From The Very Right Wing…Point of Law Website
Who Got Their Info From The Washington Post

“In a flurry of mostly overlooked action, the Senate [...]]]> Looks Like Even Though He was Voted out of the Senate Judicial Committe by a vote of 12-7…The Nomination of Louis Butler was Returned To President Obama!

From The Very Right Wing…Point of Law Website
Who Got Their Info From The Washington Post

“In a flurry of mostly overlooked action, the Senate on December 24 confirmed a slew of President Obama’s nominees on a single “en bloc” vote. Included in the list (starting here in The Congressional Record’s Daily Digest) was David Strickland, the former trial lawyer lobbyist named administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (See this Dec. 9 post on the nomination of Strickland, who has a Senate Commerce staffer bears great responsibility for the excesses of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.)

Notable was the Senate’s decision to return six nominees to the White House, a sign of major political opposition to their confirmation. The Washington Post’s Federal Eye blog reported the high-profile nominees to the Justice Department the Senate decided against approving: “Dawn E. Johnsen, nominated to oversee the Office of Legal Counsel; Mary L. Smith, tapped to head the Tax Division; and Christopher H. Schroeder, nominated as assistant attorney general for legal policy.”

The most controversial rejected nominee — at least in civil justice reform circles — was Louis Butler, put forward by President Obama to be U.S. District Court Judge for the Western District of Wisconsin. … Appointed by Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle to the court, Butler lost a 2008 election seeking to win a full term on the court. Conservative activist groups organized against his confirmation, and The Wall Street Journal prominently editorialized against him.

Looks like The Haters Won This Round.

UPDATE!! THE JOURNAL SENTINEL HAS FINALLY REPORTED ON THIS!
They report it’s business as usual by the “just say no” GOP !

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis B. Butler was nominated by President Barack Obama Wednesday for a federal judgeship in the Western District of Wisconsin, according to a statement from the White House.

Butler was the first African-American to serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He was appointed in [...]]]> This is a good selection…

Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis B. Butler was nominated by President Barack Obama Wednesday for a federal judgeship in the Western District of Wisconsin, according to a statement from the White House.

Butler was the first African-American to serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. He was appointed in 2004 by Gov. Jim Doyle and he served until 2008 when he lost an election for the court seat to then Burnett County Circuit Judge Michael Gableman.

Am I disappointed in how things turned out last night? Hell yes, but such is politics. Sometimes your side wins and sometimes they lose; that’s just the reality of our political system.

While I’ve made no effort to hide my dislike for First of all, there’ll be no gnashing of teeth or whining here.

While I’ve made no effort to hide my dislike for Scott Walker and the job he’s done as Milwaukee County Executive, I wasn’t terribly surprised he won, because Lena Taylor ran one of the worst campaigns I’ve witnessed since I became interested in politics. At times she seemed disinterested, and at others she seemed clueless, and I can’t help but wonder if she was really the best liberal candidate out there to run against Scott Walker.

And sure, I’m disappointed Louis Butler lost to Michael Gableman, but my disappointment has less to do with Gableman’s ideology – though I do disagree with his judicial philosophy, to the extent that he has one – and more to do with the kind of negative and unethical campaign he ran.

While last night had its share of disappointment, there were also some positives. The “Frankenveto” is no more, and that’s definitely a good thing. The “Frankenveto” allowed for tremendous abuses by Republican and Democratic governors alike, and I for one am glad to see it go. Besides, our governor will still have some of the broadest veto powers in the nation without the “Frankenveto.” Another high point was the re-election of Lisa Neubauer to a full term on Wisconsin’s Second District Court of Appeals, defeating newly conservative wannabe Bill Gleisner.

Closer to home, I’m glad to see Pat Jursik won a full four year term on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors without any opposition, and I was happy to see Tom Zepecki elected to another term as South Milwaukee’s mayor. Pat and Tom have done well during their time in office, and they definitely deserved another term in office.

Wisconsin Supreme Court: This is a no brainer. Michael Gableman has run one of the most disgustingly vile and dishonest campaigns in as long as I can remember, and in doing so he’s exposed himself as supremely unqualified and [...]]]> On the eve of Wisconsin’s spring election day, I’m going to make a few picks.

