Wake Up America

KOSCHNICK: ABRAHAMSON’S TRIAL ATTORNEY DONATIONS “WRONG”

Judge Koschnick Calls for Justice Abrahamson to Return

Donations from Trial Attorneys with Cases before Her

[Jefferson County, Wisconsin . . . ] The candidates for Wisconsin’s Supreme Court met for their second debate today in Madison, and Justice Shirley Abrahamson was unable to justify her failure to return donations from attorneys with cases pending before her. She chose instead to make light of the donations despite discussion of a new study showing that citizens overwhelmingly believe that justices should not accept money from parties with cases before them.

Judge Koschnick discussed a study released on February 23, 2009 by the group Justice at Stake under the title “Huge Majority Wants Firewall Between Judges, Election Backers.” According to the study, 85% of those polled believe judges should step aside when parties spend big money to get that judge elected. The Executive Director of Justice at Stake, Bert Brandenburg concluded that “Americans overwhelmingly believe that campaign cash has no place in the courtroom.”

Justice Abrahamson has received over $30,000 from attorneys with cases currently pending before the Wisconsin Supreme Court. This amount includes $11,500 from three attorneys handling a medical malpractice case set for argument in March. Justice Abrahamson has not returned these donations, and did not notify the parties in the cases so that recusal could be sought.

“It costs a lot of money to run from a thirty-two year record of liberal activism, and that must explain Justice Abrahamson’s refusal to part with these donations,” said Koschnick for Justice Campaign Adviser Seamus Flaherty. “Whether it’s the poll discussed by Justice at Stake, last week’s decision by Judge Crabb, or plain old common sense, it is clear that accepting donations from attorneys with cases before the court undermines public confidence in the judiciary. The perception is created that the attorneys are making an investment, and that investment is made seeking a return.”

Salazar Rejects Bush Plan to Expand Offshore Drilling

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar does not rule out expanded offshore drilling, but criticized “the enormous sweep” of the Bush proposal.

WASHINGTON — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has rejected a Bush administration plan to open vast waters off the Pacific and Atlantic coasts to oil and gas drilling, promising “a new way forward” in offshore energy development including new wind projects.

Salazar at a news conference Tuesday criticized “the midnight timetable” for new oil and gas development on the country’s Outer Continental Shelf proposed by the Bush administration four days before President Barack Obama took office Jan. 20.

The secretary said the previous administration’s plan did not take into consideration the views of states and coastal communities, nor a need to better understand what energy resources are at stake, especially off the Atlantic coast where oil and gas estimates are more than three decades old.

“We need to … restore an orderly process to our offshore energy planning program,” declared Salazar, criticizing “foot dragging” by the Bush administration in pushing for renewable energy development in coastal waters.

Salazar did not rule out expanded offshore drilling, but criticized “the enormous sweep” of the Bush proposal, which envisioned energy development from New England to Alaska including lease sales in areas off California and in the North Atlantic that have been off-limits for a quarter century.

Congress last fall ended the broad drilling ban, dating back to 1981, that has kept energy companies from even exploring or conducting seismic studies across 85 percent of the offshore federal waters.

But it remains up to the Interior Department to issue specific plans for drilling leases. And Salazar indicated Tuesday he is in no rush to open vast expanses of long-protected waters, promising “to create our own timetable.”

Salazar directed Interior Department scientists to produce new reports on how much oil and gas might be found off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and extended the public comment period on a new five-year leasing plan to September. He said he will hold regional meetings to get comments from the public before continuing with an offshore energy plan.

Offshore drilling became a contentious issue during the presidential campaign as Republican John McCain made it a pivotal part of his energy agenda. Obama has said he’s not opposed to drilling in some waters that have been off limits, but insisted it should be part of a broader energy plan.

Salazar said any offshore energy plan must include a push for more renewable energy, principally wind power.

“The Bush administration was so intent on opening new areas for oil and gas offshore that it torpedoed offshore renewable energy efforts,” maintained Salazar. “It was not their priority.”

He promised to move aggressively to complete a new regulation on offshore renewable energy programs including wind, solar and wave energy projects.

