Watchdog group urges stronger WI Supreme Court recusal rule

You may remember that the conservative majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court had adopted a recusal rule - - actually, more of a blank, permission slip - - that allows its members to sit on cases even if they had received campaign contributions from a party before them.

That earned our troubled Court

Seal of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin.svg

widespread criticism and brought about a petition to the Court from dozens of retired judges who urged that the rule be rewritten.

I had posted about the retired judges' petition, here.

The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, (WDC) had also reported on the judges' petition and today followed through with a strong, detailed comment to the court that explains why a rewrite of the flawed rule is needed.

I urge you to read the WDC comment in full, here, and note in this short excerpt the its four key points:

Watchdog group urges stronger WI Supreme Court recusal rule

1. The reputations of the retired judges submitting it.

2. The tattered reputation of the Wisconsin Supreme Court stems largely from the 2010 recusal rule the Court adopted and applied.

3. The Court’s rationale for its recusal rule has been undermined by its own decision in the John Doe II case and subsequent legislation.

4. The Court’s recusal rule is at odds with the U.S. Supreme Court’s instructions.