Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Judge Brian Hagedorn spoke out about his controversial blog on WTAQ’s John Muir radio talk show in Green Bay Monday.
The show addressed a blog written during Hagedorn’s time as a law student, in which he vocalized many homophobic and anti-abortion views beginning in 2005.
“The idea that homosexual behavior is different than bestiality as a constitutional matter is unjustifiable,” Hagedorn wrote on the blog in response to a U.S. Supreme Court case that stripped Texas of an anti-sodomy law
The judge also wrote about his severe disdain towards Planned Parenthood, calling it a “wicked organization” caring more about “killing babies than … helping women.”
Other statements from the blog include calling the NAACP “partisan hack” and “disgrace to America.” He also wrote about his personal interest in seeing the GOP gain power.
“We’re close, very close, to a complete Republican takeover of government. We have not been able to pass our Republican agenda in part because we do not have enough power,” Hagedorn wrote. “And we are about 9 months away from electing a Republican Governor in Wisconsin, giving us the ability to bring sweeping change here.”
Many criticized Hagedorn for his blog, claiming it proves his inability to be an unbiased judge.
“It is fundamental to our judicial system that everyone is equal before the law,” said One Wisconsin Now Research Director Joanna Beilman-Dulin. “His writings show he believes he is empowered to impose his beliefs on women and make health care decisions for them, and that some people are less equal than others because of who they are and who they love.”
Although he has not apologized for his statements, he claimed during his radio appearance he is able to remain impartial throughout court decisions and is therefore still a viable Supreme Court candidate.
“The idea of personal expressed views from years ago … to recuse myself now is just flat out wrong,” Hagedorn said on WTAQ.
Hagedorn is a state appeals court judge and was previously a legal counsel to former Gov. Scott Walker. He is running for the April 2 election against appeals court Chief Judge Lisa Neubauer
