READER COMMENTS ON
"Prosecutor Declines Criminal Charges Against WI's Justice Prosser for 'Choke-hold' on Fellow Justice"
(10 Responses so far...)
COMMENT #1 [Permalink]
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Jon in Iowa
said on 8/26/2011 @ 4:31 pm PT...
Bradley should file a restraining order.
COMMENT #2 [Permalink]
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Steve Heller
said on 8/26/2011 @ 4:57 pm PT...
Really, can anyone be surprised by this? Of course he won't be charged. Never. For anything.
COMMENT #3 [Permalink]
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Ernest A. Canning
said on 8/26/2011 @ 6:16 pm PT...
Inside or outside Bradley's office?
As recounted by TPM [emphasis added]:
Bradley said Prosser was standing in the doorway to her office; that she approached him and told Prosser “Buddy don't raise your voice again. I'm no longer willing to put up with this."…she [pointed] over his right shoulder towards the door that was behind him...Prosser grabbed her by the neck in what she described as a "choke hold."
Prosser claims that Bradley "came out of her office towards him" and that he simply raised his hands as a reflex.
Hmmm! Did Bradley insist a belligerent Prosser leave her office or did Bradley charge Prosser who was standing "outside" of her office?
While Brad has touched upon many of the issues surrounding past Prosser misconduct, the conflict on whether he was inside or outside Bradley's office calls to mind another of the twisted WI Supreme Court tales.
Did Prosser and Walker privately meet on 4/6/11 --- the same day Walker speculated about the possible discovery of missing ballots; and one day prior to Kathy Nickolaus' 'discovery'?
Recall that in her complaint to the GAB, Ass. Attorney General Jo Ann Kloppenburg alleged that, on “Wednesday, April 6, 2011, Justice Prosser was observed entering the Governor’s Office late in the evening and attending a private, one-on-one meeting with Governor Scott Walker.”
That same evening, Walker publicly stated that there might be “ballots somewhere, somehow found out of the blue that weren’t counted before.”
Kloppenburg alleged that, prior to Nickolaus’ announcement at her 04/07/11 press conference that she had “discovered” 14,000 missing Brookfield ballots that changed a narrow Kloppenburg lead to a 7,500 Prosser margin of victory, “the National Review online, reported the change in Waukesha County’s election results.
The Journal Sentinel then reported: "Prosser angrily repeated denials Thursday that he had met with Gov. Scott Walker shortly after the court election."
Subsequently, Mark Crispin Miller reported:
He “said it was possible”—indeed, “conceivable”—that he “stopped down to the governor’s office.” And if he was there, it “would have been to request gubernatorial mementos for visiting international students.”
Right, David Prosser, we're supposed to believe that one day after an election that gave your opponent a narrow lead, you decided to go to Walker's office to collect mementos; that it was a coincidence that Walker speculated on the possibility of a discovery missing ballots; that just happened to be found by your former subordinate Kathy Nicholaus the next day. Just as we're supposed to believe that you were so intimidated by the approach of a female justice, that you had to grab her by her neck in self-defense.
COMMENT #4 [Permalink]
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Nunyabiz
said on 8/27/2011 @ 8:29 am PT...
Allow me to say why he wasn't prosecuted.
He is a rethuglican and the prosecutor was rethuglican, that is all needs to be said.
Rethuglicans are all pretty much disgusting to the core
COMMENT #5 [Permalink]
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nikto
said on 8/29/2011 @ 12:43 pm PT...
GOP-NAZIS always always always PROTECT THEIR OWN.
Rule of law be damned.
COMMENT #6 [Permalink]
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anon
said on 8/29/2011 @ 4:49 pm PT...
Hi Brad,
In the past few days, Professor Althouse has published some very lengthy, and to me, convincing, analyses of the investigation. And with her analysis, it really does look as though Ann Walsh Bradley is not only the aggressor in the physical incident, but a false accuser to boot, in that she made some pretty nasty claims against Prosser, none of which hold up.
If that's true, I don't understand the progressive ideal in supporting her.
And so I encourage you, ask you, suggest that you take the time, and it will be a lot time, to look at Althouse's analysis and write a critique and rebuttal.
Thank you, and best wishes,
COMMENT #7 [Permalink]
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Ernest A. Canning
said on 8/29/2011 @ 6:37 pm PT...
Too bad, Anon, that you did not provide a link.
