Supreme Court Candidate Annette Ziegler Needs To End Campaign
UPDATE
http://dekerivers.wordpress.com/2007/04/03/what-annette-zieglers-victory-means/
Before I am a partisan, or a person with strong points of view, I am a citizen that really finds our political process most remarkable. For sure problems exist within our institutions, but the overall framework in Wisconsin and around the nation is most impressive. It is for that reason that I have spoken out against both Democrats and Republicans when they have tarnished the system with bad behavior. I stress that the greater good is more important than the personal goal.
Such is the case with Annette Ziegler and her campaign to become a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice. I do not post this blog entry in haste or without much thought. In fact, I have held this entry for several days. I firmly believe in the power of campaigns and the right of the public to cast votes to select their leaders. In most cases I would not recommend that a campaign end, a candidates hopes be dashed, or the public be not allowed to make the final decision. However, every day there is new evidence of a very troubling record of improper and unethical activity relating to Ziegler’s duties as a Washington County Circuit judge. It is not the image that Wisconsin wants to see as a model for a candidate to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
The latest news that Ziegler, as a circuit judge, handled over 12 lawsuits involving companies in which she owned between $5,000 and $50,000 in stock has tipped the scales. On top of the revelations over the past two weeks about undisclosed conflicts in dozens of cases where she did not inform the parities to her lack of impartially, it is time for Ziegler to be honest with the voters, and equally important, with herself.
It is time for Annette Ziegler to end her campaign for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
Ziegler has crossed the boundaries of ethics, and the judicial conduct rules. There is clear evidence that improper conduct has taken place. It is a most troubling story since the last recourse for any of us is the legal system. To read of the unprincipled manner in which the law was meted out leaves a bad image in many citizen’s minds. To pretend nothing tainted and unprofessional did not happen, or to parse the meaning of the judicial rules is just unseemly. It makes a mockery of the court system, and has now extended to the political process as we seek a replacement to Judge Wilcox on the Supreme Court.
Annette Ziegler can do one thing in this campaign that is truly honorable, and that is to end her race for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She can show her fellow citizens that the system of law is more important than the personal ambitions of one person. She can show our young children that we are accountable for every action, and responsible for all our decisions, be they good or bad. She can instill some sense of honor in the political process that is often sadly lacking.
I have been critical of Annette Ziegler for many weeks but will be the first to applaud her if she does the right thing for Wisconsin by removing herself from the race. Wisconsin deserves no less.
Technorati Tags: AnnetteZiegler, WisconsinSupremeCourt,
Zeigler won because she had experience as a judge and Clifford is a Madison attorney, which does not resonate well with the majority of voters. A lot has been made of the campaign commercials from both sides. I didn’t find Zeiglers’ ads to be as negative as reported. The ads I saw pointed out that Clifford had zero experience as a judge while Zeigler did. What’s wrong with that? Points have been made that should not matter. The voters decided differently.
Clifford got embarrassed and she could have won but she followed Doyles ethics.
I would like to ask all of you one question.
If Wisconsin, as a state, at any time willingly forefits it’s right to a honest debate between two canidates then we are losing out on the democratic spirit we so love here among the cows.
That being said, let her run. Let her win or lose. We the people decided to elect an “allegedly” corrupt Governer. We the people also decided to allow for a death penalty to be put into law. We are a great diveded state, a wonderful pitri dish of American Democracy.
What I wonder is, why instead of posts on the canidates records, posistions and/or qualifications; we see mostly a rhetoric of unbalanced bias perceptions. Debate the issues, we the people, not the sides.
Thank you.
it is critical that we elect a justice who has experience as a judge.
but when someone brings up annette’s conflict of interest “they are inconsequential small claims cases”
so, which is it.
I see wilcox endorsed her too. maybe he can advise her on how to do last minute smear post card campaigns, and then say “oops” and pay a fine that’s 1/100th of the salary you’ll get over 10 years
Who is Linda Clifford? Anyone backed by Russ Feingold must be a shady, unscrupulous, liberal degenerate.
Any one who hires someone to dig up dirt in order to win an election and the only way they can win is not worthy of the supreme cout. What about the conflict of interest that Clifford has that the drive by media doesn’t want to talk about. When you want to talk about integrity issues Doyle and his gang doesn’t know wht it means.
Anyone that has the guts to expose corruption and condemn it is someone that I and many conservatives will support.
A Supreme Court Justice is expected to do just that because they oversee the judicial system of the State. If we place a judge like Ziegler with serious ethics problems into the Supreme Court, we will be giving a green like to all judges that they can do the same. If we put in someone like Clifford who has the guts to say it’s wrong, we might just see history change in the right direction for the court.
