The two judges vying to be Wisconsin’s newest Supreme Court justice argued over who is more impartial during a heated debate on Wednesday evening.
Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel, a conservative, and Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford, a liberal, sparred on topics of abortion, crime, and partisanship. Hovering over the pivotal contest is the 2023 race, when liberal Janet Protasiewicz won a seat on the state’s high court and gave liberals the majority. Schimel brought that election up when criticizing Democrats.
He said Protasiewicz “promised on the campaign trail how they would rule on cases that weren’t even filed yet, and then worse, once she was in the majority on the court, that majority started going through that political agenda.”
“It’s critical in our constitutional republic that the political branches do the politics,” Schimel, a former Republican state attorney general, said, suggesting Crawford would maintain partisan politics on the court. “Justice is no longer blind in Wisconsin Supreme Court. That’s what’s at stake.”
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Crawford countered by arguing Schimel has taken partisan stances while on the campaign trail, such as supporting an 1849 abortion law. “That is not the kind of open mindedness that we expect from judges. It is prejudicial to the parties in that case. And Brad Schimel is making those pronouncements not based on the law in that case or the facts or the arguments of the attorneys, but based on political consideration,” she said.
The conservative judge responded by saying that all he has maintained is that the abortion ban is “a valid law” as in that it was passed by the state legislature and signed by the governor at that time.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court race has gone beyond the Badger State, with national Democratic fundraising groups and GOP PACs working to bring their preferred candidate over the finish line. Democrats have lambasted Elon Musk’s involvement in the race, as his America PAC has spent at least $1 million on canvassing operations in the state. Republicans have pointed out that Crawford has benefitted from megadonor George Soros and other billionaires outside of Wisconsin.
That line of arguing carried over into Wednesday’s debate.
“My opponent was supported by George Soros,” Schimel said of Crawford. “He’s funded DAs and judges who have let dangerous criminals out on the street. He’s funded efforts to defund the police in America. He’s a dangerous person to have an endorsement from.”
Crawford would not say whether she “embraces” Soros’s endorsement, instead choosing to target Schimel and Musk’s backing of him. “Let’s talk about Elon Musk, talk about somebody who’s been dangerous,” she said, referring to the layoffs prompted by the Department of Government Efficiency, which he heads. Schimel also deflected when asked about Musk’s support.
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The 2023 Wisconsin Supreme Court race was the costliest judicial race in the country, and this year’s is expected to be even more expensive.
Wednesday’s debate was the only one scheduled between the two candidates. The April 1 election is being held because liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley announced she would retire.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
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