Judge Susan Crawford
By Judge Susan Crawford
As a Circuit Court Judge, I’ve seen firsthand the importance of a justice system that works swiftly and fairly for the people it serves. Judges are on the front lines of our justice system. We are entrusted with upholding the law, safeguarding our communities, and ensuring that victims receive the justice they deserve. That takes leadership and accountability at every level. Unfortunately, when Brad Schimel served as Wisconsin’s Attorney General, he failed to do just that.
When Schimel took office in 2015, Wisconsin faced a backlog of more than 6,000 sexual assault kits, also known as rape kits, that had not been DNA tested. When someone experiences sexual assault, their body becomes the crime scene. They endure an invasive forensic exam, reliving their trauma in the hope that their case will move forward. The evidence collected during these exams is safeguarded in a kit for testing. When Schimel took office, a backlog of over 6,000 kits had been identified, awaiting testing by the Department of Justice.
Rather than ask the legislature for funding to clear the backlog, Schimel forced career DOJ staff to apply for grants with cumbersome federal requirements that further delayed testing. It was reported that he sought a “bargain price” instead of prioritizing prompt testing of the kits to bring justice to the victims.
Over two years after he took office, Schimel’s DOJ had only tested nine kits, despite receiving millions in federal grant funds.
Let that sink in. Only nine kits tested in over two years.
Schimel made excuses, and even lied about the lack of progress — claiming to the news media that hundreds of kits had been tested, only for his staff to later clarify that, in reality, only nine had been tested.
Nine kits tested out of over 6,000 in two years. That’s Brad Schimel’s record. We have a saying in the criminal justice system: justice delayed is justice denied. Brad Schimel denied justice by letting these kits sit untested while predators walked the streets.
Waiting years for a “bargain price” on testing? It’s common sense that delaying justice carries its own severe costs for victims and their families — but apparently Schimel doesn’t agree. And like a true politician, Schimel only picked up the pace on testing as the 2018 election grew near, when he hoped Wisconsin voters would re-elect him. Voters didn’t buy it.
In fact, it’s well documented that Schimel’s failures on testing sexual assault kits go back to his time as Waukesha County District Attorney. As the county’s top prosecutor, he let 26 kits sit untested — even one involving a victim as young as three years old. Schimel never submitted the kit for testing before dismissing the case.
This is the pattern of an extreme politician who can’t be trusted to keep our loved ones safe.
I’ve dedicated my career to protecting our communities. That means enforcing our laws, keeping violent criminals in jail, and holding corporations accountable when they harm our families and communities. And I believe if you’re a victim of crime, you deserve to have your rights protected and justice served. That’s common sense, and that’s the kind of justice I’ll be on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.
The stakes are high this April. But we cannot elect an extreme politician like Brad Schimel to the Supreme Court. In a single term as Attorney General, he failed countless victims of sexual assault. Voters should not entrust Brad Schimel with a decade-long term on the Supreme Court.
Judge Susan Crawford is running for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. She is currently a Dane County Circuit Court Judge. Learn more about her at crawfordforwi.com.