Judicial Commission to review Supreme Court choking case

The Wisconsin Judicial Commission is next in line to take a crack at getting to the bottom of the alleged choking incident involving two Wisconsin Supreme Court justices.

The commission is charged with reviewing judicial misconduct to determine if further investigation is needed and any potential discipline to include reprimand, censure, suspension, or removal.

Justice Ann Walsh Bradley has accused Justice David Prosser of putting her in a chokehold in front of four other justices during a June discussion about a lawsuit challenging Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s law eliminating most public workers’ union rights.

Last Thursday, Sauk County District Attorney Patricia Barrett, who was acting as a special prosecutor in the case, announced she wouldn’t file criminal charges against either Walsh Bradley or Prosser, saying the accounts of what happened differed too greatly.

In a statement attributed to James Alexander, executive director of the Judicial Commission, he said the commission’s ongoing investigation will be “thorough, fair and in accord with procedures set forth,” by state statute.

The Commission has not established a timeline for its review, according to the statement.

Alexander did not immediately return calls seeking additional comment.

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