LETTER: Judge must recuse herself in abortion case

To the editor:

The Wisconsin Code of Judicial Conduct states that “A judge, judge-elect or candidate for judicial office shall not make or permit or authorize others to make on his or her behalf, with respect to cases, controversies or issues that are likely to come before the court, pledges, promises or commitments that are inconsistent with the impartial performance of the adjudicative duties of the office.

“A judge or candidate for judicial office may not, while a proceeding is pending or impending in the court to which selection is sought, make any public comment that may reasonably be viewed as committing the judge, judge-elect or candidate to a particular case outcome.”

When then-candidate Janet Protasiewicz announced in an election ad, “I believe in a woman’s freedom to make her own decision on abortion. It’s time for a change,” she demonstrated that she would be the instrument of that change and thus not be impartial in any case regarding abortion.

The code requires her to recuse herself from any case regarding abortion.

Michael Richter, Shawano