March 16, 2012

"The Wisconsin Judicial Commission filed formal ethics allegations Friday against Justice David Prosser..."

At long last, we hear from the Judicial Commission about the infamous "chokehold" incident:
Prosser issued a statement Friday criticizing the Judicial Commission's complaint, suggesting it is politically motivated. He said the commission is "trying to accomplish through this prosecution what some of its members failed to achieve at the ballot box."

"The charges filed by the Judicial Commission are partisan, unreasonable, and largely untrue," Prosser said in a statement. "They will be vigorously contested because I am innocent."...

"This is not about whether Justice Prosser is a good or bad guy," said Franklyn Gimbel, a prominent Milwaukee lawyer who was hired as special prosecutor by the Judicial Commission for this case. "This is not about whether Justice Prosser is a good or bad judge. This is not about his judicial philosophies. It is about whether or not his behavior on June 13, 2011, was violative of the ethical requirements for a judge."
We've talked about this incident many times on this blog:

August 26, 2011: "There never was a "chokehold" in the Wisconsin Supreme Court — so who put that word out there and why?"

August 26, 2011: "I've finally waded through the 'chokehold' investigation file."

August 29, 2011: "The special prosecutor said no criminal charges, but what will the Wisconsin Judicial Commission do about the 'chokehold' incident?"

43 comments:

Almost Ali said...

Prosser should throw himself on the mercy of the court, or commission.

Beer, Bicycles and the VRWC said...

The timing is interesting (not really). Just like the striking of voter ID, this is about partisan politics and getting the following: Walker and the Senators recalled, Prosser impeached or getting him to resign and Obama re-elected. They can't win at the ballot box.

Frank Gimbel's comments are hilariously absurd. Interestingly enough, there are no comments on the instigator of the confrontation. Hmmmm.....

Sorun said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wince said...

Shouldn't they've picked a special prosecutor from out of state, or one that doesn't make political donations exclusively to Democrats?

rhhardin said...

It looks like court of sluts and prostitutes.

bagoh20 said...

Wisconsin: The Jersey Shore of politics.

Lefties everywhere are wrong on issues, but in WI they act like a spoiled child in the grocery store screaming for ice cream. You know they will never stop crying until you either give it to them or they finally grow up - whichever comes first.

The Drill SGT said...

So, Given that Bradly was the one who came at Prosser with "fists raised" why doesn't all of this apply to her?

One says judges must be "patient, dignified and courteous" to those involved in the court system; another says judges must cooperate with one another; and the third says judges should maintain high standards of conduct to ensure the integrity of the judiciary.

KCFleming said...

And they said nothing at all about the insane judge that attacked him?

WTF?

It's like the damned UK in Wisconsin, turning logic on its head, demanding that the attacked retreat or submit to theft, assault, and abuse.

Almost Ali said...

This is certainly not the first time the Wisconsin Judicial Inquisition has stepped forward in the name of fear and surprise…

Chip S. said...

Does this shit ever get as tiresome to cheeseheads as it is to the rest of us?

Do you people have actual lives beyond politics?

garage mahal said...

Wheels coming off the WIGOP bus. Or, are off. They no longer even hold a majority in the senate after today.

Bumpity bump flap flap. Fzzzsst.

Jason said...

Wheels coming off the WIGOP bus. Or, are off. They no longer even hold a majority in the senate after today.

Considering the Senate session is over, it doesnt really matter. Of course, I wouldnt expect you to understand that.

The "wheels are coming off the WIGOP bus", in your words, and the best your party can do is....Kathleen Falk.

Unknown said...

Man, you guys just never stop. All politics, all the time, and it's not over until we win.

My mother-in-law asked me a couple of years ago when we would be moving back to the midwest. I think "never" is as good an answer as any.

Michael K said...

I think we could loan you Jerry Brown if Walker is recalled. Sorry but Rose Bird is no longer available for the Supreme Court.

Jason said...

And, just as an aside, Franklyn Gimbel, the "special prosecutor" assigned to this case by the Judicial Commission", signed the Walker recall petition.

Im sure his investigation will be fully impartial.

dbp said...

I would not trust the judgement of a guy who would use the phrase, "was violative".

garage mahal said...

Considering the Senate session is over, it doesnt really matter. Of course, I wouldnt expect you to understand that.

The redistricting mess in three federal judges hands right now. It appears they will send that mess back to the legislature to be redrawn. No majority = no partisan maps. Also means the mining bill is officially dead.

Fr Martin Fox said...

Thanks for bringing the happy talk to an end.

I can only take so much of that.

I'm Full of Soup said...

The DEM party has now used the courts to delay redistricting in PA, TX, WI, NJ & OH? And they are using the courts to fight voter ID in several states too. This is an obvious planned strategy and the voters and average Americans are sick of the tactics DEMS use to try to gain an edge.

edutcher said...

Of course, it's "not about whether Justice Prosser is a good or bad guy".

It's about the Lefties getting their way no matter how long it takes or how the will of the people is trashed.

PS Shame on you, Father.

What would Bing Crosby and Pat O'Brien say?

traditionalguy said...

This is drama. Prosser will need to be kept in a straight jacket with a head cage and leg shackles.

I saw this scene once in the Silence of the Choked Lamb Justices. That was a subplot in a SEIU reality film about Prosser and Bradley. The main drama was about Count Scott Walker's powers between sunset and sunrise.

The idea of Prosser choking everyone in the Commission hearing room to death and escaping must make Garage's blood run cold.

The Commission has also wisely decided to wear garlic clove necklaces the week of the Inquisition.

Jason said...

