Re-Election, Recount, Roil, Rebut, Recusal, Refusal - - David Prosser's Five, Make It Six!, "R's"

And the six "R's" add up to an "F" in Public Policy 101.

David Prosser keeps on roiling state politics, helping to undermine what's left of the State Supreme Court's reputation for even-handedness.

The Capital Times lays out the story: a law firm that Prosser's campaign paid handsomely during his election recount is about to come before the Court in a separate case, from which Prosser so far has refused to recuse himself.

The case, Wisconsin Prosperity Network vs. Gordon Myse, is a challenge by several conservative groups to rules promulgated by the state Government Accountability Board that require those running independent political ads to disclose who they are and where the money for the ads is coming from. The rule is currently on hold pending a Supreme Court decision...

Tea party groups and other conservative organizations -- including the Prosperity Network, the MacIver Institute, Americans for Prosperity and others -- that feel the rule violates constitutional rights to free speech filed a lawsuit last year, and oral arguments are scheduled for Sept. 6.

The controversy involves Prosser's payment of $75,000 to James Troupis, whose law office represented Prosser during the statewide recount in his victory over liberal challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg. Troupis is arguing the Wisconsin Prosperity case on behalf of the conservative groups

The Racine Journal Times makes the case that Prosser should step aside in this matter:

“In sum, when all the facts are examined, I do not have a favorite ‘horse in this race.’ ” — State Supreme Court Justice David Prosser.

Please, your honor, you must be looking at the wrong end of the horse if you do not recognize it.

Your horse in this race is the one that is being ridden by attorney Jim Troupis. You know him, of course; he was in your camp earlier this year during the bruising Supreme Court race and subsequent recount in which you were struggling to keep your seat on the high court. 

His firm helped represent you in the recount and Troupis, whom you have described as a “friend of two decades,” was lead counsel in that effort.

Troupis Law Office billed you for $75,000 for its work keeping you in office, although Troupis himself reportedly worked for you for free.

And now, next month, Troupis will come before you again to argue a case before the high court. He will represent a coalition of tea party and conservative groups that are opposing a state Government Accountability Board rule that would require independent organizations that run ads for or against political candidates to disclose what they are doing and where the money for the ads is coming from.  

More and more we are seeing the collapse of the court's integrity - - all traceable to the right-wing money that installed Annette Ziegler and then defeated Louis Butler - -  electing the once-obscure corporatist puppet Mike Gableman, who is Prosser's friend and ally  - - to cement the right's axis of high court control.