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This Special Edition of the Wednesday Update takes an in-depth look at the newly formed Wisconsin Judicial Campaign Integrity Committee, a self-appointed group created by the Wisconsin Bar to monitor communication during the upcoming Supreme Court in Wisconsin. 

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The newly created, Wisconsin Judicial Campaign Integrity Committee (WJCIC) trumpets itself as a citizen committee "protecting fair and impartial courts."  The committee is neither fair, nor impartial.  Committee Chairman and State Bar President Thomas Basting, a trial lawyer who has done criminal defense work, also calls the group non-partisan, yet nearly all of its members have ties to Governor Jim Doyle and the Democratic Party - including Basting.  Doyle appointed Louis Butler to the Supreme Court in 2004 and recently hosted a high dollar fundraiser for Butler's campaign.

7 of the 8 members are former Democratic political leaders or appointees and/or donors of Governor Jim Doyle.  Five members have made a total of 45 donations to Doyle's campaigns, including a dozen from Basting. 

Former Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tim Cullen made 18 contributions, former Democratic Governor Tony Earl made 3, former Martin Schreiber cabinet member Carol Toussaint made 8 and UW-Madison professor Dennis Dresang made 4. 

Three of the group's members or their spouses have ties to Louis Butler's campaign, and one member, Tony Earl has contributed money to Justice Butler.  At least 5 of the committee members or their spouses have ties to liberal attorney Linda Clifford's unsuccessful 2007 campaign.  None of the members has ties to Butler's opponent Judge Michael Gableman.

The only member of the WJCIC without a direct tie to Jim Doyle is Bill Kraus, a self-described "disaffiliated" Republican who advocates taxpayer funded campaigns and allowing the governor to appoint state Supreme Court justices.  Kraus serves as Co-Chair of Wisconsin's Common Cause and is a frequent critic of Republican candidates and policies, once calling President Bush "ignorant" and questioning Ronald Reagan's intelligence.  In addition, Kraus' wife Toni Sikes contributed $200 to Louis Butler's campaign in June of 2007, and he's hosted and attended fundraisers for liberal politicians and judges.

The only other Republican representative on the WJCIC is Appeal Court Judge Dave Deininger, a former legislator who was recently appointed by Doyle to serve on the Government Accountability Board. 

5 of the 8 WJCIC members live in Madison, two are University of Wisconsin Professors, three are former legislators and only 1 member is a woman.  The WJCIC has no minority representation.  According to its working guidelines, the committee will meet in secret on an as needed basis, all deliberations will be kept confidential and Chairman Basting is the only committee member permitted to address the media.

WJCIC Chairman Tom Basting publicly rebuked Judge Gableman's campaign for comments it made regarding Justice Butler's past judicial philosophy, which has expanded the rights of criminal defendants while restricting law enforcement power.  In a press statement regarding the matter, Basting said, "Advertisements that state or imply that a candidate has been or will be biased in favor of a particular party to the legal system undermine public trust and confidence in a fair and impartial judiciary. Such advertisements do nothing to elevate the tenor of judicial campaigns."

The WJCIC has asked the Supreme Court candidates to sign a pledge agreeing not only to adhere to the Judicial Code of Ethics, but to follow dubious guidelines outlined by the self-appointed "Star Chamber" in statements such as:

• "The omission of relevant information could make an otherwise truthful statement either misleading or unfair."

•  "Judicial candidates - and their supporters - should focus their campaign messages on the candidates' record of public service and similar judicial qualifications, rather than signaling how they or their opponents are likely to rule on matters that could come before the court."

In other words, Judge Gableman and his supporters are free to talk about how Butler's experience as a state public defender, municipal judge, circuit court judge, and Supreme Court Justice qualify him to serve on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, but they must not discuss or attempt to evaluate how his job performance affects the public he is elected to serve.

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The Committee Exposed
Former Governor Tony Earl

• Frequent donor to Governor Jim Doyle

• Former Democratic Governor

• Contributed to Louis Butler's campaign

• Contributed to Linda Clifford, Peg Lautenschlager and
  several other Democratic politicians.

• Endorsed Justices Ann Walsh Bradley and liberal
  Supreme Court candidates Ed Brunner (AP, March 23,
  2003).and Linda Clifford (AP, Feb. 12, 2007).

• Praised Butler as a "consensus builder" in supporting his
  candidacy for the supreme court against Diane Sykes
  (April 2, 2000).

• "Commended Butler's experience and impartiality" in
  supporting his candidacy for the court against Diane
  Sykes (Capital Times, 2000).

• Endorsed John Edwards for President.

• Member of the Alternative Planning Associates (APA)
  Advisory Board, a progressive organization seeking
  alternatives to incarceration.

