Judicial Impartiality?

Conservatives are demanding that Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost and Supreme Court Justice Janet Protasiewicz recuse themselves from any future cases involving Wisconsin’s Act 10, a 2010 law that destroyed collective bargaining for teachers and most public employees.  Each had signed a petition to recall Scott Walker, which doesn’t violate either judicial ethics or state law.

Conservative Justices Annette Ziegler and Michael Gableman refused to recuse themselves in cases involving the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, despite receiving nearly $4,000,000 from WMC for their campaigns. Justice Brian Hagedorn served 5 years as chief legal counsel to Scott Walker. Conservatives are not troubled by potential conflicts of interest on the part of those Justices.

Clarence Thomas has accepted “gifts” worth several million dollars from conservative mega-donors. While his corruption is on a smaller scale, Samuel Alito has also accepted lavish gifts, some coming from donors who had cases decided by the Supreme Court. Clarence Thomas is also compromised by his wife’s involvement in trying to overthrow the 2020 election. The ability of both men to be impartial in deciding potential immunity for President Trump or anything related to January 6th is clearly in doubt.

Remember that Joe Biden would appoint any new Supreme Court Justices after his election on November 5th.  Tammy Baldwin would have a vote in approving or rejecting future appointments. Re-electing both is critical to any attempt to restore integrity and moderation to the Supreme Court.