Wisconsin Supreme Court: This is a no brainer. Michael Gableman has run one of the most disgustingly vile and dishonest campaigns in as long as I can remember, and in doing so he’s exposed himself as supremely unqualified and unfit to sit on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court. Louis Butler has shown himself to be a more than capable jurist, and he deserves a full term on the Supreme Court.

Milwaukee County Executive: There’s no denying Lena Taylor has run a poor campaign, but putting aside the quality of her campaign, she’s the only reasonable choice for Milwaukee County Executive. Scott Walker’s had plenty of time to deliver on campaign promises past and present, and I daresay his tenure as Milwaukee County Executive will be remembered as one of broken promises and incompetence.

Milwaukee County Supervisor, District 8: Pat Jursik is running unopposed, and for good reason. She’s done a good job in her short tenure as Supervisor for the 8th District, and she deserves a full four year term.

Veto Referendum: I’m voting yes. Wisconsin’s “Frankenveto” has been abused by Democrats and Republicans alike, and even if the referendum passes, our governor will still have some of the broadest veto powers of any governor in the United States.

Milwaukee County Circuit Court: Both Rebecca Dallet and Jeffrey Norman seem qualified, but having met and spoken with Rebecca Dallet, I believe she has the temperment and smarts to be an asset to Milwaukee County on the Circuit Court.

I am rescinding my endorsement of Judge Michael Gableman for Wisconsin Supreme Court. I endorsed him because he had been a [...]]]> The fallout from a wholly misleading and some say racist television ad by Michael Gableman continues, as one of the District Attorneys who endorsed Gableman’s campaign has withdrawn that endorsement. Read the letter:

I am rescinding my endorsement of Judge Michael Gableman for Wisconsin Supreme Court. I endorsed him because he had been a district attorney and I believed he would bring an understanding of law enforcement to the Supreme Court. However, a recent television ad released by him makes me believe that Michael Gableman is unfit for the Supreme Court.

Gableman’s ad states that Louis Butler “worked to put criminals on the street,” and then brings up a case involving Reuben Lee Mitchell and states, “Butler found a loophole and then Mitchell went on to molest another child.”

First, this ad doesn’t tell you that Justice Butler’s involvement with the Reuben Lee Mitchell case was when Butler worked as an appellate attorney for the state public defender and not as a judge or justice. Butler was fulfilling his ethical duty as Mitchell’s appellate defense attorney. He had nothing to do with this case as a judge or justice.

Second, Gableman’s ad is inaccurate. Mitchell served his entire prison sentence. Butler’s legal argument was deemed correct by the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court. However, Mitchell was not given a new trial. Mitchell’s later conviction had nothing to do with Butler.

Third, in the United States of America, defendants have the constitutional right to an effective defense attorney under the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution — one of our most fundamental constitutional rights. The accuracy of our criminal justice system to separate the guilty from the falsely accused is greatly reduced without competent defense counsel. Gableman’s ad mocks this fundamental constitutional right which protects us all.

As a prosecutor, I firmly believe in convicting and properly punishing criminals, but I also understand that I have a duty to be certain that a defendant is actually guilty. A competent criminal defense attorney helps me be accurate.

I am troubled that a candidate for our highest court would belittle our constitutional right to counsel which enhances the accuracy of the criminal justice system. I am equally troubled by Gableman’s cavalier disregard for accuracy in his representations to the public through this ad. The integrity of the criminal justice system should not be allowed to be tarnished by one man’s ambitious desire for higher office. Judge Gableman will not be receiving my vote for Supreme Court justice in April.

Steven G. Bauer
District Attorney
Dodge County

DA Bauer should be commended for standing up for what he believes in and making it clear he respects the adversarial nature of our country’s legal system. Whether liberal or conservative, we should all respect the adversarial nature of our legal system as being absolutely vital to ensuring anyone accused of a crime receives good representation and a fair trail, because we all deserve to have our rights protected when we’re accused of a crime.

If you’d like to read more on Michael Gableman and his campaign shenanigans, check out our archive.

H/T to illusory tenant.