Believe the judges, not the politicians

If I had to chose who to believe, between a judge and a politician, I would choose the judge 100% of the time. Both are considered public servants. But a judge is someone who spends their career carefully and fairly deliberating facts and making judgments accordingly. A politician is someone who often does whatever is necessary to advance their agenda, and their careers. That’s why in the debate over the future of Wisconsin’s Government Accountability Board, I side with the judges. The board, which oversees elections and ethics in Wisconsin government, is currently comprised of six retired judges. People who, after a long career, are still interested in the facts. That’s why I side with retired Judge Thomas Barland of Eau Claire, who for the past six years has served as a member of Wisconsin’s nonpartisan Government Accountability Board. Barland calls the plans by the Wisconsin legislature to gut the board and fill it not with retired judges, but with partisan hacks, to be a great step backwards. Barland warns of future corruption, and calls the legislation hurtful to good government. This prediction comes from a man, a Republican, who used to serve in the Assembly, and went on to serve 33 years as an Eau Claire County judge. His voice can be trusted. The voices of those eager to gut the GAB cannot. They are interested not in facts, but in promoting their own agenda.