ALF V1

In a major development in Wisconsin, Secretary of Administration Mike Huebsch (R) has announced that the Walker administration is suspending implementation of its new law curtailing public employee unions -- after Dane County (Madison) Judge Maryann Sumi declared that the law was not validly published and thus had not taken effect, in the wake of Republican efforts to circumvent her previous orders against publication.

WisPolitics reports:

Huebsch again said he believes the act was legally published and is law, but is pulling back given Judge Sumi's order this morning.

"DOA will continue to abide by the court orders, like the department has done all throughout this process," he said.

After Sumi's previous restraining orders against the Secretary of State's office publishing the law -- or the state otherwise implementing it -- state Republican leaders published it in a different state agency, the Legislative Reference Bureau, and claimed that it had now taken effect -- though the LRB itself said the law had not taken effect. Sumi released her amended temporary restraining order Thursday morning, following Huebsch's public statements that Sumi's prior two orders against publication did not apply to his department.

Late Update: The state Democratic Party has released this statement from chairman Mike Tate:

"Perhaps Judge Sumi's third court order was the charm for Scott Walker. We are pleased that Scott Walker has finally recognized that he is not above the rule of law."

talkingpointsmemo.com, Thurs Mar 31 2011
Byline: Eric Kleefeld