Deke,
You must save the comments here as they clearly show that conservatives care only about power and the undermining of the nation. A messed up and crooked judge is more important to them than the honor and fairness of our justice system. Save these comments!
I am sending this to Daily Kos.
I am smiling how some comments here are all excited about a demand that a judge adhere to the rules of judicial conduct. Isn’t that the hope? The expectation? And how those who commented feel that it is OK for the judicial process to be compromised in order to further conservative goals. I admit to being over 50 but both my husband and I had civics taught many times in our schooling and understand the need for a fair and objective justice system. Why can’t those who have shown their only concern is to favor conservatives care more about the integrity of the system? This lady Ziegler has done this to herself. Will the conservatives jump off the precipice with her? It says much about them.
Ah, no. If your litmus test for withdrawing from a race is what you say on your blog, then Doyle, and a number of his friends need to follow suit. We both know that that won’t happen. The lefties can’t raise enough cash, even with their prized “Progressive Majority” doing their dirty work for them, and getting run out of a number of local races across the state (where they, or any other party affiliate has NO BUSINESS sticking their nose in). This state will not be liberal, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Linda had better realize that
Mark,
You are exactly right! The only reason these people are calling for her to resign is that they want the supreme court to tilt to the left. They do not give a crap about ethics. If they did, Doyle would not be Governor. I want a supreme court justice that will follow the constituion and follow that law. I do not want a judge that will legislate from the bench, which is exactly what Linda Clifford would do.
These attacks by the left, just reinforce to me how they do not care what is right, but what they will do anything to win. Again, if they cared about what was right, Jim Doyle would not be Governor of Wisconsin.
If she wins, every single case should be appealed to a higher court. Every single case, regardless.
Once the costs of this becomes evident, she can resign, untill then she can stand her ground, letting the state’s judiciary become a laughing stock.
Voters will hopefully see this election as important and, again come out, like they did last Nov and send the GOP packing.
We have two GOP US Atty’s they were not fired. Why?
Van Hollen, Biskupic and Bucher kept their lawsuits going until after the election.
Now? What lawsuits…all were withdrawn.
Voters need to take back their elections and thier government from hacks like this by voting.
Ziegler resign from the race. No way!! You can continue the attacks to influence the electorate–that’s your right. Ultimately, the Wisconsin voters will decide the issue. Why isn’t anyone calling for her resignation from the Circuit Court if she is corrupt and dishonest? This is only about whether there is a liberal or conservative majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. To the Ziegler attack dogs: your veiled attacks are made of glass.
I just find it ironic that the people who are calling for Ziegler to end her campaign for ethic problems are the ones who did not seem to care about Jim Doyle’s ethical problems and voted for him for Governor. One of you posted above that you have been hard on Jim Doyle. Did you vote for him? My guess is yes.
Annette Ziegler, may not be perfect, but I would still rather have her than an activist judge who will not follow what the constitution says and has her own political agenda.
Since Jim Doyle was elected with his ethical problems, give me a break with your high horse attitude.
Why didn’t this get revealed in the Primary! Now I cannot vote for either candidate.
One person in our office read your blog this afternoon and it started a debate. Five people work here. Three Dems. Two Repubs. The most conservative Repub had to admit that your reasoning hit home as he knows Ziegler does not reflect true conservative values. He cannot vote for her. I am a Clifford voter, as are the other two Dems here, and want to say you should not underestimate the power of a blog to make a point. You are good at stirring the pot!
I care more about the system of government, and the process of government than the liberal/conservative label. I gather not all feel the same. John (above) may dislike liberal hypocrites, as is his right. But he will not be able to desribe me as one.
Having said that I have been very hard on Jim Doyle and Democratic members of the Assembly and Senate involved in the Statehouse scandals. Liberals are not exempt from the same treatment that conservatives get on my blog. Progressive Dane has taken hits, as but one example. Democrats took hits when deserved during the mid-term election.
It is easy to get mired down in the name calling. It is harder to stand up and say what needs to be done to insure that our government operates in the manner that we expect it to. In this case there is but one way to resolve the matter. Ziegler must have the sense to end her campaign and leave the race for Supreme Court.
I guess then you will be calling for Jim Doyle to step down then too, right? Oh, I forgot liberals do not do anything unethical. I am not condoning the actions of Ms. Ziegler. But I am sick of the liberal hypocrites
You have accurately pointed out that Ziegler lacks any “sense of honor,” as shown by her past actions. Why expect her to show any now?
Honor and shame are two things that are in short supply in our nation right now. And you know that it starts right at the top! In Washington! But you are right that Ziegler needs to step down at once.