Annette Ziegler, recently elected to the Wisconsin State Supreme Court, is still under two ethics investigations. The state Supreme Court ruled against Zeigler's appeal to dismiss the case brought by the state Ethics Board Monday and gave the board a week to respond to Zeigler's claims.
The Ethics Board claimed Ziegler violated state laws prohibiting officials from acting in cases where they or their family have financial interests, according to the Capital Times. Ziegler ruled in cases involving a bank where her husband was a director, a charge she has not explicitly denied, according to Mike McCabe, director of the government watchdog group Wisconsin Democracy Campaign.
""All she's said is that she's confident she has ruled fairly in those cases,"" McCabe said. ""If you have a conflict of interest, you have to tell everybody.""
The WDC also filed a complaint against Ziegler with the Wisconsin Judicial Commission, which is now pursuing a separate investigation from the Ethics Board to see if she violated the state Code of Judicial Conduct.
""I would be dumbfounded if the Judicial Commission didn't find violations,"" McCabe said on the likelihood of the second investigation going forward.
One difference between the two investigations is that the Ethics Board investigation could only result in fines, whereas the other includes censure, suspension, and removal among its possible consequences. The Ethics Board also has no authority to undo the results of the election, and the Judicial Commission's findings have to be agreed upon by the state Supreme Court, which would then decide on a punishment.
""The Supreme Court is ultimately responsible for policing judicial ethics in this state,"" McCabe said.
If the state Supreme Court did rule on either investigation, it would be the first time the Court would have to rule on one of its own members. Possible conflicts of interest might arise because Justice David Prosser gave money to Ziegler's campaign and retiring Justice Wilcox publicly endorsed her as his successor, according to McCabe.
Executive Director of the Judicial Commission James Alexander said Monday's ruling and the ongoing investigation by the Ethics Board would not influence the commission's own investigation. He also said no time frame could be given on the investigation.
Sarah E. Troupis, one of the attorneys for Ziegler in the case against the Ethics Board, was unavailable for comment as of press time.
