One of the three former Wisconsin Supreme Court justices picked to investigate whether Janet Protasiewicz, the state's newest high court judge, should be impeached for taking money from the Democratic Party and refusing to recuse herself on some cases, has similar skeletons in his closet.
The revelation that former Justice David Prosser not only gave Protasiewicz's political rival $500 but also failed to recuse himself numerous times from cases involving a law he helped pass as a lawmaker creates yet another scandal tied to the high-stakes election this year that swung the court in the Democrats' favor and threatened the GOP's decadelong grip on state politics.
Prosser argued that he should be allowed to hear the cases because the money put in his campaign coffer was spent four years ago — enough time, he claimed, to make it irrelevant. Prosser was also accused of choking a liberal justice. Even though no charges were filed, the Wisconsin Judicial Commission recommended that the court discipline Prosser, which didn't happen because the high court lacked a quorum after three justices recused themselves.
"They are rigged, period," Protasiewicz said."Coming right out and saying that. I don’t think you could sell to any reasonable person that the maps are fair." The effort to oust Protasiewicz, who was sworn in on Aug. 1, puts Wisconsin politics into nearly uncharted waters. Lawmakers have only once, in 1853, impeached a judge.
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