Mum’s the word from Sens. John Nygren and Roberta Darling on Justice Rebecca Bradley’s flat-out ignorant and homophobic writings as Democrats on Joint Finance Committee call for cancellation of Bradley fundraiser.

MADISON – Despite public outrage across Wisconsin and strong condemnation from HIV/AIDS advocates and allies of the LGBTQ community, Joint Finance Committee Co-Chairs Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette) and Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) have been eerily silent on the series of published, hate-filled rants made by Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley, revealed earlier this week.

Co-Chairs Nygren and Darling are hosting a fundraiser for Justice Bradley next Monday, March 14 at the Madison Club with sponsorships going for as much as $2,500.

The four Democratic members of the Joint Finance Committee released the following statement Thursday:

“Like most Wisconsinites, we were shocked and disgusted by the flat-out ignorant and homophobic writings of Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley. The silence from Rep. Nygren and Sen. Darling, Joint Finance Co-Chairs and hosts for a future Bradley fundraiser, is deafening. How can these two legislators raise money for an individual who has exhibited such deep-seeded hatred for thousands of Wisconsinites? Any person who has espoused such beliefs and biases is unfit to sit on the Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, or any court for that matter. Rep. Nygren and Sen. Darling should show some courage and do the right thing. It is time they denounce this embarrassing and offensive commentary and cancel the fundraiser they are hosting for Justice Bradley next week.”

"The columns, authored by Justice Bradley over several months, and published in the Marquette Tribune, have disgraced Wisconsin’s top court and have made national headlines. In her writings, Bradley refers to members of the LGBT community as “queers” and “degenerates” and states that “homosexual sex kills” and “…the homosexuals and drug addicts who do essentially kill themselves and others through their own behavior deservedly receive none of my sympathy."

The four Democratic members of the Joint Finance Committee are Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison), Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), Sen. Lena Taylor (D-Milwaukee), and Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton).