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One Wisconsin Now: Donald Trump attacks victim of sexual assault, again. Scott Walker and Brad Schimel silent, again.
Top Republicans Choice: Denounce Appalling Behavior of Perpetuate Injustice With Silence
MADISON, Wis. — Last night, Donald Trump mocked the courageous testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford before the Senate Judiciary Committee about her sexual assault at the hands of Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. One Wisconsin Now Program Director Analiese Eicher demanded Gov. Scott Walker and Attorney General Brad Schimel speak out on behalf of sexual assault survivors and Wisconsin women and denounce Trump’s latest, vile outburst.
“Scott Walker and Brad Schimel cannot avoid this,” said Eicher. “Donald Trump has attacked a victim of sexual assault on multiple occasions in support of a nominee who is manifestly unqualified for a lifetime appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. What is happening is appalling and Walker and Schimel can either call out Trump and Kavanaugh and their behavior as wrong or perpetuate the injustice with their silence.”
Trump’s horrendous behavior came at a campaign-style rally in Mississippi last night, where he launched an attack mocking the testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Ms. Ford recounted her assault when she was 15 at the hands of Trump’s nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh.
Walker and Schimel both quickly endorsed Kavanaugh’s nomination when it was first announced. They have subsequently refused to question their support of Trump’s nominee in light of a multiple reports of Kavanuagh’s sexual misconduct and serial, boorish drunken behavior, or after the angry, intemperate and borderline unhinged performance in which he tried to deny the assault and save his nomination to a lifetime seat on the high court.
Both of the state’s top Republicans also dodged comment when Trump took to Twitter to attack Dr. Ford for coming forward. Schimel even went on to defend Kavanaugh after Dr. Ford’s testimony saying, “I don’t know what’s true about these allegations or not and I don’t know if something that happened 36 years ago should prevent someone from ever serving …”
The behavior of Schimel, the state’s top law enforcement official, is especially alarming in light of how he as a prosecutor sought light sentences and made disturbing statements about victims of sexual assault.
For example, according to court records obtained by One Wisconsin Now, Schimel attempted to downplay the circumstances of one assault because the perpetrator and victim were close in age. He also went on to say, “I’m also concerned that this was basically a first date. He contacted the victim and invited her to go along [to a party], and she agreed to go along.”
In that case the trial judge apparently did not agree with Schimel, giving the perpetrator a more severe sentence that the one proposed by Schimel.