The account from Ann Althouse that I read is neither "lengthy" nor "convincing." In fact, it isn't even an "analysis."
All that Althouse did was recount the dispute amongst witnesses as to what went down, some saying that Walsh-Bradley not only charged towards Prosser but had her fists raised as she did.
Althouse, who does not appear to have read the actual witness statements (see my comment @3) and fails to mention the gaping contradiction between Prosser's claim that he was standing outside of Walsh-Bradley's office as opposed to Walsh-Bradley's account that she pointed past his shoulder and demanded he get out of the office, states:
If Prosser really tried to choke a nonviolent Bradley, he should resign. But if the original account is a trumped-up charge intended to destroy Prosser...then whoever sent the report out in that form should be held responsible for what should be recognized as a truly evil attack.
Here are the questions Althouse neglected to address in her so-called "analysis."
If, as Althouse recounts, witnesses claimed that Walsh-Bradley charged at Prosser with her fists up, and if, as Prosser claims he raised his hands as a "reflex," how is it that Prosser's hands did not make contact with Walsh-Bradley's arms or fists, instead of her neck? (If her fists were raised in front of her, a defensive maneuver involves deflecting the threat from those fists; not grabbing the neck). Why is it that no witness claimed that Walsh-Bradley's "fists" made contact with Prosser's face or any other part of his body? Why is it that the only bodily contact between the two jurists that anyone has attested to is the physical contact between Prosser's hands and Walsh-Bradley's throat?
That, anon, is what an analysis of evidence looks like.
There's little difference between Althouse's "account" and the scurrilous right-wing claims that Ass. AG Joanne Kloppenburg should have been disciplined for accusing Prosser of meeting with Walker the day after the election.
The problem with those right-wing charges is that, after Prosser angrily denied that he went to Walker's office one day after the election, later admitted he was there, but claimed he was only seeking to obtain mementos.
The Althouse theory of a conspiracy to destroy Prosser's reputation is absurd. What reputation?
We're talking about a WI Supreme Court Justice who confessed that, when he was the GOP Speaker of the WI Assembly, he participated in a partisan-related felony. That same Prosser called the Chief Justice a "total bitch" and threatened to "destroy" her. He was caught on camera angrily snatching a microphone out of a reporter's hand.
If Althouse had any integrity, she would address the question of whether a WI Supreme Court Justice who confessed to taking part in a partisan-related felony should remain on the bench.
COMMENT #8 [Permalink]
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JohnP
said on 8/29/2011 @ 7:42 pm PT...
After reading all the accounts from all the justices it is obvious that you are an ideologue and attacking Prosser simply because he is a conservative.
1) It is undisputed that Bradley charged Prosser after Prosser stated he lost confidence in her leadership. He stated he lost confidence because the chief justice was improperly attempting to delay publication of a decision where she was in the minority.
2) It is undisputed that as she charged Prosser put his hands up to defend himself as if he were trying to hold her shoulders to keep her back but she charged right into his arms
3) It is undisputed he did not put any pressure at all in an attept to choke her.
ALL the accounts agree on the above.
What is in disagreement is not very significant-
A)whether Prosser, Bradley or the Chief Justice were speaking in a loud voice at any time prior to Bradley charging Prosser.
4 justices (including Prosser) say that Bradley and the Chief Justice were using elevated voices at times while Prosser was not. Bradley and the Chief Justice deny using loud voices and claim it was Prosser said some things in a loud voice.
A majority of the witnesses make Bradley and the Chief Justice look like the ones with problems.
In fact, one justice stated that Bradley smacked him in the back for calling the Chief Justice by her first name. He and other justices said she has a very protective mother daughter relationship with the Chief Justice and that anytime she perceives disrespect she either becomes verbally or physically absuive.
Bradley appears to be the one with the problem if you actually look at the evidence.
B) Another factual dispute that is not that important is that the witnesses (except the Chief Justice and participant Bradley) stated that Bradley charged with her fist in Prosser's face. I suppose if true this gives even more justification for Prosser to put his hands up to try to hold her back but just charging at him is sufficient for that.
Interestingly one of the liberal clerks tried to defend Bradley by saying she always raises her fist when she speaks. This was meant to try to save her from facing a charge of assault and saying that it should be perceived by everyone who endures it as non-threatening but it helped to corroborate the statement of the other justices who said Bradley had her fist in his face.
