- LOOKING AHEAD NOW TO NEXT WEEK AND THE SPRING PRIMARY
ELECTION ON TUESDAY.
THAT'S WHEN THE FIELD OF CANDIDATES RUNNING TO FILL THE
SEAT OF RETIRING JUSTICE MICHAL GABLEMAN WILL BE NARROWED TO T
WO.
WE TALKED TO THE CANDIDATES IN PREVIOUS WIEKS IN ANTICIPATION
OF THE PRIMARY.
HERE THEY ARE ON WHY THEY THINK THEY ARE THE BEST FIT FOR THE
HIGH COURT AND THEIR JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY.
- I'M THE MOST LIKELY CANDIDAE TO STAND UP TO SCOTT WALKER AND
THE LEGISLATURE WHEN THEY ACT OUTSIDE THE LAW.
- I BELIEVE STRONGLY IN THE RULE OF LAW AND I BELIEVE THAT
THE ROLE OF THE COURT IS TO INTERPRET AND TO APPLY THE LAW,
BUT NOT TO REWRITE THE LAW OR TO TRY TO LEGISLATE FROM THE BENCH.
- I PROSECUTED SEXUAL PREDATOR CASES IN TWO COUNTIES AND NOW AS
A JUDGE FOR ALMOST A DECADE, I HAVE HEARD 10,000 CASES, 230
JURY TRIALS, EXPERIENCE THAT IS REALLY UNPARALLELED BETWEEN ME
AND MY OPPONENTS.
AND EXPERIENCE MATTERS.
- I HAVE STRONG OPINIONS AND IN FACT NO ONE WHO SERVES ON THE
SUPREME COURT IS A BLANK SLATE.
YOU EXPECT PEOPLE TO COME TO THAT POSITION, HAVING INFORMED
THEMSELVES OF THE LAW AND OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM.
- AND IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR ME TO HAVE A CASE IN FRONT OF ME
THAT I HAVE A PERSONAL FEELING ABOUT OR AN EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT
ABOUT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.
AND I MUST SET ASIDE THOSE FEELINGS, PERSONAL OPINIONS AND
EMOTIONS AND NOT LET THEM GET IN THE WAY OF MY ROLE AS A JUDGE IN
APPLYING THE LAW TO THE FACTS AS THEY COME TO ME.
- WE HAVE OUR ROLES AS JUDGES.
WE ARE NOT A LEGISLATURE.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A DUTY TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF BOTH
THE UNITED STATES AND WISCONSIN.
AND WHEN THAT CONSTITUTION HAS BEEN VIOLATED, THAT'S
WHEN WE ARE A CHECK ON THOSE LEGISLATORS.