Talking Points

Why JoAnne
Kloppenburg?
She Is Independent

Wisconsin State Supreme Court Justice • She has refused special interest
money, unlike her opponent
Election
Tuesday, April 5th • Aims to restore confidence in the
Court, “Justice should not be for sale”

She Has Broad Legal Background

According to the Wisconsin Court System & Extensive Courtroom
web site… Experience

"A primary function of the Supreme • Prosecutor and litigator for 21

Court is to ensure independent, open, years with WI Department of Justice
fair and efficient resolution of disputes
• Tried many cases in the Circuit
in accordance with the federal and
state constitutions and laws." “JoAnne Kloppenburg has the intellect,
integrity and independence we expect in
In the current political climate, it is difficult to find a candidate who our Justices. She will be a great addition to
is independent, open and fair. Corporations have waltzed into our the Court.”
elections and had great influence in our last two Wisconsin -Reserve Judge Mark Frankel
Supreme Court elections. This will likely be the last election
funded through public financing, because Governor Walker's
proposed budget severely limits public financing. This is our
opportunity to elect an independent Justice. Her opponent’s ideology
Unlike Prosser, Kloppenburg has not accepted any outside funds guides his decisions.
to run her campaign for State Justice. Because of her decision to Justice Prosser has strict partisan
run her campaign without outside reimbursements, views. According to Justice Prosser's
Kloppenburg took the risk of being out-spent by her opponent web site, www.justiceprosser.com,
to maintain her integrity on the bench without owing anyone
the list of endorsements of elected
anything who brings a case before her. At an event in Wausau
officials was 100% Republican. How
on Saturday March 20, 2011, she stated, "Behind every case there
are real people." and "Everyone deserves a fair day in court." can we be assured there were will be
fairness and non-partisan judgments
placed at our court's highest level
Prosser’s History in the State Legislature that do not serve one particular
and on the Bench party's agenda and interests?

"Can we trust David Prosser to be impartial? In the legislature, From a 12/8/2010 press release,
Prosser and Walker voted the same way 95 percent of the time -- Prosser stated: “…protecting the
both voting against the middle class.” conservative judicial majority
and acting as a common sense
Source: TPM Media, complement to both the new
administration and legislature.”
Prosser has a judicial history of deciding against working people.
His decisions have supported making it easier for corporations to Prosser’s statements show that he is
terminate disabled workers, and have made it difficult for biased to conservative political
individuals to seek damages from corporations for injuries due viewpoints. Justices are to be
to defective products or dangerous working conditions. Prosser's independent and impartial in
stands have served to remove any sense of social order to carry out judicial
responsibility from the corporate world. responsibilities according to our
constitution and written law.
Without Kloppenburg, Our
Political System’s Checks and
Balances Are at Risk
Transparency
In January 2010, a divided Wisconsin Supreme Court
adopted amendments to the Code of Judicial Conduct
permitting judges to sit on cases involving their
campaign contributors or sponsors of independent
expenditures and issue advocacy during their judicial
campaigns. Justice Prosser voted in favor of this
amendment which was authored by the Wisconsin
Realtors Association and the Wisconsin
Manufacturers & Commerce. Wisconsin
Manufacturers & Commerce has donated millions to
Prosser's campaigns over the past several years.
JoAnne Kloppenburg is Well
Qualified
• Undergraduate degree from Yale (1974), with
honors
• Received a Masters in Public Affairs from
Princeton University (1976)
• Graduated with honors from the University of
Wisconsin Law School, (1988)
• Law clerk for Chief Judge Barbara Crabb of
the United States District Court
• Intern for Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson

Source: Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, Capital Times,

January 2010
Please Complete Your Own
Wisconsin cannot be turned into a "Corporatocracy".
Votes and judicial rulings cannot be commodities in our Research Prior to April 5th
democracy. Prosser's vote on this amendment illustrates Becoming an informed citizen is crucial to
where his loyalties lie. the future state of our democracy. Please
take some time to review these resources
Who is Behind David Prosser? and share them with your friends in the
coming days.
David Prosser is strongly supported by some very
generic and benign sounding groups such as:
• Americans for Prosperity Wisconsin Democracy Campaign
• Freedom Works www.wisdc.org
• Club for Growth The Democracy Campaign is a homegrown
• Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce network of citizens fighting government corruption
These organizations represent corporate or wealthy and working for a real democracy that allows the
interests, including those of the infamous Koch brothers. common good to prevail over narrow interests.
They believe people should matter more than
money in politics.
Kloppenburg’s Community Service
and Social Responsibility www.PolitiFact.com
PolitiFact is a project of the St. Petersburg Times
to help you find the truth in American politics.
A candidate's history of community and civic
Reporters and editors from the Times fact-check
involvement is an important indicator of their true
statements by members of Congress, the White
commitment to the people and society they
House, lobbyists and interest groups and rate
serve. Kloppenburg has long been involved in community
them on our Truth-O-Meter.
organizations that support the good of average citizens.
Her record shows a strong sense of social responsibility:
• After graduating from college, Kloppenburg served
for three years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in
Botswana. PLEASE VOTE FOR JOANNE
• She is a member of the:
KLOPPENBURG TUESDAY,
 Legal Association for Women
 The Dane County Bar Association APRIL 5TH
 Neighborhood Association Board
• She also works as an "English as a Second
Language" tutor
• She often worked in volunteer positions in the www.middlewisconsin.org