Ron Johnson Votes to Advance Nomination of Racist, Homophobe to Lifetime Court Seat; Tammy Baldwin Rejects Extremist

MADISON, Wis. — With the help of Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, the nomination of racist and homophobe Michael Brennan to a lifetime appointment to fill the “Wisconsin seat” on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals continues to advance. Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin voted against bringing the Brennan nomination to a vote, a motion that passed by the narrowest of margins, 49-47.

“Michael Brennan’s actions have disqualified him from this lifetime court appointment,” said Analiese Eicher, One Wisconsin Institute Program Director. “We count on our federal courts to treat everyone equally before the law and where we can turn to protect our rights and stop government overreaches.”

The Brennan vote comes after Johnson and the Republicans blocked filling the seat since 2011. Brennan was chosen despite not being recommended through the traditional bipartisan process used by Wisconsin’s U.S. Senators since the 1970s.

Prior to becoming a Trump nominee, Brennan served as the head of Gov. Scott Walker’s judicial commission, responsible for vetting and recommending candidates for state judicial vacancies. Brennan advised Walker on his notorious appointments of Rebecca Bradley and Dan Kelly to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

“There have been huge red flags with this guy, who thinks Rebecca Bradley with her virulent homophobia, antipathy to women who were the victims of date rape and opposition to legal contraception, and Daniel Kelly, who compared affirmative action to slavery, were qualified for the Wisconsin Supreme Court,” said Eicher. “Anyone who thinks people with views like Bradley and Kelly are state high court justice material has no business being considered for a lifetime appointment to the federal bench.”