The state Supreme Court is being asked to decide if a rule written by the Government Accountability Board violates the First Amendment. Justices heard arguments Tuesday in a case brought forward by a number of groups, who argue the rule that requires third party groups running ads that advocate for or against a candidate for elected office to report their funding. [Read more…]
Report details Supreme Court incident
The Dane County Sheriff’s Office has released the results of its investigation into an alleged fight between two state Supreme Court justices. The report includes interviews with several Supreme Court justices and members of court staff regarding the June 13th incident that took place in Justice Ann Walsh Bradley’s offices, when Justice David Prosser allegedly putting Bradley in a chokehold.
The confrontation occurred as conservative members of the court were pushing for the release of a controversial ruling that upheld the governor’s collective bargaining law. Members told investigators they felt the minority in the case was being delayed in order to hold up the release of the decision. [Read more…]
Supreme Court considers collective bargaining law
The future of the Governor’s collective bargaining law is now in the hands of the state Supreme Court. Justices heard over four hours of testimony Monday on a petition from the state, which calls on the court to overturn a Dane County Judge’s decision blocking implementation of the law.
Assistant Attorney General Kevin St. John argued the judge exceeded her authority in ruling the law was void because Republican legislators likely violated the state’s Open Meetings Law. St. John says that each day the decision is allowed to stand, it cause irreparable harm to the Legislature. [Read more…]
GAB certifies recount results
The Government Accountability Board has certified the results in the State Supreme Court race. The final results of the statewide recount have incumbent Justice David Prosser winning by just over seven-thousand votes. Challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg picked up 683 votes in the recount her campaign requested, while Prosser gained 371 votes. [Read more…]
Kloppenburg wants statewide recount (AUDIO)
JoAnne Kloppenburg wants a statewide recount in the Supreme Court race.
The state Supreme Court race is headed for a recount in all 72 Wisconsin counties. Just hours before the deadline on Wednesday, Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg filed a petition with the Government Accountability Board making the request.
The GAB says the recount, which will be done at taxpayer expense, could begin as early as next week.
Statewide vote totals give incumbent Justice David Prosser about a 7,300 vote lead in the election held earlier this month. However, Kloppenburg says reports of voting anomalies across the state convinced her that a statewide recount is needed. She says the effort is needed to give Wisconsin voters full confidence the results are legitimate and the election was fair. [Read more…]
Supreme Court race too close to call (AUDIO)
The race between state Supreme Court challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg and incumbent Justice David Prosser appeared too close to call, hours after the polls closed across Wisconsin Tuesday night. Both candidates told supporters to head home, with Prosser holding a razor thin lead over his challenger.
Prosser says he remains optimistic about his chances of winning another ten year term on the high court, after holding on to the lead for a good portion of the night. However, he admits “anything can happen” and he does expect a recount no matter what. [Read more…]
Prosser seeking another Supreme Court term
A Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice says he will run for reelection.
Justice David Prosser has says his 12 years on the court, 18 years in the state Assembly, and work in several other areas of government have given him the experience needed to serve the people of the state effectively. He plans to seek another 10 year term this coming April. [Read more…]
Supreme Court splits on ethics case
Members of the State Supreme Court were unable to reach a consensus on whether or not one of their own violated the judicial code of conduct. In a 3-3 vote, the high court split on the question of if a campaign ad run by Justice Michael Gableman in 2008 was deserving of further action. [Read more…]
Awaiting a key ruling on gay marriage
The state Supreme Court is expected to rule today on Wisconsin’s ban on gay marriage.
The measure was adopted by voters in 2006, by a wide margin, and UW political scientist Mordecai Lee says that could end up being a factor in today’s decision. Lee says justices serve in an elected office, and he believes that could result in them giving a benefit of the doubt to voters. [Read more…]
Supreme Court rejects registry challenge
The State Supreme Court has declined to hear a constitutional challenge to a law creating a domestic partner registry for gay couples.
The high court denied a petition for original action from Wisconsin Family Action, which claims the registry violates a state Constitutional amendment banning gay marriage or any similar status.
Lester Pines, the attorney representing the state in the case, says it’s not the end of the road for the challenge. He says the lawsuit will just have to start at the Circuit Court level instead. [Read more…]