Brad Schimel
Brad Schimel | |
---|---|
Judge of the Wisconsin Circuit Court for the Waukesha Circuit Branch 6 | |
Assumed office January 7, 2019 | |
Appointed by | Scott Walker |
Preceded by | Patrick Haughney |
44th Attorney General of Wisconsin | |
In office January 5, 2015 – January 7, 2019 | |
Governor | Scott Walker |
Preceded by | J. B. Van Hollen |
Succeeded by | Josh Kaul |
District Attorney of Waukesha County | |
In office January 3, 2007 – January 5 2015 | |
Preceded by | Paul Bucher |
Succeeded by | Susan Opper |
Personal details | |
Born | February 18, 1965 |
Political party | University of Wisconsin, Madison (JD ) |
Brad Schimel (born February 18, 1965) is an American lawyer, judge, and
Early life and education
Schimel is a graduate of Mukwonago High School, and holds a B.A. in political science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (1987).[1] He earned his Juris Doctor at the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1990.[2]
Schimel identifies as a
Legal career
He began his career as a prosecutor in 1990, when he joined the Waukesha County District Attorney's office. In 2006 Schimel was elected Waukesha County District Attorney. He would be re-elected without opposition in 2008, 2010, and 2012.
In 2011, Schimel was appointed to serve on the Wisconsin Judicial Council and the Wisconsin Crime Victim Council.[4]
Schimel is an instructor in the Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Department at Waukesha County Technical College, and is a former adjunct instructor at Concordia University Wisconsin.[5]
Attorney General of Wisconsin
On October 7, 2013, Van Hollen announced he would not seek reelection in 2014 for a third term as state attorney general.[6] Van Hollen endorsed Schimel as his replacement.[7] In the 2014 general election, Schimel defeated opponent Susan Happ.[8]
As Wisconsin Attorney General, Schimel appealed the ruling by a federal judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin that Brendan Dassey, one of the subjects of Making a Murderer, had been coerced into confessing to a murder as an intellectually disabled 16-year old.[9] Courts subsequently ruled either to free Dassey or block his release pending a new trial.[9] Schimel argued that the United States Supreme Court should not hear Dassey's case; when the U.S. Supreme Court declined hearing Dassey's case, Schimel said he was pleased.[10][11]
Schimel also attempted to resuscitate
In November 2016, a three-judge panel of federal judges found that Wisconsin's legislative map, enacted in 2011, was an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. The map had resulted in a persistent Republican majority of about 64% of both legislative chambers despite the popular vote in the state being evenly split between the two parties.[14] Schimel appealed the decision to the United States Supreme Court, which heard the case along with other partisan gerrymandering questions in that term.[15] The Court gave its opinion in the case Gill v. Whitford (2019), siding with Wisconsin Republicans and ruling that the plaintiffs had not demonstrated personal harm, and therefore did not have standing to challenge the map. The decision effectively ended federal court oversight of partisan gerrymandering questions.[16][17]
Career as state judge
In November 2018, after Schimel was defeated for reelection by Democratic candidate
In October 2020, Schimel was an
During the
Schimel declared his candidacy for the Wisconsin Supreme Court on November 30, 2023. He is running in the 2025 Wisconsin Supreme Court election, challenging incumbent justice Ann Walsh Bradley.[24][25]
Electoral history
Waukesha District Attorney (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Primary Election, September 12, 2006 | |||||
Republican | Brad Schimel | 20,270 | 57.59% | ||
Republican | Dennis Krueger | 14,917 | 42.38% | ||
Scattering | 12 | 0.03% | |||
Total votes | 35,199 | 100.0% | |||
General Election, November 7, 2006 | |||||
Republican | Brad Schimel | 132,967 | 99.39% | ||
Scattering | 820 | 0.61% | |||
Total votes | 133,807 | 100.0% | |||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Election, November 4, 2008 | |||||
Republican | Brad Schimel | 168,330 | 99.57% | ||
Scattering | 731 | 0.43% | |||
Total votes | 169,061 | 100.0% | |||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Election, November 2, 2010 | |||||
Republican | Brad Schimel | 51,290 | 100.0% | ||
Total votes | 51,290 | 100.0% | |||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Election, November 6, 2012 | |||||
