Joe DonaldMILWAUKEE - Citizen Action of Wisconsin, a statewide membership organization with over 38,000 members, announced today its endorsement of Judge Joe Donald for Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Judge Joe Donald is an extremely experienced jurist. With nearly 20 years presiding over civil and criminal court cases he is by far the most qualified candidate. Throughout the legal community, Judge Donald is highly respected for his command of the law, his fairness, and his common sense approach. Judge Donald will deliver justice for everyone in Wisconsin.

At a time when special interest dominance is eroding public confidence in the Wisconsin Supreme Court, it is critically important that we elect judges who make independent judgments based on the merits of each case. The specter of Supreme Court judges failing to recuse themselves from cases involving parties who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on their behalf has sullied the reputation of Wisconsin’s highest court. That is why Citizen Action of Wisconsin believes we need a Supreme Court Justice like Joe Donald, whose long record of judicial independence is beyond reproach.

Judge Joe Donald is a leader in improving and modernizing our criminal justice system. Wisconsin has the highest incarceration rate for African Americans in America. Judge Donald has been a leader in the creation and development judicial solutions like drug treatment courts, which reduce the mass incarceration of nonviolent offenders and work to address the root causes of drug addiction and poverty. We need this kind of common sense innovation to reduce crime and improve lives at our highest court.

The election of Judge Joe Donald would also be a historic milestone. Judge Donald would be the first African American elected to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court (Former Justice Louis Butler was appointed).

“On behalf of our 38,000 members in every corner of the state, we are proud to recommend Judge Joe Donald for Wisconsin Supreme Court,” said Robert Kraig, Executive Director of Citizen Action of Wisconsin. “Judge Donald will work to secure justice for everyone in Wisconsin, not just well connected special interests and big campaign contributors. Based on his proven record of judicial integrity, innovation, and impartiality, Judge Donald has earned a place on Wisconsin’s highest court.”