State Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman lied to get elected, and his three conservative colleagues on the court let him get away with it, saying the First Amendment protects liars.
That case generated a few sparks in a candidate forum this week, since David Prosser, who's up for reelection, was one of the three who let Gableman off the hook.
The Journal Sentinel reports but only in a blog although the primary is only two weeks away:
Marla Stephens, the head of appeals for the state public defender's office, cited the 2008 Supreme Court race between Michael Gableman, who defeated the incumbent, Louis Butler. In June 2010, the Supreme Court deadlocked, 3-3, on whether Gableman violated judicial ethics with an attack ad he ran against Butler during the campaign.
“Justice Gableman lied about Justice Butler," Stephens said. "We all know that when we communicate, we do so by what we say directly and by what we imply. And what he implied about Justice Butler was a lie. The Supreme Court got it wrong. Justice Gableman lied about an opponent in a race and his colleagues should have had the courage to tell the people of this state that what he did was wrong.”
Madison attorney Joel Winnig was more pointed, singling out Justice David Prosser, who is seeking re-election. Gableman "was elected by lying and cheating. (Prosser) refused to impose the discipline that was warranted,” Winnig said.
Stephens' and Winnig's comments were in response to a question about whether the Supreme Court had "got it wrong" on any cases in recent years.