With Liberty and Justice For WMC

As if the recent SCOTUS ruling declaring corporate person-hood as far as direct campaign contributions and spending is concerned wasn't bad enough, we have some equally sickening news right here in Wisconsin:

The state’s highest court last week voted to adopt rules that would allow court judges and justices to remain on cases that involve their direct or indirect campaign contributors. In other words, if a judge in Wisconsin wants to, they can remain on a case even if it involves one of their influential campaign donors – they won’t have to recuse themselves if they have a direct conflict of interest.

Readers from Wisconsin may recall that our two most recent supreme court elections were contentious. The problem, especially apparent in the most recent election of justice Michael Gableman, was the obvious influence in the process by Wisconsin Manufacturing and Commerce, a business organization that seeks to create a pro-business environment in the state. And just who do you supposed authored the bill that the court passed in a 4-2 decision?

The rules were written by the Wisconsin Realtors Association and Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, a business lobbying group that spent millions to elect Justices Annette K. Ziegler and Michael Gableman.

Voting for the rules were "justices" Gableman, Zeigler, Prosser and Roggensack. Voting against were Crooks, Bradley and Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson.

The new rules come as defense attorneys are trying to force Gableman off eight cases because they believe he has expressed a bias against criminal defendants and defense attorneys. Gableman has said he is not biased and refused to step aside in six cases. He has not said what he will do in the other two.

My, what a surprise.

Clearly, what we have here as a fantastic ROIC (Return On Invested Capital) for WMC. They work diligently and spend lavishly on two supreme court justice positions and things really start to happen in their favor. Now Gableman, who may not have been elected without the substantial assistance of WMC, can be a perfect lap dog for the organization, and the new rules say he doesn't even have to pretend to be concerned with conflict of interest.

Workers in Wisconsin, it is about to get very ugly.