05/30/2026
CASE UPDATE
After several delays, the judge has finally signed and filed the written order, which means I can now officially move forward with my appeal.
Some may think this case only impacts me. It does not.
What is at stake here should concern every voter in Wisconsin and every American who believes elections matter.
I was denied my right to a jury trial.
At the same time, Attoles law — who also serves as counsel for the Wisconsin Counties Association and has actively trained and presented on removing elected officials from office — was involved in a case that resulted in overturning the choice of thousands of Adams County voters.
When the will of a handful of people can override the votes of thousands, every voter should pay attention.
We should also be concerned by the lack of involvement from state legislators who wrote the statutes at issue in this case. Wisconsin law clearly defines who may serve as County Treasurer and what is required to formally accept an elected office. Both sets of statutes were ignored in this case, yet the lawmakers who authored them have remained silent.
We should be concerned by county officials remaining in office who voted to replace the elected County Treasurer with the candidate who lost the election. We should be concerned by an administration that continues spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars pursuing political attacks instead of serving the public.
Before I ever officially took office as County Treasurer, I was warned that conversations had taken place at a County Treasurers Association conference about ways to politically damage me. Because of that warning, I was already alert to the possibility that efforts were underway to interfere with my ability to serve.
At the time Adams County and Attoles law chose to pursue this action against me, nine other Wisconsin County Treasurers were serving in dual positions. None of those officials faced the same legal challenge. Voters should ask why Adams County chose to target one elected official while ignoring situations elsewhere in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin law is clear that an oath of office and bond are required before a person formally accepts and serves in an elected office. My decision not to sign the oath and file the bond for the Town of Lincoln Treasurer position was intentional.
At the time, Corporation Counsel was attempting to determine when I would be signing the oath so it could be witnessed. She stated it was Because she wanted to “attend to support me” 🙄Based on the warnings I had already received and the circumstances surrounding that situation, I believed efforts were already underway to use the Town of Lincoln position as a basis to challenge and remove me from the County Treasurer office that the voters elected me to hold. For that reason, I intentionally chose not to formally accept the Town of Lincoln office by not signing the oath or filing the required bond.
For those who want to read the statutes themselves:
Wis. Stat. § 19.01 – Oaths and Bonds:
https://law.justia.com/codes/wisconsin/chapter-19/section-19-01/
Wis. Stat. § 60.31 – Official Oath and Bond for Town Officers:
https://law.justia.com/codes/wisconsin/chapter-60/section-60-31/
The limited work I performed for the Town of Lincoln after deciding not to formally accept the office was done solely to help ensure an accurate transition of bookkeeping records and protect the public interest. I was never paid for that work.
Despite this being a civil quo warranto action, the court awarded a judgment far beyond what Wisconsin statutes appear to support. The statute addressing an alleged usurpation of office references a discretionary fine of up to $2,000 payable to the State of Wisconsin — not a $10,422.49 award payable to Adams County.
Wis. Stat. § 784.13 – Judgment if Office Usurped:
https://law.justia.com/codes/wisconsin/chapter-784/section-784-13/
Full Chapter 784 – Quo Warranto:
https://law.justia.com/codes/wisconsin/chapter-784/
To date, John and I have personally paid more than $106,950 in legal expenses defending not only myself, but also the choice made by the voters of Adams County.
When the court’s $10,422.49 award is added, the total cost exceeds $117,000.
Legal expenses paid:
• 06/23/2025 — $25,000
• 07/07/2025 — $15,000
• 08/09/2025 — $13,000
• 09/06/2025 — $2,500
• 09/30/2025 — $5,000
• 11/11/2025 — $3,450
• 01/30/2026 — $10,000
• 03/20/2026 — $15,000
• 04/13/2026 — $5,000
• 04/26/2026 — $8,000
• 05/18/2026 — $5,000
TOTAL PAID: $106,950
TOTAL STILL REMAINING DUE
$23,000
For those asking how they can help support the appeal, donations can be made here:
https://share.google/VIrKpEaYnVS4P7YyI
At the end of the day, this appeal is about more than one elected official. It is about whether statutes mean what they say, whether voters’ choices matter, and whether government officials and courts will be required to follow the law as written.
If this can happen to one elected official despite clear statutory language, it can happen to any elected official. Ultimately, the real question is whether the voters or political insiders get to decide who holds office.
I remain committed to pursuing this appeal and hope the Court of Appeals reviews the case fairly, applies Wisconsin law as written, and sets aside the politics and bias that have surrounded this matter from the beginning.
Thank you to everyone who has supported John and I throughout this process.
The voters of Adams County chose Kara Dolezal — and that choice i… Chelsea Garetson needs your support for Help Defend the Will of the Voters in Adams County
