Yesterday, in a Dane County courtroom, an individual was convicted and sentenced for threatening me. I was targeted for just doing my job, and that is unacceptable.
We are at a pivotal moment in our history, facing a massive increase in attacks on judges and the rule of law.
Those of us in the judiciary face threats that were once unimaginable, including death threats simply for applying the law. We carry the devastating memory of Judge Roemer, who was murdered for just doing his job. Court staff, attorneys, jurors, and witnesses have also shouldered the weight of this hostility.
The ongoing threats many judges continue to report should remove any doubt about the seriousness of this moment. A court cannot carry out its constitutional role if the people inside the courthouse do not feel secure.
The courts of Wisconsin belong to the people of Wisconsin. Judicial independence survives only when the law — not politics, threats, or violence — guides our courts.
I want to thank the Capitol Police Department and the Dane County District Attorney’s Office for their professionalism and support, and for defending the rule of law.
