Can the Wisconsin governor remove elected officials, such as district attorneys?

According to the Wisconsin Constitution, the governor has the power to remove any elected county officer besides county clerks, treasurers or surveyors. In the case of district attorneys, the governor may remove a district attorney "for cause."

However, this can only be done if a formal complaint is made by a resident within the district attorney's jurisdiction. According to state law, the complaint "may be made only upon written verified charges brought by a resident taxpayer of the governmental unit of which the person against whom the charges are filed is an officer."

Following offical complaints, state law calls for public hearings during which officers in question can defend themselves against the charges. Like other elected officials, district attorneys can also be removed through impeachment or recall processes.