What happened between Justices David Prosser and Ann Walsh Bradley the day before the Court released its 4-3 decision upholding legislation curtailing collective bargaining rights of Wisconsin public employees is a subject of media and blogosphere attention, but both of the justices are being, judiciously, silent. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Friday that some sources say Justice Prosser, whose reelection to a 10-year term in March made national headlines, grabbed Justice Bradley by the throat in a confrontation in her office, where six of the court's seven justices had gathered to informally discuss the decision. Other sources, the Journal Sentinel said, claim that Justice Bradley charged Justice Prosser, who raised his hands to defend himself and made contact with her neck. The Capitol police reportedly were informed of the incident.
Earlier this year attention had focused on animosity between Justice Prosser and Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson. Prosser has acknowledged calling Chief Justice Abrahamson a "bitch" and threatening to "destroy" her during a closed-door meeting, but told the Journal Sentinel his characterization was justified because Abrahamson had taken steps to undermine him politically and to embarrass him and other court conservatives:
"In the context of this, I said, 'You are a total bitch. I probably overreacted, but I think it was entirely . . . warranted. They (Abrahamson and Bradley) are masters at deliberately goading people into perhaps incautious statements. This is bullying and abuse of very, very long standing.
In the collective bargaining decision released this month the Chief Justice's dissent criticized the majority for “hastily reaching judgment” on a ruling that was “disingenuous, based on disinformation,” “lacking a reasoned, transparent analysis” and laden with “numerous errors of law and fact.”
See also: New York Times, "Wisconsin Judge Said to Have Attacked Colleague"
