Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice’s connections result in recusal calls & ethics complaints

Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman will not recuse himself from three cases pending before the Court, reports the Wisconsin State Journal. Attorneys involved in the case had asked Justice Gableman to recuse himself after he had received legal services from another firm, Michael Best & Friedrich, which will be representing Governor Walker in one of the cases.

Justice Gableman’s connections with the firm have also resulted in an ethics complaint filed with the Government Accountability Board when the Justice refused to recuse himself in another case involving sick leave that would have swung the court’s decision had he stepped down.

Wisconsin State Journal: Gableman won’t recuse himself from high profile disputed cases
Wisconsin State Journal: Another ethics complaint filed against Justice Gableman

The New York Times has also written about Justice Gableman’s refusal to recuse himself from cases in an editorial this week.

New York Times: A Wisconsin judge’s refusal to recuse