Crawford (D) ad accuses Schimel (R) of going easy on defendants as Wisconsin Supreme Court race ramps up
With just over two months before a pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court election, an ad by liberal candidate Susan Crawford is criticizing conservative candidate Brad Schimel for cases he handled as a judge and prosecutor, suggesting he went easy on defendants, including in a child pornography case.
Crawford, a Dane County judge who is backed by Democrats, will face off against Schimel, a Waukesha County judge who is backed by Republicans, in an April 1 election that will decide the ideological balance of the court. The race could break records set two years ago, when at least $56 million was spent in an election that flipped the court to a 4-3 liberal majority.
Crawford’s ad attacks decisions Schimel made as state attorney general, circuit court judge and Waukesha County district attorney. Her campaign described it as part of a seven-figure ad buy.
The ad suggests Schimel was soft on domestic abusers and criticizes him for cutting a plea deal with a defendant charged with possessing child pornography after receiving “thousands” in campaign donations from the man’s attorney. It also criticizes his handling of a sexual assault kit backlog.
https://www.wpr.org/news/crawford-ad-attacks-schimel-criminal-cases-wisconsin-supreme-court