The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s Effort to Obscure Conflict of Interest Regarding Justice Crooks

The Wisconsin Supreme Court decision on the Sommers’ Raisbeck matter was released on March 30, 2012.  It was authored by Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson herself.  The only reference contained therein to Justice Crooks is footnote five on page eight of the decision, which is as follows and is Attachment #14:

In his filings to this court Attorney Sommers has made allegations of unethical and/or criminal conduct against a number of entities and individuals including the Dane County District Attorney’s Office, the circuit court, the OLR, both referees, and most of the supreme court justices.  He has specifically named the following individuals:  ADA Humphrey, Detective Judith Boehm, Dane County Deputy Sheriff Gnacinski, Accident Reconstruction Specialist Robert Krenz, Deputy District Attorney (DDA) Judy Schwaemle, ADA Timothy Verhoff, District Attorney Brian Blanchard, Judge Paul Higginbotham, Judge Robert Pekowsky, Judge Daniel Moeser, OLR Director Keith Sellen, OLR Counsel Julie Falk (now Spoke), Referee Russell Hanson, Referee Stanley Hack, Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson, Supreme Court Justice N. Patrick Crooks, and various unnamed clerk’s office staff who are accused of intentionally removing documents from the court record.  These allegations far exceed the scope of the matter before the court today, and many of the named individuals have had no formal opportunity to respond to Attorney Sommers’ claims.

Chief Justice Abrahamson’s footnote is disingenuous in many different aspects.  Clearly its intent is to discredit Atty. Sommers.  What is she referencing that in particular relates to Justice Crooks?  And, what would the Wisconsin State Journal’s and Dee Hall’s response be to this?  The answer is in the following pieces.

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