A notice posted on the UW-Madison Law School website Tuesday seeking interns for the re-election campaign of Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson is drawing criticism from one lawmaker.
State Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, condemned Abrahamson's post on the website in a statement, and sent a letter to Chancellor Biddy Martin calling for a stop to activities related to promoting campaign positions for Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson using public and university resources.""
""It appears that the chief justice's campaign is using her influence and office to solicit campaign workers through the UW-Madison Law School. The description of these internships is clearly unseemly, unethical and possibly illegal,"" Nass said in the statement.
According to Nass spokesperson Mike Mikalsen, there are rules that prohibit the use of public resources for campaign purposes, and Abrahamson violated state law.
Supreme Court races are nonpartisan, but according to Mikalsen, these rules apply to all state and local races, regardless of if they are partisan or not.
Abrahamson could not be reached for comment.
According to university spokesperson Dennis Chaptman, university legal counsel reviewed the situation and determined as long as they are posted in the same manner as other postings, notices of political opportunities such as Abrahamson's are not illegal.
UW-Madison Professor of Political Science Donald Downs said he is unsure if Abrahamson's actions were illegal, but said she is a ""very principled person"" and as Chief Justice would know the rules.
""The fact that students from the university are helping her is not a problem. It's a question of how they were recruited,"" Downs said.
One Wisconsin Now, a political watchdog group, said in a statement Nass has failed to attack Republican candidates for similar offenses and called for an investigation against him.
""This selective attack raises serious concerns that this was nothing more than Nass using his taxpayer-financed office to campaign against a candidate,"" OWN Director Scot Ross said.
Abrahamson will oppose Jefferson County Circuit Judge Randy Koschnick in the April 7 election.
