A political watchdog group wants the Wisconsin Judicial Commission to investigate state Supreme Court candidate Annette Ziegler's ethical record. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign is asking the panel to determine whether Ziegler violated ethical guidelines in 16 cases. Campaign director Mike McCabe says the cases they want examined include ones where Ziegler either had a relationship with one of the companies as a stock holder or cases involving a bank where her husband sat on the board.
McCabe says Ziegler should have disclosed to the parties involved in the cases that she may have had a conflict of interest. He says she also should have considered removing herself. But, McCabe says there's no evidence Ziegler took either of those options.
Mark Graul, a spokesman for the Ziegler campaign, says any investigation will show the truth about the issue. He says the Judge welcomes an impartial look at her trial record and is confident it will show she acted without bias and didn't gain anything financially from her involvement.
Graul also questions the timing of the complaint from the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, just weeks before the election. He says it shows the political nature of the complaint that Ziegler is being singled out by the WDC, when other judges could easily face similar accusations.
Ziegler faces Madison attorney Linda Clifford in the April 3rd election.
