The conservative chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court on Monday sent a seething email to the state's new liberal majority, accusing them of a political revolt and an "illegal experiment" when they voted to shrink her powers and oust the director of state courts.
"You are making a mess of the judiciary, the court and the institution for years to come," Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Annette Ziegler wrote to her fellow justices and interim state court director Audrey Skwierawski, in emails obtained by the Associated Press. "This must stop. ... I have no confidence in the recent hostile takeover and the chaotic effect it has had on the court, staff, and the overall stable functioning of the courts. Again, I will not condone such lawless destruction of the constitution, the judiciary, or the court. This is nothing short of an unprecedented coup. For 40 years, the role of the Chief Justice has been understood and respected. Your short term goals will cause long term, irreparable damage to the judiciary. What a historical disgrace."
