Vos rejects request to decertify the election after meeting with election doubters

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Republican leader of the Assembly shot down requests from a group of supporters who want to decertify the 2020 election, a move that is legally impossible.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) reiterated again there is no legal avenue to decertify the election after he held a meeting with advocates who believe it's possible.

He also urged decertification supporters to focus their energy on the November election and electing Republicans up and down the ballot.

"There are some people who think the Legislature has the unilateral ability to overturn the election. We do not," Vos said. "I think we should focus on the solution, which is a new governor, a new attorney general to have the ability to move forward solutions that can become law."

The meeting comes as Vos continues to face mounting pressure from members of his own party and former President Donald Trump to revoke Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes for Joe Biden.

Vos has repeatedly said there is no pathway to do so, but he did reveal he believes there's evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Democrat State Rep. Mark Spreitzer slammed Vos for his comments. He said Vos is sending mixed messages because he opposes decertification but continues to cast doubts in the election.

"[Vos] is continuing to have it both ways and continuing to undermine voter confidence in our elections," Spreitzer said. "There's [no widespread fraud] out there and if there was, we would have seen it by now. It's time to move on.”

In Wisconsin, 24 people have been charged with voter fraud out of more than 3.3 million people who cast ballots, according to an Associated Press review.

It would not be enough votes to impact Biden’s win, and the statistic is on track with previous elections.

Before the closed-door meeting began, there was some tension.

Vos kicked out State Rep. Tim Ramthun (R-Campbellsport), a candidate running for governor, who has attempted to overturn Joe Biden's victory.

"Obstruction," Ramthun said after leaving the meeting. "This is what I've been dealing with now for 17 months."

Ramthun said he was asked to leave because he wasn't invited to the private gathering.

Vos and Ramthun have had their fair share of disagreements over the outcome of the election.

GOP leaders rejected Ramthun's resolution seeking to revoke Wisconsin's 10 electoral votes from Joe Biden.

Vos also disciplined him by removing a staffer from his office over false claims about the election.

Joe Biden's victory by about 21,000 in Wisconsin has been upheld by lawsuits, recounts, and reviews by nonpartisan and conservative groups.

After the meeting, individuals held a presentation claiming they have evidence of widespread voter fraud.

Jefferson Davis, the former Menomonee Falls village president, spoke at the event, referencing many of the same election concerns brought forth by Michael Gableman, the retired Supreme Court justice hired to investigate the 2020 election.

Gableman recently released his interim report that raises concerns over absentee voting in nursing homes, ballot drop boxes, and private election grants distributed to local clerks used to help them administer elections during the pandemic.

Vos recently signed a contract to extend Gableman's investigation until April.

He's been working off a $676,000 taxpayer budget for his review, but it's unclear how much money Gableman has spent.

A judge released over 700 pages of records related to Gableman's probe after deciding the documents showed little evidence of an investigation.

It granted a victory to the liberal watchdog group American Oversight who has filed lawsuits seeking information about Gableman's review.