Last Friday, Wisconsin's top election frauditor Michael Gableman had a temper tantrum in court and was found to be in contempt. On Wednesday, Judge Frank Remington issued a scathing statement that shows that it's not smart to disrespect the judge and the opposing attorney while in court:
Dane County Circuit Judge Frank Remington on Wednesday issued a scathing rebuke of Gableman's behavior in his order to fine Gableman $2,000 per day until he proves to the court and attorneys representing liberal group American Oversight that he has produced all records the group has requested related to his taxpayer-funded review of the 2020 election.
Remington also ordered a transcript of remarks Gableman made in the courtroom to another attorney that were caught on a live microphone that will be sent to the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation, which could hand down discipline based on the comments.
Besides the fine, Remington gave Gableman the dressing down he so richly deserved:
Remington chided Gableman in his Wednesday order for acting defiant in the courtroom, raising his voice, pointing his finger at Remington and making baseless accusations against the judge, comments that Remington said are barred by Wisconsin Supreme Court rules.
"The circus Gableman created in the courtroom destroyed any sense of decorum and irreparably damaged the public's perception of the judicial process," Remington wrote.
"This strategy might work elsewhere, but it has no place in a courtroom," he wrote. "It was readily apparent that Gableman intended to use his appearance to distract from OSC’s failure to follow the Court’s order, and perhaps to direct attention away from his office’s illegal records practices. The Court will ignore the personal insult," Remington wrote.
"However, the Court cannot ignore Gableman’s disruptive conduct and misogynistic comments about a fellow lawyer. All lawyers are obligated to report this form of professional misconduct."
Gableman's comments were indeed beyond the pale, and he said them knowing that he was sitting in front of a hot mic:
At one point, while waiting to testify, Gableman enacted an imaginary conversation between Remington and Westerberg.
“That’s what you were saying, right Ms. Westerberg?” Gableman said, acting as Remington.
“Oh, yes,” he responded, as Westerberg.
“Why don’t you come right up to the bench, Ms. Westerberg? Why don’t you come back into my chambers so you can dictate what—” Gableman said as Remington. He was interrupted by attorney Ron Stadler, who tapped on the live microphone.
“I know. I don’t care,” Gableman said.
It should be noted that this wasn't Gableman's first time exposing his misogyny. Two months ago, he arrogantly dismissed Meagan Wolfe, then head of the election commission:
Gableman has received heavy criticism for his comments about women before. In April, he took a shot at how the female leader of the Wisconsin Elections Commission dresses.
"Black dress, white pearls — I’ve seen the act, I’ve seen the show," Gableman said on WTAQ-AM of Meagan Wolfe, director of the state Elections Commission.
When radio host Joe Giganti said he recently saw Wolfe wearing a gold locket rather than pearls, Gableman responded, "Oh, Hillary Clinton."
Gableman has repeatedly displayed completely unprofessional and inappropriate conduct and is a prime example of a person who needs to be disbarred.
Furthermore, pressure, serious pressure, needs to be applied to Assembly Speaker Robin Vos who initiated this farce and continues to defend it today.
This debacle should never have started and it serves no purpose but to give Republicans a lame excuse to commit more election fraud. Oops, looks like I just answered myself.
