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by Pedro Oliveira Jr.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Newly elected state Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler faces an investigation by the Wisconsin Judicial Commission in a case that could potentially lead to her removal from office.
The investigation follows a complaint filed by the State Ethics Board on Ziegler's decision not to remove herself from hearing five cases as a Washington County Circuit Court judge. The cases involve West Savings Bank, where her husband works on the board of directors earning $20,000 per year.
Should the commission decide to proceed with litigation after its findings, the case could be heard before the state Supreme Court. Possible punishments include reprimand, censure, suspension or removal from office.
"We are confident the Judicial Commission's review will find that Judge Ziegler and her family did not benefit from any case she handled," said Dan Hildebrand, Ziegler's attorney, in a statement. "We are also confident the Judicial Commission will find that Judge Ziegler did not demonstrate bias toward any party and that her decisions were legally sound."
The Madison-based Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, which filed a complaint to the commission before the April 3 election, also accused Ziegler of hearing cases involving companies in which she owned stock.
"Judge Ziegler has not ever denied breaking the code of conduct," Mike McCabe, executive director of the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, told The Associated Press. "These are very clear-cut and straightforward violations of the code. … I don't know what the penalty ultimately will be, but it sure as hell ought to be more than reprimand."
In a statement, Ethics Board chairman Jim Morgan said the nonpartisan agency's investigation did not find any instance of Ziegler's actions benefiting herself or any member of her family. But he also said a government official "shouldn't be acting on a matter that affects a business of which the official or official's spouse is an officer or director."
On April 3, Ziegler defeated Madison attorney Linda Clifford for a 10-year seat on the Supreme Court with 58 percent of the statewide vote. However, Clifford collected the majority in Dane County as well as other parts of the state.
Clifford said she was not surprised the Judicial Commission is investigating Ziegler and finds it "curious" that Ziegler never informed the voters she was being investigated during the election.
"It was an important piece of information for the voters to decide who would be best for the job," Clifford said. "Perhaps things could have turned out differently."
Hildebrand said Ziegler will release the results of the Judicial Commission's review once it is completed.
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