>> DANIEL KELLY, THANKS VERY
MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> WE WERE TO TURN TO LIBERAL
CANDIDATE AND MILWAUKEE COUNTY
CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE JANET
PROTASIEWICZ NOW.
HOWEVER, SHE ASKED JUSTICE JILL
KUROWSKI TO APPEAR IN HER PLACE
DUE TO ILLNESS.
JUSTICE KUROWSKI RAN AND WON
AFTER DEFEATING DANIEL KELLY IN
2020.
SHE JOINS US NOW.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
>> I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME
PINCH-HIT THIS MORNING.
>> IT DOES SEEM IRREGULAR, BUT
WITH SITTING SUPREME COURT
JUSTICE STANDING IN FOR A
CANDIDATE, BUT HOW DOES THIS
SPEAK TO THE HIGH STAKES IN THIS
ELECTION?
>> I THINK EVERYTHING THAT
WISCONSINITES CARE ABOUT IS ON
THE LINE IN THIS ELECTION, FROM
ABORTION RIGHTS TO THE 2024
ELECTION TO DEMOCRACY ITSELF,
ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE GOING TO
BE ON THE BALLOT ON APRIL 4th
AND CERTAINLY ANYONE WHO HAS
BEEN IN WISCONSIN FOR 20 SECONDS
CAN'T ESCAPE THE FACT THAT THIS
ELECTION IS HAPPENING, THAT
WISCONSINITES AND VOTERS ARE
PAYING ATTENTION, AND THAT THE
WHOLE NATION IS WATCHING TO SEE
HOW THIS ELECTION TURNS OUT.
>> JANET PROTASIEWICZ CALLS
DANIEL KELLY A TRUE THREAT TO
DEMOCRACY, POINTING TO HIS WORK
AS AN ATTORNEY FOR THE
REPUBLICANS HATCHING THE
FRAUDULENT ELECTOR SCHEME
FOLLOWING THE 2020 ELECTION.
COULDN'T IT BE SAID THAT HE WAS
JUST DOIN DOING HIS JOB?
>> I THINK DANIEL KELLY IS A
TRUE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY.
HE IS CORRUPT AND HE IS EXTREME
AND WE HAVE MANY, MANY EXAMPLES
OF THAT.
I STARTED TO LAY THAT CASE OUT
IN 2020 AND JANET PROTASIEWICZ
HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE THAT CASE
NOW IN 2023.
IF YOU JUST LOOK AT THE
DECISIONS THAT HE RENDERED WHEN
HE WAS ON THE SUPREME COURT, I
HAVE NEVER SEEN A JUDGE FIRST
DECIDE WHAT THE OUTCOME OF A
CASE IS GOING TO BE, THE OUTCOME
THAT HE WANTS, AND THEN WORK
BACKWARDS MORE THAN DAN KELLY.
YOU HAVE THE EXAMPLE OF THE ZIG
CASE WHERE HE RECUSED HIMSELF
AND THEN RECEIVED $20,000 IN
UNRECUSED HIMSELF.
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW UNRECUSING
YOURSELF WAS A THING WHEN
SOMEONE FIRST ASKED ME ABOUT IT.
IT'S AN OXYMORON.
IT CAN'T BE.
THESE CAN'T STILL, THREE YEARS
LATER, YOU CAN'T EXPLAIN THE
CONSISTENCY OF HIS RULINGS,
WHERE HE ALWAYS RULED IN FAVOR
OF THE RIGHT WING SPECIAL
INTERESTS WHEN HE WAS ON THE
COURT.
HE'S BEEN CAMPAIGNING WITH
INSURRECTIONISTS, WITH
ANTI-SEMITES, WITH ANTI-ELECTION
DENIERS, AND JUST THIS WEEK, HE
AND HIS CRONIES PUT AN AD UP
ABOUT A CASE WHERE THEY ENDED
UP -- IT'S HARD TON EVEN FIND
THE WORDS FOR WHAT THEY DID TO
THIS POOR VICTIM.
THEY HARASSED HER, THEY
REVICTIMIZED HER, THEY MADE HER
RELIVE THIS HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE
SEXUAL ASSAULT.
SHE DIDN'T WANT ANY PART OF THIS
CAMPAIGN, AND IF THAT IS NOT
ACTING IN AN EXTREME AND CORRUPT
MANNER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.
