Recall Election Ordered For Trempealeau County District Attorney

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has ordered the recall election for embattled Trempealeau County District Attorney Taavi McMahon, who faces criticisms on job performance and suspensions of staff.

A recall committee gathered more 3,149 signatures to recall McMahon. Petitioners and members of the Trempealeau County Board have alleged he has been derelict in his duties and unprepared for cases. McMahon has also faced criticism for suspending staff members.

Last year, an office administrator was suspended when she refused to leave work after McMahon closed the DA’s office for the funeral of former Jackson County District Attorney Gerald Fox. The staff member was later fired and has since filed a federal lawsuit against the county and McMahon.

Then, on Aug. 15, McMahon suspended prosecutor John Sacia the same day that Sacia filed papers to run against McMahon in the recall election. McMahon said he couldn’t comment on Sacia’s suspension because it’s an ongoing personnel matter. Sacia also declined to comment but offered a written statement.

“On Wednesday, Aug. 15, I was placed on involuntary administrative leave at the order of Mr. McMahon,” wrote Sacia. “On the same date, I filed notice of my candidacy for Trempealeau County District Attorney. I believe that basis for McMahon’s action is 100 percent retaliatory.”

The Wisconsin Department of Administration is holding a hearing related to the suspension Friday.

Trempealeau County Board Supervisor John Schultz said the timing of Sacia’s suspension doesn’t look good for McMahon.

“It’s disconcerting and it seems it fits a pattern of what we’ve seen here in the county,” Schultz said.

Schultz said government employees and citizens in the county are put off by the tensions surrounding McMahon’s office and the recall election.

“Elected officials, government employees from all departments and all angles,” Schultz said. “We’re supposed to be resolving issues not creating them and this action is not resolving an issue it’s making issues harder to deal with.”

The Wisconsin Elections Commission has set the recall election for Oct. 2. Candidates seeking to enter the race have until Sept. 4 to file candidacy papers. If more than one candidate from a particular party enters the race, a primary would be held Oct. 4, with the recall being held Nov. 6.