Democrat says lame-duck session violated open meetings

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A disabled Wisconsin Democrat says an all-night lame-duck legislative session last month violated the open meetings law because he had to leave after spending too much time in his wheelchair.

A 2010 traffic crash left state Rep. Jimmy Anderson paralyzed. He can’t sit in his wheelchair for more than a day without health problems. He had to go home hours before the Assembly voted because he had to get out of the chair.

Anderson aide Logan Vidal said open meetings provisions say government bodies can’t exclude duly elected members from meetings.

Vidal said Anderson plans to file a complaint with Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne. The open meetings law allows prosecutors to file lawsuits seeking to void votes at illegal meetings.