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LEGAL NEWSLINE

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Wis. SC candidate wants opponents to reject out-of-state donations

Patienceroggensack

MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) -- Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Vince Megna is challenging his opponents to turn down out-of-state donations.

In a news release Monday, Megna said he is asking incumbent Justice Patience Roggensack and Marquette University law professor Edward Fallone to make a "public pledge" not to accept such donations "in order for this election to be decided on by the voters of Wisconsin."

The Milwaukee attorney claims he has run a "fully transparent race," declaring his ideology early on.

But he says his opponents continue to skirt the issue, "fooling no one as to their party allegiances given the backgrounds of their campaign teams, which fall strictly along party lines, and holding a hand out for contributions from donors with an agenda."

"I've said all along that my opponents are not those listed on the ballot but, rather, big business controlling elections," Megna said.

"Billionaires and out-of-state Republican donors with deep pockets are controlling how the law is interpreted here in Wisconsin."

Megna contends the state's high court, Roggensack included, is a "rubber stamp" for the GOP-controlled state.

"Justice Roggensack will have any amount of money she needs, not just several million but $10 million if needed because, in the collective mind of Republican donors, everything is at stake for politically charged cases that come before the Supreme Court," he said.

Megna wants both candidates to make a public statement ahead of the Feb. 19 primary.

"This is our court, the people of Wisconsin's court," he said. "When candidates accept out-of-state donations while still claiming to be non-partisan, the Court will always be compromised."

In response, Roggensack's campaign adviser called Megna's request a "political stunt," and Fallone says he has instructed his campaign to "comply fully" with the state's law on campaign contributions.

The two candidates with the most votes following this month's primary will face each other in the state's April 2 general election.

The winner will serve a 10-year term on the Court.

From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.

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