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Democratic Leaders Speak Out about Rebecca Bradley's Offensive Remarks PDF Print E-mail
News - Articles for State & Local
Written by GBP Staff   
Tuesday, 08 March 2016 15:44

rebecca-bradley-walkerWisconsin's political landscape was rocked Monday morning by the bombshell revelation that Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley wrote articles as a columnist for the Marquette Tribune mocking the LGBT community and those suffering from AIDS, describing them as "queers", "degenerates" and "murderers".


MADISON - On Monday, March 7, highly offensive comments made by Rebecca Bradley when she was a student at Marquette University were released in a press conference at the State Capitol. The comments made by Bradley, who was appointed to the Wisconsin Supreme Court by Governor Scott Walker in 2015, included derogatory remarks directed at homosexuals and people with AIDS.

dana_wachsRep. Dana Wachs (D-Eau Claire), the ranking Democrat on the Assembly Committee on Judiciary, said “Like so many Wisconsinites, I am frankly disgusted at the comments made by Justice Bradley".

"These views have no place in society and no place in our judicial system," said Wachs. "I question whether or not she can remain impartial in her position on the state’s highest court. It is also of great concern that Governor Walker would appoint someone with such strong narrow-minded views to the Supreme Court."

“Our Supreme Court has a responsibility to treat everyone fairly and impartially in the eyes of the law," continues Wachs. "It is difficult to believe that someone who felt so strongly about certain people that she would openly write about it would be able to give those people a fair ruling in her current position.”

jennifer-shillingUpon learning of Gov. Walker’s refusal to condemn Justice Rebecca Bradley’s inappropriate, offensive and hurtful remarks, Senate Democratic Leader Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) said such hate speech, discrimination and intolerance is never “irrelevant” as the Governor seems to maintain.

“As elected officials, it’s our job to lead by example. Hate speech, discrimination and intolerance is never “irrelevant” especially when it comes from a sitting Supreme Court Justice," said Shilling. "The deeply offensive and hurtful views expressed by Justice Bradley can’t be explained away as flippant remarks or a slip of the tongue. She obviously put a great deal of time and thought into the language she published and the message she wanted to convey.”

“Rather than ignoring religious, racial and sexual intolerance in our state, we need strong leadership willing to stand up and condemn all forms of hurtful discrimination," concludes Shilling. "As someone who shares Justice Bradley’s views enough to appoint her to three judicial posts in three years, Gov. Walker must either condemn her hurtful remarks or continue to embrace these warped and offensive opinions."

peter_barcaAssembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) called the vetting of Justice Bradley, whom Gov. Walker thrice-appointed to judicial positions, yet another failure of accountability from the Walker Administration.

“The failure to vet Justice Bradley is yet another example of the lack of accountability in the Walker Administration," said Barca. "You’d think he’d be embarrassed to learn of views Justice Bradley expressed and yet Gov. Walker is again shrugging ownership and saying it is ‘irrelevant’ that his pick for our Supreme Court wrote extremely offensive and horrifying articles."

“Justice Bradley’s writings are deeply disturbing and I find it troubling that someone would express such hateful views and occupy a seat on our highest court," he continues. “Assembly Democrats stand united against hateful speech, no matter when or where that occurs."

“There is little doubt that Justice Bradley is deeply entrenched with the Republican leadership," Barca concludes. "After being appointed three times in three years, Justice Bradley is joined at the hip with Gov. Walker and is even attending events hosted by Republican legislative leaders. I am unaware of any past Supreme Court candidate tethering themselves so closely to one set of political party leaders.”

Last Updated on Tuesday, 08 March 2016 16:49
 
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