Don’t expect Wisconsin’s newest Supreme Court Justice to concern herself with judicial restraint or decorum. Yesterday, her political campaign chief revealed her true nature.
Protasiewicz’s campaign manager, Alejandro Verdin, told The Downballot podcast on Jan. 25 that her campaign operatives had heard people make baseless jokes at campaign focus groups and functions that her opponent, Dan Kelly, looked like someone who fornicates with horses.
Protasiewicz’s media consultant, Ben Nuckels, inserted hidden images of horses in television ads attacking Kelly as an inside joke, Verdin said. A review of Protasiewicz’s ads on her YouTube site turned up horses in the background in at least three ads.
The Journal Sentinel broke this story last night. Here’s the AP article, which includes the latest updates.
Wisconsin justice included horses in ads as vulgar joke about opponent, campaign manager says – Todd Richmond, The Associated Press
So far, the Justice has refused to comment on the matter. The Capitol Press Corps, and frankly the citizens of the state, should stay on this until she does. Was she aware of this? There is no good answer for her. If she says no, it reinforces concerns that she was just a puppet of the special interests who ran (run?) things for her. If she says yes, well, at least now everyone would know what type of person will be making weighty decisions from the Court.
As if the lack of collegiality was bad enough on the Supreme Court, tensions between the Legislature and the Governor continue to escalate. As Benjamin Yount reports:
Sen. Eric Wimberger, R-Green Bay, on Tuesday grilled the Secretary of the Department of Administration, Kathy Blumenfeld, over an audit from December of last last year that shows the state accrued $97.2 million in interest on the $3 billion the federal government sent Wisconsin as part of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds in the American Rescue Plan. Wimberger and other Republican lawmakers say the $97 million should be returned to the state’s general fund.
Legislative audit co-chair accuses Evers’ administration of ‘shadow government’ – Benjamin Yount, The Center Square
Perhaps we should take solace in the fact neither the Governor nor any of the legislators have accused each other of sleeping with horses?
Yet.
We have an update on that horrific 2022 bonfire explosion near Pulaski. The criminal cases are heading to resolution, although the civil suits will likely take years to resolve.
18-year-old convicted for causing Pulaski-area bonfire explosion which injured 17+ teens – Brian Kerhin, WLUK
More crime-related news to bring you today, this one which could have broader policy and political ramifications. A person of interest in a grisly double homicide in Elkhorn is in custody on what law enforcement officials are calling “an unrelated matter.” He has not been arrested for the murders, and even if he eventually is, of course he is presumed innocent. So how could there be broader policy and political ramifications from this? Well, it appears the guy was sprung from prison by Governor Evers’ Wisconsin Parole Commission just a few years ago…
‘Person of interest’ in shooting deaths of newlyweds named as parolee with long rap sheet – Yaron Steinbuch, New York Post
Let’s end today’s Key Reads with a bit of good news, though, shall we?
After years of incompetence and mismanagement, Wisconsin’s regulatory licensing bureaucracy seems to be getting its act together. Better late than never.
Wisconsin is getting speedier when it comes to granting professional licenses, audit finds – Sarah Lehr, WPR
Sad that when bureaucrats actually do their job it is newsworthy, but here we are…
That’s it for today. Get your mind off of criminal cases, bonfire explosions and, um, horsing around, and get on with your day. When you have some free time later, check out some of our recent features on Wisconsin history and culture. They’re a nice palate cleanser from the distasteful news of the day.