But Salazar did not rule out an expansion off offshore oil and gas drilling. Some issues such as revenue sharing from offshore energy development must still be worked out in Congress, which also is likely to have a say on what specific waters might again be put off limits.

Salazar, however, has not abandoned a proposal for oil and gas leasing off Virginia, which is included in the current drilling plan scheduled to expire in 2012, nor has he indicated a desire to cancel leasing plans off Alaska including in the Chukchi Sea and Bristol Bay were drilling leases are facing court challenges.

Nevertheless, Salazar’s announcement was hailed by environmentalists and some drilling opponents in Congress as a new direction in U.S. offshore energy development.

It’s “a new way of doing business” at the Interior Department, said Wesley Warren at the Natural Resources Defense Council, citing Salazar’s emphasis on renewable energy development.

Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said Salazar was “bringing … regulatory sanity back into our energy policy.

But Jack Gerard, president of the American Petroleum Institute, which represents the large oil companies, said Salazar’s announcement “means that development of our offshore resources could be stalled indefinitely.”

The Interior Department estimates — using 30-year-old studies — that offshore waters recently lifted from drilling bans contain at least 18 billion barrels of oil, about half of it off California.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/02/10/salazar-rejects-bush-plan-expand-offshore-drilling/

Grothman Blasts UW

UW Hospital Board Adopts Horrific Late-Term Abortion Plan

MADISON: The University of Wisconsin-Madison in a new low– even for it — voted Wednesday evening to go forward with plans to abort babies up to 22 weeks after conception at their clinic on Park and Regent.

“This is unbelievable,” said Grothman.  “No other clinic in south central Wisconsin would touch something so barbaric.  Entire European countries including Germany, France, Russia, Italy, Norway and Switzerland who allow abortions in the first three months wouldn’t consider doing something so horrific as painful late-term abortions.  It is amazing every other medical facility in this region takes a pass on these barbaric procedures, but the UW says ‘The Public be Damned and the Babies be Damned — We’re Going Ahead!’”

“I am certain that February 4, 2009, will be a day in which many of Wisconsin’s citizens and alumni will never forget,” said Grothman, a UW alumnus.  “I applaud the doctors and medical personnel who were brave enough to come forward to express their opposition to these offensive plans and many more need to come forward.”

“The fight of course has just begun,” noted Grothman.  “We must continue to apply pressure to the UW Hospital and the UW itself since every one of the board members affiliated with the UW — led by its Chancellor Biddy Martin — voted for this repugnant procedure.  I would like to thank the three board members who were civilized enough to vote against this plan as well as the other dozens of medical clinics in the south central area who will not do what the UW wants done to these youngsters.”

Members serving on the UW Hospital and Clinics Authority Board include:  David Walsh(Chair – UW System Board of Regents), Patrick Boyle, PhD (Vice Chair – Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Wisconsin Extension), Roger Axtel (Janesville - Former Vice President of worldwide marketing for Parker Pen Company), Carol Booth, RN (Madison – Nurse Clinician and Union Representative), Richard Choudoir (President of Local 1942 AFSCME), Judith Crain (Green Bay – UW System Board of Regents), Robert Golden, MD (Dean, UW School of Medicine and Public Health Vice Chancellor for Medical Affairs, University of Wisconsin-Madison), Carolyn (Biddy) Martin (Chancellor, UW-Madison), Katharyn May, PhD (Dean, UW-Madison School of Nursing), Cory Mason (Racine – Wisconsin State Representative, 62^nd Assembly District), Michael L. Morgan (Secretary of the Department of Administration Delegate: Andrew Moyer, Executive Assistant, Department of Administration), Dian Palmer, RN (Registered Nurse and President of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) District 1199W), Pablo Sanchez (Madison - Vice President, Park Bank), Michael Spector (Retired Chair and Managing Partner, Quarles & Brady LLP -UW System Board of Regents), Humberto Vidaillet, MD, FACP, FACC (Cardiologist, Marshfield Clinic and Director of the Marshfield Clinic Research Foundation), Mike Weiden (Partner, Quarles & Brady), and George Wilding, MD (Director UW Paul P. Carbone Comprehensive Cancer Center).

