January
2007
Justice candidate Ziegler’s ties to GOP money too strong to be impartial
Let's face it — facts are facts and the fact is that Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice candidate Annette Ziegler has strong ties to the GOP.
Judicial candidates are supposed to be impartial and non-partisan but in reality it's not possible to be completely impartial. You're a product of your surroundings and your collective experiences. Unfortunately for Ziegler, that means that she's part of a family who has donated to GOP candidates like convicted felon Scott Jensen as well as former Guv Tommy Thompson.
Does this mean she's unqualified? Of course not. But if you look at judicial activism in the courts over the past decade or so, it has all been conservative (read republican) activism. That activism is dangerous to those of us who value constitutional freedoms.
But do we know how Ziegler would vote on issues of constitutional freedom? No.
What we do know is that Ziegler's family contributed $5800 to then-GOP Governor Tommy Thompson's campaign before her judicial appointment. We do know that an additional $7250 was sent to Thompson after he made good on the appointment. We do know that after her swearing in ceremony, that Ziegler's father in law sent in a check for $500 to the Guv. We also know that from 2000 to 2006 the Ziegler family sent nearly $120,000 to Republican candidates for office.
So do we know which way she leans on issues important to people who value constitutional protections? It's a pretty safe bet that she's not with them.
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Thanks to One Wisconsin Now for tipping us off to this story.
Jim McGuigan
As opposed to Clifford’s active involvement in Democratic politics? Plus she and her husband have given more than Zeigler’s whole family. I have not made up my mind on this race yet, but come on this is a non-story.
Ziegler and family are providing a TON of money to the GOP.
Are you suggesting that Clifford’s family donates to dems and if so, how much are you alleging? Can this be verified on the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign website like Ziegler’s money? Please provide a link to the story you got your information from. Thanks, Jim
According to WDC Database:
Linda and Keith Clifford to Dems: about $44,000
Zieglers to the GOP: $117,085 ($13,050 to Tommy)
Add to that the fact that at 33yo Annette was given a judicial appointment above a more qualified candidate.
Seems like an important story to me.
We could do with better choices. Add to the mix that Wisconsin Manufacturer’s and Commerce views the state’s high court as anti-business, and we can expect a big WMC campaign in support of Ziegler. WMC will spin Clifford as an enviromental lawyer who has sued businesses and hurt employers, similar to what they did against Kathleen Falk.
And we’ll see if voters respond to the Doyle bashing this time. It didn’t do much for Mark Green.
But this spring would a good time for the pols to back off and be wary about going negative with their advertising campaigns. I have a feeling the electorate’s still recovering from last fall’s blitzkrieg of advertising, and history has shown that they don’t like to see judicial candidates smeared by political hacks.