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Bonus Episode: Who judges the judges?

Images of Hannah Dugan, Michael Gableman, Pam Bondi and Donald Trump.
Artwork by Erin Bagatta
Hannah Dugan, Michael Gableman, Pam Bondi and Donald Trump

This is Swing State of the Union — a podcast all about Wisconsin and why it’s so important to U.S. politics.

Since Season 2, politics have dominated the headlines, exemplified by fights for control over every facet of our government. As the second Trump Administration tries to assert power over a growing list of government agencies, there have been few obstacles in the way. That is, aside from the courts.

The courts have played a central role in stopping, or legitimizing, President Trump’s policies. Because of this, they are increasingly seen in a partisan light, raising questions about who they serve and how they rule.

Now, another state Supreme Court election is ahead for Wisconsin voters. So, we’ll investigate a couple broad questions about our state courts: How do we hold justices accountable, and how do different justices interpret Wisconsin’s constitution? In this episode, we’ll examine the systems of accountability and explore two cases of judges facing consequences in Wisconsin.

Joy is a WUWM host and producer for Lake Effect.
Sam is a WUWM producer for Lake Effect.