NRA Endoreses Koschnick for WI supreme court

NRA POLITICAL VICTORY FUND ENDORSES

JUDGE KOSCHNICK FOR THE SUPREME COURT

[Jefferson County, Wisconsin . . . ] The Koschnick for Justice Campaign today announced the endorsement of the National Rifle Association (NRA) Political Victory Fund.

Established in 1871, the NRA is the nation’s premier firearms education organization and is recognized as the foremost defender of the constitutional right to bear arms. A letter from NRA Wisconsin State Liaison Jordan Austin stated that the endorsement was given on behalf of the NRA Political Victory Fund and “all NRA members in the state of Wisconsin.”

Koschnick for Justice Campaign Adviser Seamus Flaherty said that the NRA’s endorsement sends a clear message to Wisconsin’s voters regarding which Supreme Court candidate can best be trusted to respect and protect all of the rights afforded by the constitutions of the United States and Wisconsin.

“Citizens across the State are alarmed by the gathering forces that would erode long-cherished rights,” Flaherty said. “They know that among the strongest guarantors of these rights are courts that respect our constitutions and apply them as written. While voters proud of Wisconsin’s long sporting traditions have already been giving strong support to Judge Koschnick, they can take confidence in the fact that the NRA shares their assessment of the candidates for the Supreme Court.”

The NRA joins a broad coalition of supporters who believe that Judge Koschnick is the best choice for Wisconsin’s High Court in this year’s race. Judge Koschnick has received endorsements from the Milwaukee Police Supervisors’ Organization and the Wisconsin State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police. He is also endorsed by a bi-partisan group of Sheriffs and District Attorneys from across the state.

Judge Koschnick is a life-long Wisconsin resident, and currently serves as Presiding Judge of the Jefferson County Circuit Court. He was named a Leader in the Law by the Wisconsin Law Journal in 2008 for reforms he instituted in Jefferson County that sped up case disposition while reducing the burden on taxpayers. He was first elected to the bench in 1999, and won re-election in 2005.

Koschnick is on his way!

KOSCHNICK MEETING GOALS TO RUN

WINNING RACE FOR STATE HIGH COURT

[Jefferson County, Wisconsin . . . ] The Koschnick for Justice Campaign today announced that over $50,000 has already been raised in support of Judge Randy Koschnick’s bid for the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

After collecting the necessary nomination signatures, and assembling and announcing his staff at the end of December, Judge Koschnick’s campaign began in earnest the work of raising the funds necessary to unseat the High Court’s current Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson. The fundraising period reported today ended on December 31, 2008. By the end of January, the campaign had already raised over $50,000 in its effort.

Campaign Adviser Seamus Flaherty stated that while the Abrahamson campaign raised funds throughout 2008, Judge Koschnick began his fundraising efforts in 2009. He added that the campaign is on track to raise the funds necessary to deliver its message of judicial restraint.

“We are on course to meet our goals both in terms of fundraising and broadening support,” said Flaherty. “From the very beginning, we knew that this would be a “David and Goliath” campaign. But we remember how that turned out, and we also know that strong fundraising numbers by our opponent cannot undo how detrimental her record has been for Wisconsin. We expect that voters will be making up their minds during the last few weeks of this race, and we’re on pace to be competitive when it counts.”

Flaherty added that Koschnick’s campaign is set to begin a busy period of fundraising events that will further strengthen the campaign’s financial standing, and enable Judge Koschnick to continue to discuss how his record of judicial conservatism is a better alternative for Wisconsin than ten more years under his opponent.

Judge Koschnick is endorsed by a bi-partisan group of Sheriffs and District Attorneys from all over Wisconsin. He has also been endorsed by the Milwaukee Police Supervisors’ Organization, the Wisconsin State Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund, and Wisconsin Right To Life.

An award-winning jurist, Judge Koschnick currently serves as the Presiding Judge of the Jefferson County Circuit Court.

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