Thomas Basting, Sr., Chairman, WJCIC

• Self proclaimed "friend" and appointee of Jim Doyle.
  Once called Doyle an "extremely able lawyer, honest and
  hardworking..who is also a friend."
 
• Basting and his wife Sally have contributed nearly
  $15,000 to Doyle.
 
• Frequent Democratic campaign contributor giving to the
  Democratic Campaign Committee (2004); convicted 
  Democratic lawmaker Brian Burke (2001); Democratic
  state Sen. Dave Hansen (2000); and Democratic Senator
  Alice Clausing (2000).

• Hired by Attorney General Jim Doyle in 1996 to sue
  cigarette manufacturers.  (Capital Times, Dec. 11, 1996). 
  Law firms hired by Doyle split $76.8 million in proceeds
  from the tobacco settlement. (MJS article.)

• Basting has current business before the state Supreme
  Court as President of the Wisconsin Bar and as an
  attorney  for the regulatory arm that disciplines attorneys.
  (James Frisch; Bill Ginsburg; Kristin Gernetzke; Gary
  George).
 
• Basting's wife, Sally, is listed on Butler's campaign
  website as an official supporter.

David Deininger., Co-Chairman, WJCIC

• Former Republican legislator (1987-1993) serving Green
  and Dane Counties.

• A self described moderate,  Deininger opposed tougher
  criminal sentencing measures (Capital Times, 7/3/93 and
  advocated for abortion rights (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,
  September 4, 1992).  As a Judge, Deininger authored a
  decision ruling against the Milwaukee Parental School
  Choice program, saying it violated the constitution.

• Deininger contributed to liberal Chief Justice Shirley
  Abrahamson (1999).

• Appointed by Doyle to serve on the new Government
  Accountability Board, posing a conflict of interest with his
  role on the WJCIC. 

• Kraus' wife Toni Sikes contributed $200 to Louis Butler.
  (6/4/07 $200) and has also donated money to Kathleen
  Falk (6 donations); Barbara Lawton (4 donations); and
  Peg Lautenschlager (2001).  She listed as one of her top
  goals "to help a Democrat get elected to the White
  House." (Capital Times. Feb 24, 2005).

• Kraus is a frequent guest columnist at Fighting Bob.com,
  the site of liberal activist Ed Garvey.

• Kraus admits he's "disaffiliated" from the Republican
  Party. (Isthmus, 8/11/2006) and he attacked gubernatorial
  candidate Mark Green as being too conservative.
 
• Kraus advocates having Gov. Doyle and the Democratic-
  controlled state Senate appoint Supreme Court justices,
  stating that Wisconsin should "go to the federal system
  where judges are appointed by the governor and
  approved by the Senate." (Fighting Bob.com. April 6,
  2007).

• Kraus "wouldn't publicly endorse Ronald Reagan for
  President," according to the May 22, 1998 Capital Times.

• Warned of right-wing '"zealots" that threaten to take over
   the party. (Nov. 5,1992, Wisconsin State Journal).

• Doyle appointed Heim to the Educational Approval Board,
  March 18, 2004.

• Heim's wife Patricia is an attorney who has donated
  money to Doyle (2005), Peg Lautenschlager (2002 and
  2006), Shirley Abrahamson (1999); Tom Barrett (2002):
  Linda Clifford (2007 and 2005), and Kathleen Falk (2006).

• Pat Heim's law firm specializes in criminal defense and
  personal injury law.

Carol Toussaint - Madison Activist

• Toussaint served as a cabinet secretary in the 
  administration of Democratic Governor Martin Schreiber.
  (Secretary of the Department of Local Affairs and
  Development, 1977-78)

• Doyle appointed Toussaint to the Madison Cultural Arts
  Board, Aug. 9, 2006.
 
• President Bill Clinton named Toussaint to the advisory
  committee for the Kennedy Center of the Arts, April 1995.

• Toussaint made 8 campaign contributions to Jim Doyle
  between 1998 and 2006. She also donated to Shirley
  Abrahamson (1999), the Assembly Democratic Campaign
  Committee (2006); Barbara Lawton (2003), and Linda
  Clifford (2007).

Timothy Cullen, Former Democratic Senate Leader
(pictured center)

• Democratic Senate Majority leader, 1982-1987.

• Aide to Democratic Congressman Les Aspin, 1971-1974.

• A member of Gov. Jim Doyle's Task Force on
  Educational Excellence. Argued for repeal of the QEO.
  (April 30, 2004, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel).

• Cullen is an 18-time Doyle donor, contributing more than
  $18,000. He has also donated money to Peg
  Lautenschlager (4 times); Judy Robson (6 times); the
  State Senate Democratic Campaign Committee (2007,
  and twice in 2006);  and numerous other Democrats.

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