C) The final dispute is over when Bradley told Prosser to get out. It has no bearing at all on the assualt claim. While Bradley and the Chief Justice claim Bradely told him to leave when she charged him, the other witnesses say she charged yelling at him for being disrespectful to the Chief Justice and after she ran into his arms that is when she told him to get out.
Some additional observations:
As soon as the incident ended one conservative female justice told police she was still with Bradley and the Chief Justice. She noted that the Chief justice did not ask Bradley if she was ok as any friend would have done if the friend had been attacked or choked. Moreover, Bradley neither held her neck as someone who was hurt would do nor even checked her neck to see if it was red. he siad neither discussed the event either rather Bradley immediately sat down and began to type as if nothing had happened.
Interestingly others also accuse Bradely of being a drama queen. By all rights it appears that Bradley was not disturbed at all at the time but rather made up the claim later that she was fearful.
What I find most interesting is that Bradley was crying to the Police when they were asking her questions. She said she was tired of being accused of yelling and tantrums and hitting people (such as the smack in the back of the head I guess). It appears that she is the one who doesn't have it together.
Indeed part of her crying was because another justice told her that if Prosser needed help then so does she because she is just as bad or worse.
I have a seriosu quesiton. If Prosser never put his hands on her before ever and only did it after she charged him and got within inches of his face and never applies any pressure at all (her own words were he applied no pressure at all)
then why would she have to fear him?
He did not approach her he only put his hands on her when she wa sin his face. All she has to do is stay out of his face to avoid him placing his hands on her to try to keep her back. Her claim she is in fear over this makes no sense.
That is in fact what the other justices told her after the meeting that took place about this incident. She was hoping to try to get the other justices to encourage Prosser to leave because she doesn't like it that the conservatives hold a majority.
After the other justices took her to task at that meeting for her theatrics (which is a kind way to say she is a dramaqueen) is when she contacted the press to report Prosser attacked her.
Far from it being Prosser's claim that she charged him it is an undisputed fact because all the witnesses agree she approached him and got right in his face and yelled at him, most witnesses also say she was waving her fist in her face. As she was charging him screming at him he put his arms up to try to hold her back but instead she ran into his arms. So they were on her shoulder/neck area to hold her back and all witnesses say he didn't choke her he simply had his hands up to hold her back. Even Bradley said he applied no pressure at all.
You have to laugh that liberals say Prosser did something wrong when it was Bradley who charged him yelling. That seems to suggest she has the problems not him.
right in his face
The bottom line in this is exceedingly simple.
Something interesting is that
This tends to corrorborate
COMMENT #9 [Permalink]
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Ernest A. Canning
said on 8/29/2011 @ 8:21 pm PT...
John P wrote @8 wrote:
It is undisputed that Bradley charged Prosser after Prosser stated he lost confidence in her leadership.
Fact: Prosser never said anything about Bradley's leadership. Bradley is not the Chief Justice.
It is undisputed that as she charged Prosser put his hands up to defend himself as if he were trying to hold her shoulders to keep her back but she charged right into his arms
It appears that in the world according to John P anything that Prosser says is "undisputed."
Here is Justice Bradley's account --- which does not accord with yours:
It also appears that John P likes to make shit up to bolster his arguments. Even Prosser does not claim that Bradley charged "into his arms." Instead, Prosser claimed, "When she got near him, her right fist was in his face."
The statement summaries, include the following [emphasis added]:
Justice Prosser said he had no recollection of his thumbs on Justice Bradley's neck at any point. Justice Prosser could only recall his fingers touching the side of her neck, with one hand on either side of her neck. Justice Prosser said at no point did he squeeze or apply any pressure.
So tell me, JohnP, if Prosser's move were a defensive gesture as a reflex action because Bradley raised her fist towards his face, how is it that the much taller Prosser's two hands ended up on both sides of her neck?
Sounds like a "choke hold" to me.
Finally, John P, please answer two simple questions.
Do you believe that someone who confessed to taking part in a partisan-motivated felony (misuse of state employee's and resources for partisan political gain) belongs on the bench?
Did you refrain from commenting upon this unassailable point because you regard Prosser as an ideologically kindred spirit?
COMMENT #10 [Permalink]
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rugger9
said on 8/30/2011 @ 3:06 pm PT...
ASk John how much Koch is paying for him, and whether Koch is paying for his health insurance.