The recent overturning of major elements of Act 10 has had Wisconsin Republicans all worked up, with plenty of entirely predictable accusations of Judge Juan Colás being a liberal activist.
Senator Glenn Grothman, infamous for a list of quotes that includes "slobs" (in describing Capitol protestors), "money is more important for men" (in his support for repeal of equal pay protections) and "the board shall emphasize nonmarital parenthood as a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect" (in SB507), has been his typical vocal self, coming out with these examples of his trademark wit in a Monday interview on Sly in the morning:
Grothman: "We have judges who are reaching goofy decisions because they are not concerned about enforcing the law" (01:25)
Grothman: "Maybe the judge was just a cowardly judge and afraid to enforce the law" (02:40)
Grothman: "So the judge, because he wanted to keep his $120,000, $140,000 a year job, or whatever it is, decided to reach a bad decision" (09:35)
Sly: "It's not like Juan Colás did something crazy here on Friday, did he?"
Grothman: "I think pretty crazy" (11:47)
Standard fare for a Republican who's upset to have been checked and balanced. So why single out Grothman when his fellow Republicans aren't exactly falling over each other to disagree with him?
Because he's a licensed lawyer (just click the search button, his member ID is already filled in), and in Wisconsin Supreme Court Rule 20:8.2 says:
A lawyer shall not make a statement that the lawyer knows to be false or with reckless disregard as to its truth or falsity concerning the qualifications or integrity of a judge, adjudicatory officer or public legal officer, or of a candidate for election or appointment to judicial or legal office.
Violating it is
professional misconduct.
Oops.
For the first time since Grothman was elected to the State Senate in 2004, he has a Democratic challenger. Her name is Tanya Lohr and she's a teacher from West Bend and a candidate who makes a habit of listening to people who aren't her. AnnieJo wrote a great diary contrasting the two.
Grothman has been adopting a strategy of wishing Lohr away, but that has failed to stop her signs and volunteers from popping up all over the district. It would be great if readers could help her press home her campaigning head start.