Questions About Brian Hagedorn’s Ability to Fairly Serve All Remain Unanswered

MADISON, Wis. — As Brian Hagedorn is publicly sworn in as a justice on the Wisconsin State Supreme Court today, questions remain unanswered about how he will be able to fairly treat all those who come before him given his bigoted views, associations with a hate group and conflicts of interest.

One Wisconsin Now Research Director Joanna Beilman-Dulin said there are many unanswered questions impacting Hagedorn’s ability to serve in a fair and impartial role like:

• Will Brian Hagedorn continue to serve on the board of directors of a school whose official policy discriminates against members of the LGBTQ community, including expelling students and firing teachers based on their sexual orientation?
• Will Brian Hagedorn continue to take money from the hate group Alliance Defending Freedom and will he continue to refuse to reveal what he says to them when appearing at their events in his official capacity?
• Will Brian Hagedorn recuse from cases involving issues he worked on as legal counsel to the governor, like supporting efforts to strike down state laws protecting equal rights for LGTBQ couples?

Other conflicts Hagedorn potentially faces include cases involving the state Republican Party, his single largest donor contributing over $156,000 to his campaign, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty who frequently sues to advance right-wing causes and Wisconsin Family Action that affiliates with the hate group the Alliance Defending Freedom, from whom Hagedorn has personally taken thousands of dollars in payments and travel.

“A last minute flood of out-of-state, right-wing campaign cash funded ads stoking fear, hate and division to help get Brian Hagedorn elected,” said Beilman-Dulin. “Questions still remain unanswered about how Hagedorn can possibly treat all people appearing before him fairly, as justice demands, given his documented bigoted views, affiliations with a hate group and many conflicts of interest.”