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Protasiewicz joins Wisconsin Supreme Court; expected to tip the court in a liberal direction

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Four months have passed since Wisconsin voters chose Janet Protasiewicz over Dan Kelly for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Former circuit judge Protasiewicz has now been sworn in for a 10-year term on the high court.

After taking the oath of office from Justice Ann Walsh Bradley on Tuesday at a Capitol ceremony in Madison, the new justice reflected on the campaign which led up to the April election.

Justice Janet Protasiewicz takes her seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court (AP photo)

“I was everywhere,” she said. “I was in some places four or five or six or seven times, such as La Crosse and Eau Claire.”

“But I heard from the people of this state about our shared beliefs. We all want a Wisconsin where our freedoms are protected. We want a Wisconsin with a fair and impartial Supreme Court. “

Protasiewicz is a former circuit judge and prosecutor from Milwaukee, who won the election for an open seat on the court last April.

“As a former prosecutor and judge, ” the justice said, “I’ve witnessed first-hand the importance of upholding our laws, holding people accountable, and applying justice fairly and equally.”

The election of Protasiewicz to succeed the retired conservative justice Pat Roggensack gives the state court a 4-3 liberal majority for the first time in more than a decade. Opponents of Protasiewicz warned that the Supreme Court would be under the “rule of Janet” if she won the election, implying that the liberal justice would cast the tie-breaking vote on many issues before the court.

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.

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3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. John Q Public

    August 2, 2023 at 5:50 am

    Freedom as we know it has just died in Wisconsin, with this democrat unqualified blithering idiot who makes law from the bench instead of following the constitution.

  2. Char

    August 2, 2023 at 9:33 am

    We don’t want justice applied fair and equally, we want justice applied by the law.

  3. Bob N

    August 2, 2023 at 3:11 pm

    Be on guard for any elected woman who says “Because it’s the right thing to do.”

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