UP: Public unions. Dane County Circuit Judge Juan Colas finds the Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission in contempt of court for continuing to order recertification elections for school district and municipal worker unions, a practice Colas ruled unconstitutional last year. Colas calls it "an intentional disregard of this court's judgment."
DOWN: Supreme Court justices. The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism reports that the state's Supreme Court justices tend to side with the attorneys who give them money. Left-leaning Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson raked in the most dough from attorneys whose cases reach the court, receiving $188,650 of the $210,750 contributions since 2002. Abrahamson favored donors in 58% of their cases; and 71% when they gave $1,500 or more.
