Wisconsin is Now “The Wild West,” Says State Gov. After Court Strikes Down Stay-at-Home Order

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Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers (D) says his state is now “the Wild West” after the state Supreme Court, in a 4-3 ruling, struck down his stay-at-home order.

“At this point in time, there is no orders. There’s nothing that’s compelling people to do anything other than having chaos here,” Evers told MSNBC’s Ali Velshi. “We’re going to have more cases. We’re going to have more deaths, and it’s a sad occasion for the state.”

Residents had made “good progress” during the lockdown, he added, noting that the ruling would thrust “into chaos” a state that exhibited “one of the lowest numbers of cases per capita in the Midwest.”

“When you have no requirements anymore, that’s a problem,” he said. “We’re just leaving it open. We’re going to have more cases. We’re going to have more deaths. And it’s a sad occasion for the state. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am.”

You can watch footage of Evers’ remarks below.

There are nearly 11,000 cases of the coronavirus in Wisconsin and 421 deaths, according to current statistics.

A Marquette University Law School poll released Tuesday indicates that 7 out of 10 Wisconsin residents support Evers’ stay-at-home order, but support fell from 86 percent to 69 percent in May amid Republican opposition.

The order remains in effect until May 20 because the ruling doesn’t mean that Evers’ order is immediately void. “Republicans had sought a temporary injunction to block the extension, with a six-day stay to give state health officials time to go through the rule-making process,” according to the Associated Press.

In her dissent, Justice Rebecca Dallet, who was joined by one conservative and one liberal justice, wrote, “This decision will undoubtedly go down as one of the most blatant examples of judicial activism in this court’s history. And it will be Wisconsinites who pay the price.”