MADISON, Wis. (Legal Newsline) -- Last week, Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne announced he is running for Wisconsin attorney general.
Ozanne, a Democrat, made his candidacy official in a letter to friends and supporters Thursday.
"The people of Wisconsin want an attorney general who is an experienced front-line prosecutor with a deep commitment to working on behalf of all the people of Wisconsin in order to enforce the law, protect and uphold the constitution, and protect our shared values," he said. "That is who I am and that is what I will bring to the Attorney General's Office."
The district attorney unsuccessfully brought a lawsuit to block Gov. Scott Walker's controversial Budget Repair Bill. The bill, proposed in response to state budget deficits, eliminated nearly all collective bargaining rights for public employee union members.
Ozanne claimed that the bill was the product of a violation of the state's Open Meetings Law.
A Dane County Circuit Court sided with Ozanne, but the state Supreme Court upheld the bill in June 2011.
"Wisconsin residents want an attorney general who does the job without fear or favor," Ozanne said. "Wisconsin residents deserve an attorney general who works for them... not for partisan political interests and not for the special interests."
Last month, current Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced he will not seek a third term as the state's top lawyer.
From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.
District attorney who brought suit over controversial budget bill running for Wis. AG
