Wisconsin

Wisconsin Supreme Court chief justice accuses liberals of ‘raw exercise of overreaching power’

Published

1 year ago

August 3, 2023

FILE – Then-Jefferson County Circuit Court judge Randy Koschnick speaks during a debate in Ashwaubenon, Wis., Jan. 29, 2009. The conservative chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is accusing her liberal colleagues of a “raw exercise of overreaching power” after they flexed their new majority Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023 and fired the director of the state’s court system. On just their second day as a majority on the court after 15 years under conservative control, the four liberal justices voted to fire Koschnick. (H. Marc Larson/The Green Bay Press-Gazette via AP, file)

H. Marc Larson/AP

FILE - In this Nov. 11, 2013, file photo, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler listens to arguments at the Supreme Court in Madison. The conservative chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is accusing her liberal colleagues of a “raw exercise of overreaching power” after they flexed their new majority Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023 and fired the director of the state’s court system. On just their second day as a majority on the court after 15 years under conservative control, the four liberal justices voted to fire Randy Koschnick. (M.P. King/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, Pool) — FILE – In this Nov. 11, 2013, file photo, Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler listens to arguments at the Supreme Court in Madison. The conservative chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is accusing her liberal colleagues of a “raw exercise of overreaching power” after they flexed their new majority Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023 and fired the director of the state’s court system. On just their second day as a majority on the court after 15 years under conservative control, the four liberal justices voted to fire Randy Koschnick. (M.P. King/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, Pool)
M.P. King/AP

FILE - Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler listens to arguments at the Supreme Court in Madison, Wis., on Nov. 11, 2013. The conservative chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is accusing her liberal colleagues of a "raw exercise of overreaching power" after they flexed their new majority Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, and fired the director of the state's court system. On just their second day as a majority on the court after 15 years under conservative control, the four liberal justices voted to fire Randy Koschnick. (M.P. King/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, Pool) — FILE – Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler listens to arguments at the Supreme Court in Madison, Wis., on Nov. 11, 2013. The conservative chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court is accusing her liberal colleagues of a “raw exercise of overreaching power” after they flexed their new majority Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023, and fired the director of the state’s court system. On just their second day as a majority on the court after 15 years under conservative control, the four liberal justices voted to fire Randy Koschnick. (M.P. King/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, Pool)
M.P. King/AP
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The conservative chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court accused her liberal colleagues of a “raw exercise of overreaching power” after they flexed their new majority Wednesday and fired the director of the state’s court system.

The four liberal justices, on just their second day as a majority on the court after 15 years under conservative control, voted to fire Randy Koschnick. Koschnick held the job for six years after serving for 18 years as a judge and running unsuccessfully as a conservative in 2009 against then-Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson, a liberal.

“To say that I am disappointed in my colleagues is an understatement,” Chief Justice Annette Ziegler, now a member of the three-justice conservative minority, said in a lengthy statement after Koschnick was fired.

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Ziegler said the move undermined her authority as chief justice. She called it unauthorized, procedurally and legally flawed, and reckless. But she said she would not attempt to stop it out of fear that other court employees could be similarly fired.

“My colleagues’ unprecedented dangerous conduct is the raw exercise of overreaching power,” she said. “It is shameful. I fear this is only the beginning.”

Fellow conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley blasted the move in a social media post, saying, “Political purges of court employees are beyond the pale.”

Koschnick called the move “apparently political.”

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“I think that portends bad things for the court’s decision making going forward,” he said.

The court announced Wednesday evening that Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Audrey Skwierawski will serve as the interim director of state courts beginning Thursday. Skwierawski will take a leave from her position on the circuit court, where she has served since her appointment by former Gov. Scott Walker in 2018, it said.

The justices who voted to fire Koschnick did not respond to a request for comment left with the court’s spokesperson.

Ziegler noted that when conservatives took control of the court in 2008, they did not act to fire the director of state courts at that time, John Voelker. He remained in the position for six more years before resigning.

