Thursday March 28, 2024

An Independent Progressive Media Outlet

FacebookTwitterYoutube
Newsletter
News Feeds:
Bradley Extramarital Affair, Role in Child Placement Case Questioned PDF Print E-mail
News - Articles for State & Local
Written by GBP Staff   
Friday, 11 March 2016 15:59

rebecca-bradleyRomantic relationship and possible unethical representation in a 2005 child placement case are surfacing as Bradley campaigns for a 10-year term on the state Supreme Court against Appeals Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg. Court is responsible for policing the professional conduct rules of attorneys, and much of the justices' time is spent determining if lawyers treated their clients appropriately.


MILWAUKEE, WI - The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (MJS) has reported that, as a private attorney in 2005, Rebecca Bradley represented a former co-worker named J. Andrew Bednell with which she admittedly had an on-going extramarital affair in a Waukesha County child placement case. Bednell was the former chief operating officer of the law firm where both had previously worked.

According to court records,  the ex-wife of Bednall and mother of the child objected to Bradley's representation based on her (Bradley's) relationship with Bednall. The court-appointed attorney overseeing the interests of the Bednall child tried to have Attorney Bradley removed from the case on the grounds that "Supreme Court rules prohibit her from having contact with the minor that is the subject of .... dispute" without the Guardian ad Litem's permission. At the time (2003-4), Bradley reportedly spent time with the father and child that included "the exchange of gifts and regular contact".

joanne-kloppenburgThe affair and possible unethical representation in the child placement case are surfacing as Bradley campaigns for a 10-year term on the state Supreme Court against Appeals Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg. The election is April 5. The court is responsible for policing the professional conduct rules of attorneys, and much of the justices' time is spent on determining whether lawyers treated their clients appropriately.

Bradley responded in a January 2005 affidavit that she could remain on the case.

"At one time I had a romantic relationship with (Bednall), which we both believed might result in marriage. We broke off that relationship in November 2002, although we have continued to date on a nonexclusive basis since that time," wrote Bradley, who was divorced in 2004.

The MJS says the judge rejected the attempt to bump her on ethical grounds, according to the public filings. Online court records indicate that it would have been unusual for Bradley to use her position as an attorney in a family law case.

Gov. Scott Walker named her to the state Supreme Court in October, marking the third time he had given her a judicial appointment in three years.

The MJS reports the matter also raises questions about the vetting process used by Walker, who has acknowledged he was unaware of college newspaper writings by Bradley in which she condemned "queers" and addicts for essentially killing themselves through their conduct. In a letter to the editor, she wrote: "Heterosexual sex is very healthy in a loving marital relationship. Homosexual sex, however, kills."

According to the MJS, in a column about Bill Clinton winning the 1992 presidential election, she called voters either stupid or evil for electing "a tree-hugging, baby-killing, pot-smoking, flag-burning, queer-loving, draft-dodging, bull-spouting '60s radical socialist adulterer to the highest office in our nation."

Bradley is quoted as writing "Either you condone drug use, homosexuality, AIDs-producing sex, adultery and murder, and are therefore a bad person, or you don't know that he supports abortion on demand and socialism, which means you are dumb. Have I offended anyone? Good — some of you really need to wake up."

On Wednesday, Laurel Patrick, a spokeswoman for Walker, said the governor also had not been aware of the court documents on Bradley's representation of Bednall, who worked as COO and later as chief financial officer at the Milwaukee firm Whyte Hirschboeck Dudek.

According to the MJS, Bradley's current attorney, Dan Kelly, said there had been no reason to alert Walker.

"Is this the sort of thing you would bring to the attention of the governor?" Kelly said. "Of course not, this is a nonevent....This is a nothing."

Bradley, when asked about the case, cut off a brief interview.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about or what you're trying to do to me," she said. "There were motions filed in that case and the judge dismissed them and that's all I have to say. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel should be ashamed of itself and you can put that on the record."

Last Updated on Friday, 11 March 2016 23:48
 
Copyright © 2024. Green Bay Progressive. Designed by Shape5.com