Patience Roggensack, the Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, issued a statement on Friday in which she addressed threats made toward justices.
I am concerned about recent comments aimed at members of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. I acknowledge that all members of the public have the constitutional right to speak in criticism of public servants, which certainly includes all justices on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. However, no justice should be threatened or intimidated based on his or her religious beliefs. Wisconsin has a long history of protecting the right to freely worship, as well as the right to freely speak.
Also, threats of actual or proposed violence have no place in public discourse in a democratic society.
As we are about to begin a new year, let us all refocus on coming together where possible and treating those with whom we disagree with the respect that each of us would like to receive.
– Chief Justice Patience Drake Roggensack, Wisconsin Supreme Court
Roggensack’s statement comes in the wake of misogynistic, anti-Semitic comments directed towards Justices Jill Karofsky and Rebecca Dallet. The liberal justices were joined by liberal Justice Ann Walsh Bradley and conservative Justice Brian Hagedorn, in rejecting President Donald Trump’s last minute efforts to overturn Wisconsin Election results. Trump attacked Hagedorn on Twitter in response to that.