>> THE KELLY CAMPAIGN ATTACKS
WITH SLOGANS LIKE "NO JAIL
JANET" FOR SENTENCING DECISIONS,
WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO THOSE
ATTACKS AND HER BEING CALLED A
SERIAL LIAR BY THE CONSERVATIVE
OPPONENT?
>> THOSE ARE BASELESS LIES.
THEY ARE MEANT TO DISTRACT FROM
THE FACT THAT DAN KELLY LOST IN
2020 AND HE'S VERY LIKELY TO
LOSE IN 2023.
COMPARE THEIR RECORDS.
JUDGE JANET PROTASIEWICZ WAS IN
THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
IN MILWAUKEE FOR 25 YEARS.
SHE STOOD UP FOR THE PEOPLE OF
MILWAUKEE.
SHE PROTECTED THEIR RIGHTS.
SHE PROTECTED VICTIMS.
SHE HELD DEFENDANTS ACCOUNTABLE.
SHE MADE SURE THAT DEFENDANTS'
RIGHTS WERE NOT VIOLATED, AND
THEN SHE'S BEEN SERVING ON THE
CIRCUIT COURT IN MILWAUKEE
COUNTY FOR ALMOST A DECADE.
COMPARE THAT TO THE CAREER OF
DAN KELLY.
DAN KELLY HAS NEVER SENTENCED A
SINGLE PERSON.
JANET PROTASIEWICZ HAS SENTENCED
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE.
THEY CHERRY PICK A COUPLE OF
CASES, THEY DON'T FULLY DISCLOSE
WHAT THE FACTS ARE OF THOSE
CASES, AND THEN THEY THROW UP
THESE T.V. ADS WITH ALL THE
OUTSIDE MONEY THAT'S COMING FROM
THE RIGHT WING SPECIAL INTERESTS
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO KEEP DAN
KELLY ON THE COURT BECAUSE THEY
KNOW DAN KELLY WILL CARRY THEIR
WATER AND HE WILL NOT SPILL A
DROP OF IT.
>> JANET PROTASIEWICZ HAS BEEN
PLAYING ON HER VIEWS SUPPORTING
ABORTION RIGHTS AND THAT
WISCONSIN'S LEGISLATIVE MAPS ARE
RIGGED.
WHY WOULD OPENLY STATED PERSONAL
VIEWS NOT HINDER IMPARTIALITY AS
A JUSTICE BUT DANIEL KELLY'S
ENDORSEMENTS BY ANTI-ABORTION
GROUPS, FOR EXAMPLE, WOULD?
>> WELL, LOOK.
I THINK THERE'S -- I THINK DAN
KELLY IS TALKING OUT OF BOTH
SIDES OF HIS MOUTH.
RIGHT?
WHAT JANET PROTASIEWICZ HAS DONE
IS SHE HAS SAID, I'M GOING TO
TELL YOU WHAT MY VALUES ARE.
DAN KELLY HAS BEEN SAYING, OH,
I'M NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW,
OVERTLY TELL YOU WHAT MY VALUES
ARE.
VOTERS IN WISCONSIN ARE
INTELLIGENT.
THEY ARE SOPHISTICATED AND
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE FOOLED
BY THAT AD.
JUST LOOK AT DAN KELLY'S WORDS
AND HIS ACTIONS.
WE CAN LOOK IN HIS WRITINGS TO
SEE HOW HE FEELS ABOUT ABORTION.
YOU CAN LOOK AT THE RIGHT TO
LIFE WHO HAS ENDORSED HIM AND IN
ORDER FOR HIM TO GET THAT
ENDORSEMENT, HE HAD TO PLEDGE TO
BE ANTI-ENDORSEMENT.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE MAPS, THE
MAPS ARE RIGGED.
I WROTE IN THE DESCENT THAT THE
MAPS, I DIDN'T USE THE WORD,
RIGGED, BUT IF YOU READ THE
DISSENT, YOU WILL SEE THOSE MAPS
ARE RIGGED.
YOU CAN'T BE IN THIS STATE AND
NOT REALIZE THAT.
JANET PROTASIEWICZ IS SAYING THE
QUIET PART OUT LOUD, DAN KELLY
IS TRYING TO REMAIN KELLY, BUT
LOOK AT HIS WORDS AND HIS
ACTIONS.