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Ziegler praised Koschnick for his 18 years as a judge and his efforts as director of the state court system, a job that includes hiring court personnel and maintaining the statewide computer system for courts. She also applauded him for addressing the mental health needs of people in the court system, tackling a court reporter shortage and keeping courts operating during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Koschnick said he could have accepted his firing — and ensured a smoother transition with his successor — if the justices had waited to do it at a planned administrative meeting next month. Instead, he said, court workers are boxing up his personal belongings while he is in New York at a judicial conference.

“It creates a really unstable workplace,” he said.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin factory-induced snow leads to busy Thanksgiving for local tow company

Published

38 mins ago

November 30, 2024

Press Room

Wisconsin factory-induced snow leads to busy Thanksgiving for local tow company

Factory-induced snow crashes surprise tow company

An Eau Claire-based tow company was caught off guard when it had to respond to multiple crashes on Thanksgiving after factory-induced snowfall covered part of I-94. FOX 9’s Leon Purvis has the full story.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (FOX 9) – Some unexpected snow in western Wisconsin led to multiple crashes on Interstate 94.

What we know

The National Weather Service says the snow formed from steam coming from a factory in Menomonie.

How did this happen?

The National Weather Service reports that snow formed from steam coming from a factory in Menomonie, adding that conditions were in a “sweet spot” for snow formation to come from supercooled water droplets.

The result was a narrow 100-mile plume of snow.

“I read that this morning, and I wasn’t sure what to think about that. I guess it’s possible,” said Rehberg.

FOX 9 reached out to one factory in the area to see if they knew what the source of the steam was, but no administrative staff were available.

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin football alums disgusted with ‘sad state of affairs’ of Badgers program after loss to Minnesota

Published

9 hours ago

November 29, 2024

Press Room

Wisconsin football alums disgusted with ‘sad state of affairs’ of Badgers program after loss to Minnesota

Wisconsin football’s season is sunk.

And it’s a program that’s facing uncharted waters after Friday’s dreadful showing in its 24-7 loss to Minnesota in the regular-season finale.

No bowl game. A losing season. Questions about the coaching staff. Questions about the roster.

The season has actually been sinking for some time, but the Badgers still had a chance to salvage whatever was left of it with a win over Minnesota.

It was a rivalry game. It was at home. And it was for a chance to play in a bowl game, something that every Wisconsin team has played in for the last 22 years.

Instead, the Badgers lost for the fifth straight time behind an offense that is no longer recognizable to players from the past. Wisconsin also suffered its third consecutive defeat at Camp Randall Stadium and fourth this season.

Former Wisconsin football players have been following the season closely and speaking out in disgust on social media as the losses have piled up. Like the fans at Camp Randall Stadium on Friday, they again let their feelings be known about the direction of the program as Wisconsin finished the 2024 season 5-7.

Here’s a sample of the reactions from the likes of Brian Calhoun, Braelon Allen, Sojourn Shelton and others:

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Wisconsin

Where to watch Wisconsin vs Minnesota football streaming free today; TV channel, spread, game odds

Published

17 hours ago

November 29, 2024

Press Room

Where to watch Wisconsin vs Minnesota football streaming free today; TV channel, spread, game odds

Two plucky Big Ten teams square off when the Wisconsin Badgers take on the Minnesota Golden Gophers in what should make for an interesting matchup during Week 14 of the 2024 college football season. This game kicks off at 9 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. CT) on Friday, November 29 with a live broadcast on CBS, and streaming live on demand for free.

• WATCH: Minnesota vs. Wisconsin football live for free with Fubo (free trial), or see it streaming free on Paramount+ (free trial), or see even more streaming options below.

What TV channel is the Wisconsin vs. Minnesota football game on today?

When: Kickoff takes place at 9 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. CT) on Friday, November 29.

Where: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI

TV Channel: CBS, or streaming on demand with Paramount Plus.

How to watch streaming live: The best way to watch this game for free is by streaming it on Paramount+ (free trial, then only $7.99/month) which will have massive Big Ten football games streaming each week. If you don’t have cable, you can still watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or with DirecTV Stream (free trial). If you already have cable, you can also watch this game live on CBS Sports with your cable or satellite provider login information.

You can find out more about which channel CBS is on in your area by using the channel finders here: Comcast Xfinity, DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice.