Members of the Assembly applaud Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, as he speaks after Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' virtual State of the State Address on Jan. 12.
Assembly Speaker Robin Vos is again limiting who can interact with him on social media two years after a federal judge found he had unconstitutionally blocked a liberal group from following him on Twitter.
Vos, R-Rochester, on Sunday criticized Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in a pair of tweets. But he limited replies to those tweets to only the 768 accounts he follows, leaving out his toughest critics, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Vos’ office did not respond to questions Tuesday about the tweets.
Two years ago, U.S. District Judge William Conley ruled that Vos and two other Republican lawmakers had violated the First Amendment rights of the liberal group One Wisconsin Now by blocking it on Twitter. That decision cost taxpayers $200,000 in legal bills from the lawmakers.
Conley wrote that Vos and the other lawmakers had created public forums with their Twitter accounts and could not restrict who responded to them based on their political points of view.
The group One Wisconsin brought its lawsuits against Vos and then-Reps. John Nygren of Marinette and Jesse Kremer of Kewaskum. The three did not contest the judge’s ruling.
After the payment was made, Vos and Nygren signaled they saw no need to put any of their own money toward the legal bill. Nygren and Kremer are no longer in the Legislature.
Photos: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers delivers his State of the State Address
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers delivers his State of the State Address virtually as members of the Assembly watch from the Assembly Chambers at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers delivers his State of the State Address virtually as members of the Assembly watch from the Assembly Chambers at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Gov. Tony Evers called for a special session to address the state's unemployment insurance system during his annual address to the Legislature.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers delivers his State of the State Address virtually as members of the Senate watch from the Senate Chambers at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers delivers his State of the State Address virtually as members of the Assembly watch from the Assembly Chambers at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Republicans in the Assembly applaud Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, as he delivers a rebuttal to Gov. Tony Evers' State of the State address. In a twist from tradition caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Evers spoke by video while Vos spoke from the dais where Evers would typically deliver his speech.
State Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, watches Gov. Tony Evers' State of the State address. Earlier in the day his chamber passed a COVID-19 relief compromise bill supported by Evers.
Members of the UW-Madison marching band perform virtually after Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers' virtual State of the State Address, in the Assembly Chambers at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