The redistricting mess in three federal judges hands right now. It appears they will send that mess back to the legislature to be redrawn. No majority = no partisan maps. Also means the mining bill is officially dead.

Yes, most everyone in Wisconsin knows that the mining bill is dead. Which is something Walker will continue to pound on every day until the recall election. And the Dems will realize the mistake they made when Walker gets a good deal of support at the ballot box from private sector unions, especially in the northern half of the state.

As for the redistricting legislation, my guess is that if the judges throw it back to the legislature, it wont be taken back up until the new session. Which, again, makes Galloway's resignation meaningless with regards to the present day.

Velocon said...

A Franklyn Gimbel from Milwaukee signed the Walker recall petition. Surprise!

http://images.iverifytherecall.com/images/sw/sw129231.png

caseym54 said...

Lefties everywhere are wrong on issues, but in WI they act like a spoiled child in the grocery store screaming for ice cream.

The anti-recall commercial writes itself.

n.n said...

The Democrat's war on men.

The civil and human rights movements have corrected for one extreme -- real and perceived -- and are pursing the establishment of another, more progressive extreme.

This is another social and biological experiment worth observing. If we are to consider the historical precedents set by similar experiments, then the outcome will be an accelerated rate of dysfunction in our society and humanity, respectively.

kcom said...

You people are just incredible. You're like those annoying candles that won't stay out after you blow them out. They're funny the first time but after that they're simply obnoxious.

And your standards for "special", as in special prosecutor, really are very special, if by special you were going for independent and objective.

Fen said...

Huh?

David said...

Holy transparency, Batman! Just how does the Judicial Commission arrive at this conclusion? Do they vote? Does a majority vote carry the question? How many commission members, if any, did not vote in favor of making the allegations? Who are the commission members? Who appointed them? Do any of them have any real or apparent conflict of interest in the matter, beyond political leanings? Do the members of the commission (if any) who did not favor the complaint have any legal or ethical restriction on saying so? What is the range of possible sanctions? Who decides the case and decides on the sanctions? Since all but one of the members of the court were supposedly witnesses to the incident, can they be required to give evidence? Can the supposed victim of the supposed chocking vote on the sanctions question?

And finally, why are newspapers such crap?

Carnifex said...

Wisconsin is such a pretty state. Green, verdant, fecund. Must be all the fertilizer from its politics.

The Costanza family of state polities.

Alex said...

The WI Star Chamber in session.

Alex said...

Just proves WI is filled with hack after hack after hack. All hacks.

Karga said...

This is a good example why laws were enacted and why we have a miriad of lawyers out-of-work trying to make ends meet. Justice should be defined another four letter word.

Steve Koch said...

Prosser seems like a real weird loose cannon type, confrontational, easy to out maneuver dude. Bradley may have initiated the conflict but Prosser was the first one to make contact and that contact was his hands on Bradley's neck. Big mistake.

It would be best if Prosser resigned soon, while Walker is still the gov, so that Walker can name a GOP replacement. Who knows what will happen in the Walker recall.

On a different topic, why didn't the WI GOP complete the redistricting before they lost the majority in the senate? Seems like a huge mistake.

Joe Schmoe said...

Steve Kock, I agree that Prosser may be a publicity issue for the GOP, but from my short readings of the WI-Supreme Court stuff over the last year, I'd posit that he's crucial to the proper operation of the WI-SC.

The CJ and Bradley seem like hyper-passive-aggressive partisans who try to stifle substantive debate with proposals like publicly airing deliberations. They also spout the civility crap. Prosser seems like one of the few, or the only one, willing to call them on this. I get the impression deliberations would be much less rigorously pursued without someone like him on the court.

Joe Schmoe said...

Oops; didn't mean Kock. Meant Koch.

steveegg said...

And donated to Shirley Abrahamson and Louis Butler in 2008.

tim maguire said...

Do we get to see the text of the complaint? (There doesn't appear to be a link in the article.)

Presumably, it includes a description of the incident. How they portray it will say a lot about their integrity, and unless we've been misled from day one, it will raise uncomfortable questions about why Prosser gets all the attention

How do they defend not looking at the other participant?

Crimso said...

This is the kind of bullshit you get when your state doesn't have the common sense to have a Stand Your Ground law.

roesch/voltaire said...

What does this say about Gimbel's objectivity if he is featured on Fox News?- Frank has represented small businesses and large corporations, and has represented individuals ranging from the working men and women who watch him on Fox 6 Wake Up News on Friday mornings, to judges, CEOs and other professionals.

Rick Caird said...

The real question is what happens after Prosser wins? Is there any penalty for the judicial commission? One would hope the would at least be civilly liable as individuals.

I go back to Palin resigning as governor of Alaska. All those trumped up "ethics" complaints were bankrupting her, but cost the accusers nothing. We still need some variant of "loser pays" even for commissions.

Stan said...

Thank God for Wisconsin. Normal Americans have no idea what the Left really is. This is the kind of crap that offers a view of the sickness that permeates. The lefty wackos are fighting a war and the rest of us are just living life thinking that America is about liberty and individual rights.

Moneyrunner said...

The myth of “clean” Wisconsin politics is revealed for exactly that, a myth. Sort of like the upright Minnesotans who managed to find a trunkful of ballots to win a Senate seat for Al Franken. Sort of makes you wonder who started this myth and how many people were taken in by it. Ann, Ann? Beuller?

ignatzk said...

http://mediatrackers.org/2012/03/16/breaking-wisconsin-judicial-commission-stacked-with-democrats-prosser-investigation-led-by-democrat/