Republican | Brad Schimel | 158,479 | 99.31% | ||
Scattering | 1.096 | 0.69% | |||
Total votes | 159,575 | 100.0% | |||
Republican hold |
Wisconsin Attorney General (2014, 2018)
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Election, November 4, 2014 | |||||
Republican | Brad Schimel | 1,211,388 | 51.54% | -6.25pp | |
Democratic | Susan V. Happ | 1,066,866 | 45.39% | +3.26pp | |
Independent
|
Thomas A. Nelson Sr. | 70,951 | 3.02% | ||
Scattering | 1,120 | 0.05% | -0.03pp | ||
Plurality | 144,522 | 6.15% | -9.51pp | ||
Total votes | 2,350,325 | 100.0% | +11.26% | ||
Republican hold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
General Election, November 6, 2018 | |||||
Democratic | Josh Kaul | 1,305,902 | 49.41% | +4.02pp | |
Republican | Brad Schimel (incumbent) | 1,288,712 | 48.76% | -2.78pp | |
Constitution | Terry Larson | 47,038 | 1.78% | ||
Scattering | 1,199 | 0.05% | |||
Plurality | 17,190 | 0.65% | -5.50pp | ||
Total votes | 2,642,851 | 100.0% | +12.45% | ||
Democratic gain from Republican |
References
- ^ "Brad Schimel". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ "Candidate Q&A: Attorney general". Daily Citizen. October 21, 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ "Brad Schimel". Ballotpedia. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ Wisconsin DOJ https://www.doj.state.wi.us/exec-profile/brad-d-schimel
- ^ "Waukesha County DA announces attorney general candidacy". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. October 14, 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ Patrick Marley. "J. B. Van Hollen won't seek third term as attorney general". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel October 7, 2013.
- ^ Dee J. Hall (29 January 2014). "Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen endorses GOP candidate Brad Schimel as replacement". Host.madison.com. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- ^ "Attorney General race: Republican Brad Schimel defeats Democratic challenger Susan Happ". Fox6now.com. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- ^ a b Victor, Daniel (25 June 2018). "Supreme Court Won't Hear Appeal of 'Making a Murderer' Subject Brendan Dassey". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
- ^ "The Latest: Attorney Vows to Keep Fighting for Dassey".
- ^ "Schimel: Supreme Court shouldn't review Dassey confession". WGBA. 2018-05-11. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
- ^ Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Inc. v. Schimel, 806 F.3d 908 (7th Cir. November 23, 2015).
- ^ Johnson, Shawn (June 28, 2016). "Supreme Court Rejects Wisconsin's Abortion Law Appeal". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ^ Treleven, Ed (November 22, 2016). "Federal judges panel finds state redistricting plan an 'unconstitutional gerrymander'". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ^ Ruger, Todd (19 June 2017). "Supreme Court to Hear Case on Partisan Redistricting". Roll Call. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- ^ Vetterkind, Riley (June 28, 2019). "U.S. Supreme Court decision leaves Wisconsin gerrymandering case with few prospects". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ^ White, Laurel (June 27, 2019). "US Supreme Court Ruling Effectively Ends Wisconsin Gerrymandering Challenge". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
- ^ "Gov. Walker appoints Schimel to the Waukesha County Circuit Court". Associated Press News. November 20, 2018.
- ^ a b c Todd Richmond (December 24, 2018). "Schimel recommended 4 others for open judgeship spot". Associated Press News.
- ^ a b Daniel Bice, Supreme Court chief justice banished Judge Brad Schimel from his own courtroom after he refused to wear mask, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (October 9, 2020).
- ^ a b Daniel Bice, Judge Brad Schimel defends emcee role GOP event featuring Sen. Ron Johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (October 8, 2020).
- ^ Bruce Murphy, Did Brad Schimel Break the Law?: He emceed political fundraiser. State law prevents judges from all political activities., Urban Milwaukee (October 3, 2021).
- ^ Katherine Beck and Jake Ekdahl, Trump motivates voters at rally in Waukesha, Greater Milwaukee Today (October 24, 2020).
- ^ "Lazar still mulling '25 Supreme Court bid as Schimel prepares to launch campaign". Wispolitics.com. November 28, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
- ^ "Schimel launches '25 bid for state Supreme Court". Wispolitics.com. November 30, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.