THERE IS NO DOUBT IN ANYBODY'S
MIND THAT IF DAN KELLY HAS THE
CHANCE TO RULE ON AN ABORTION
CASE, HOW HE WILL RULE ON THAT
CASE, AND IT'S HARD FOR ME TO
BELIEVE THAT ANY PREGNANT PERSON
IN THIS STATE WOULD WANT DAN
KELLY MAKING SUCH AN IMPORTANT
MEDICAL DECISION ON THEIR
BEHALF.
>> FOR HIS PART, KELLY STATES
THAT HE PRACTICES THE RULE OF
LAW AND HIS OPPONENT, WHAT HE
CALLS THE RULE OF JANET,
INTENDING, HE SAYS, TO PLACE
HERSELF ABOVE THE LAW.
WHAT ABOUT THAT?
>> JANET PROTASIEWICZ HAS TALKED
SEVERAL TIMES, I'VE HEARD HER
TALK ABOUT TIMES WHERE SHE HAS
FOLLOWED THE LAW AND SHE HASN'T
WANTED TO.
SHE TALKS ABOUT WHEN SHE'S HAD
TO SENTENCE PEOPLE AND WHEN
SHE'S RECEIVED SENTENCING
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STATE
AND SHE'S RECEIVED SENTENCINGS
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE DEFENSE
AND SHE HAS TO, IN THE END, CHEW
WHAT THE RIGHT SENTENCE IS
CHOOSE WHAT THE RIGHT SENTENCE
IS.
DAN KELLY, ON THE OTHER HAND, HE
CANNOT PROVE, HE CANNOT SHOW YOU
ONE TIME WHEN HE SAT ON THE
SUPREME COURT WHEN HE DID NOT
RULE IN FAVOR OF THE RIGHT WING
SPECIAL INTERESTS.
SO I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO
QUESTION HERE WHO IS FOLLOWING
THE RULE OF LAW.
IT'S CLEAR IT IS NOT DAN KELLY.
IT MOST DEFINITELY IS JUDGE
JANET PROTASIEWICZ.
>> AS TO RECUSAL RULES, DOES
JANET PROTASIEWICZ HOLD THE
INDIVIDUAL JUSTICES ALONE SHOULD
GET TO DECIDE WHEN TO RECUSE OR
STEP ASIDE FROM A CASE BECAUSE
OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST?
WITH ALL THE MONEY IN THIS RACE,
IT SEEMS THAT THERE COULD BE A
LOT OF CONFLICT.
>> SURE.
LET'S LOOK AT THE RECUSAL LAW.
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE A
HEARING ON THE RECUSAL LAW BACK
IN 2016 OR 2017 WHEN DAN KELLY
WAS ON THE COURT.
THEY WOULDN'T EVEN ALLOW A
HEARING.
DAN KELLY VOTED AGAINST THE
SUPREME COURT GETTING THE
INFORMATION IT NEEDED IN ORDER
TO CRAFT A RECUSAL RULE THAT
WOULD BE FAIR TO VOTERS, THAT
WOULD BE FAIR TO DONORS, THAT
WOULD BE FAIR TO CANDIDATES,
THAT WOULD BE FAIR TO JUSTICES.
IN THIS RACE, JANET PROTASIEWICZ
HAS SAID, I RECEIVED MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS FROM DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF
WISCONSIN, SO IF THEY ARE A
PARTY IN A LAWSUIT, I WILL
RECUSE MYSELF.
DAN KELLY HAS MADE NO SUCH
PROMISE, EVEN THOUGH HE HAS
RECEIVED, I THINK AS OF
YESTERDAY, IT WAS EITHER 5.1 OR
5.8 MILLION DOLLARS FROM
WISCONSIN MANUFACTURERS AND
COMMERCE.
>> WE HAVE JUST 15 SECONDS LEFT.
FINAL PITCH IN THIS RACE.
>> THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT SUPREME COURT
ELECTION IN OUR LIFETIME.
PLEASE GO AND VOTE ON APRIL
4th FOR YOUR SEAT ON THE
WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT.
THANK YOU.
>> JUSTICE JILL KUROWSKI, THANKS
VERY MUCH FOR PINCH-HITTING.