it would be a conflict of interest, as Van Hollen has represented them in the past.
“[Van Hollen] has chosen to rather than be loyal to its current client, to turn around and sue,” Pines said. “With regard to duty of loyalty to client, the attorney general is the same as any other lawyer in the state. He’s governed by same rules.”
However, according to Kevin St. John, spokesperson for Van Hollen, there would be no conflict of interest.
“Prior to initiating lawsuit, the Department of Justice looked very carefully at his representation of the Government Accountability Board and … determined there’s no conflict of interest,” St. John said. “We are confident in attorney general’s ability to proceed in this case.”
Regardless, the Government Accountability Board said they refuse to move forward any further before the motion to disqualify was decided.
Sumi agreed and decided the motion to disqualify would be addressed first because it could affect any intervening parties, adding she would hear the motions to intervene immediately following proceedings for the motion to disqualify.
Pines said the Government Accountability Board will take no position for or against any motion to intervene.
Means, however, doesn’t think the motions to intervene need to be solved before the trial begins, because he wants to avoid any delay in resolving the issue before the upcoming November elections.
Pines replied that Means is “coming to court, demanding everyone dance to the attorney general’s tunes and do everything at the rate and pace the attorney general desires,” while Pines is more concerned with every legal issue presented over being ready for November.
Pines was also upset with the way the attorney general’s office went about filing the suit, saying it was done through the press rather than through the two offices. He also questioned the intent of filing the lawsuit only seven weeks before the presidential election.
When asked if Van Hollen was in cooperation with the Republican Party when he filed the lawsuit, St. John would only say, “The attorney general has brought this lawsuit on the basis of his authority as attorney general of the state of Wisconsin.”
The next court date was set for Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 1:30 p.m.
