Ismael Ozanne, Dane County's new district attorney, says he was not trying to evade Isthmus' questions when he failed to reconnect with the paper prior to its recent story on his appointment ("Doyle's DA Pick Not Clear Fave," 7/22/10). And he gamely addresses the fact that only two of 81 letters of support sent to the governor were for him, compared to 77 for another candidate.
"I made a conscious effort not to call anyone in the DA's office or court system looking for support," says Ozanne, explaining that this might put people in "an awkward position."
Ozanne, who took office this week, is pleased that the position's three contenders "were well qualified for the job" and feels Doyle "took a hard look" at them all. He notes that he's applied for other appointments in the past and was culled in the initial review, as was "appropriate." But he feels his management experience with the state Department of Corrections heightened his appeal.
