Wisconsin Supreme Court Race: Accusations Surface in Heated Campaign
Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford and Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Brad Schimel are both contending for an open seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. As the election approaches on April 1, Crawford has leveled accusations against Schimel regarding his past handling of sex and abuse crime cases during his tenure as a judge, district attorney, and Wisconsin attorney general.
Schimel, who held the position of attorney general from 2015 to 2019, has dismissed these allegations as falsehoods.
Crawford’s campaign has been vocal about Schimel’s record, criticizing his sentencing in domestic abuse and child pornography cases and his management of rape kits during his time as Waukesha County district attorney and attorney general. These claims have been disseminated through social media, television ads, and media appearances.
A particular advertisement features law enforcement officials stating, “Brad Schimel won’t keep you safe.” The ad includes comments from Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett and others, criticizing Schimel for letting rape kits remain untested and allowing rapists to avoid justice.
These assertions are supported by reports from 2017 and 2018 indicating that only nine of over 6,000 backlogged rape kits were tested in the initial years of Schimel’s attorney general tenure. Despite receiving grants in 2015 to address the issue, the kits remained largely untested.
Schimel, in response, stated to the Green Bay Press Gazette that the backlog predated his term and that he worked to resolve it. He expressed pride in his efforts to protect victims while criticizing Crawford for allegedly misleading rape victims for political gain.
In a February 21 op-ed in the Waukesha Freeman, Crawford accused Schimel of delaying justice and increasing testing efforts only as the 2018 election approached. Schimel’s campaign has not directly addressed these accusations, instead labeling Crawford as an ally to criminals.
Crawford’s campaign has also spotlighted a 2013 case involving a plea agreement for a man charged with child pornography, suggesting a connection between a $5,000 campaign contribution and the plea deal. Schimel’s team has refuted this, asserting the agreement was not a plea deal as no charges were altered.
Further criticism arises from a 2019 incident involving a New Berlin man who received a light sentence from Schimel after a domestic abuse charge. Crawford’s campaign argues this is part of a pattern of lenient sentencing for domestic abusers.
This story was originally published by the Wisconsin Independent.
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