Tomorrow, April 7th, is Election Day here in Wisconsin and it seems to be boiling down to the definition of the word "democratic". Specifically, whether it's more democratic to have the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court elected by the 7 member panel of jurists themselves, or the entire electorate of the State of Wisconsin as a whole...
From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal...
Supporters argue it would make the court more democratic and the chief justice more accountable to the other justices. Detractors contend the measure is aimed at dislodging Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson from occupying the court's top position.
(snip)
In Tuesday's election, the referendum question has become the main battleground between liberal and conservative groups. Those groups been less involved in the race for a seat on the Supreme Court, in which Justice Ann Walsh Bradley faces a challenge from Rock County Circuit Judge James Daley.
(snip)
Opponents of the measure say Abrahamson should remain the chief because voters knew she held that post when they re-elected her to another 10-year term in 2009. Others say if voters change the constitution, the court should select a new chief justice right away.
Anyone that's
been following my diaries for the past few weeks will notice the careful omissions from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal article...
The MJS neglects to inform their readers that Scott Walker's Biennial Budget seeks to give financial control of the Wisconsin Judicial Commission (whose job it is to investigate wrongdoing by Wisconsin judges) to the Supreme Court and by extension the Chief Justice. All this while the John Doe Investigation of Scott Walker's campaign finance coordination activities is in limbo awaiting a Supreme Court decision. Several conservative justices have yet to recuse themselves despite the fact that they have extreme conflicts of interest in the case.
The MJS article also downplays the Associate Justice race and neglects to mention that conservative candidate James Daley has ethical issues of his own surrounding his fugitive daughter and his failure to assist the state in her apprehension.
It's down to the wire now. We need to let all our Wisconsin friends and family know to get off their asses and VOTE NO on 2015 JR 2 tomorrow, that's the Constitutional Amendment aimed at usurping Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, and to VOTE FOR the re-election of Justice Ann Walsh Bradley.
With your help Ann Walsh Bradley has, by all indications, left her opponent James Daley in the fundraising dust. At this point in the game I'm not sure if it matters much, but you can still donate to her campaign at this link. More urgently which is a matter of great importance, you can still volunteer to help GOTV! for tomorrows election.
You can find your polling place here. You can still register tomorrow at the polls, and for the last time in Wisconsin electoral history you don't need an ID.