Governor Scott Walker to announce Wisconsin Supreme Court appointment

Gov. Scott Walker plans to appoint conservative-backed appellate judge Rebecca Bradley to the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Friday, giving her an advantage of incumbency heading into the spring election, two people with knowledge of the pick told The Associated Press on Friday.

Walker scheduled a 9:15 a.m. news conference in the Capitol to announce his selection.

Bradley is one of three candidates who announced she was running for Crooks’ seat before he died. She won re-election to the circuit court position in 2013.

Chief Justice Pat Roggensack attended the announcement. Walker this May appointed Troupis to the Dane County bench, and Troupis said then he would not run for a full term on that court. It also allows Bradley to run for the April 5 election as the incumbent.

The appointment expands conservatives’ grip on the high court to 5-2.

“This power grab sets a bad precedent and doesn’t pass the smell test”, Shilling said. Walker in May appointed Troupis, an attorney who previously worked for Republicans, to his current position.

Bradley earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Business Economics at Marquette University in 1993. She practiced law for more than 16 years, including representing doctors in malpractice lawsuits and businesses and individuals in product liability and personal injury cases.

Bradley is backed by conservatives in next year’s race for the seat.

The new justice will fill a vacancy left by the late Justice Patrick Crooks, 77. Walker said a decision will come “probably in the next couple of days”.

“They want the court to be filled, they don’t want a long-term vacancy on the Supreme Court”, Walker said.

Two other announced candidates for a full term on the court, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Joe Donald and Appeals Court Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg, did not apply for the temporary appointment.