The state Department of Justice is appealing a judge’s order to release a pair of training videos to Democrats.

The videos were taken during training sessions led by Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel, the Republican candidate for attorney general. The state Democratic Party sought the tapes under an open records request, saying it believed the recordings may include objectionable statements made by Schimel or show misconduct by the candidate. The party then sued the Department after it refused to release them.

The DOJ cited concerns about the privacy of victims and that criminals could use them to identify tactics used by prosecutors. A Dane County judge rejected those arguments on Thursday, ordering the agency to make the tapes public by this afternoon.

The appeal filed by the state further delays the release of the videos until at least a hearing on Monday, just a day before Schimel faces a close election contest against Democrat Susan Happ in the race for attorney general.

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