Roggensack Defends Her Role In Prosser-Bradley Conflict

Supreme Court Justice Patience Roggensack is continuing to defend her actions during and since the 2011 altercation between two other high court members.

Who tried to calm down whom in 2011 remains an issue in the state Supreme Court race. Roggensack’s challenger Ed Fallone has tried to paint the state Supreme Court as dysfunctional based on the 2011 altercation between Justices David Prosser and Ann Walsh Bradley, and the court’s unwillingness to take stronger action against Prosser for putting his hands on Bradley’s neck. In response, Roggensack is trying to portray herself as a peacemaker.

“I got myself between the two of them. Then I did hold on to her, and I remember-well, you can read the police reports yourself, but I think her law clerk confirmed that I said, “Ann, Ann, this is not like you,” and I was holding on to her because she was very upset.”

Roggensack is also taking heat for saying the effort to improve the Supreme Court’s image will have to wait until after next week’s election. Roggensack says she has been too busy helping decide cases and running for another 10-year term.

“If we get by April 2, I will ask the Chief Justice to put it on an agenda. I will send my colleagues a long email, saying, “You think about it. You bring your suggestion. We need to fix the damage that’s been done. It doesn’t need to be Pat Roggensack’s fix. But we need to all get together. We need to talk about it.”

Roggensack spoke to the Milwaukee Press Club. Ed Fallone’s campaign was offered a chance to respond but has yet to do so. Fallone will speak to the Press Club on Thursday.