AP: “Republicans who control the Wisconsin Legislature are seeking approval to spend up to $680,000 in taxpayer money on an investigation into the 2020 presidential election in the battleground state won by President Joe Biden. Party officials were to circulate a ballot on Friday to approve the expenses, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who ordered the investigation, said in an interview. A GOP-controlled committee will vote on the spending by Monday without holding a public hearing. The investigation is in addition to one underway by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau. That review was also ordered by Republicans.”

“Biden defeated then-President Donald Trump by just under 21,000 votes in Wisconsin. The result withstood numerous court challenges and a recount in the Democratic strongholds of Milwaukee and Dane counties. However, Republicans have called for investigations and pursued numerous law changes since then designed to toughen election laws. Vos originally hired former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman to do the election probe for $44,000 and hired three investigators at an additional cost of $28,800. But Gableman’s new budget will be more than nine times bigger. Details on what the money will be spent on will be released Monday after the funding is approved, Vos said. He said Gableman will use the money for a variety of purposes, including hiring investigators. Gableman has already traveled to Arizona to speak with Republicans working on an audit there and attended an event in South Dakota hosted by MyPillow founder Mike Lindell.”