Republican Attorney General Candidate Says He’d Accept Contributions From Former Speaker

Brad Schimel Helped Prosecute Former Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen

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Waukesha County District Attorney Brad Schimel, the only Republican running for Wisconsin attorney general, says he wouldn’t reject a campaign donation from a former legislator he helped prosecute.

In the aftermath of the legislative caucus scandal more than a decade ago, Republican Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen got the case against him sent back to his home county of Waukesha. There, Schimel says he properly cut a plea deal with Jensen on an ethics violation, a deal that led to Jensen being fined, required to pay legal costs, and barred from elective office.

Jensen now helps elect candidates that support school vouchers and other conservative causes. Schimel says that in his campaign for attorney general, he wouldn’t outright reject money from Jensen or the voucher group that employs the former speaker.

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“He’s paid his consequences for it,” said Schimel. “The group that he’s involved with – they have a right to political speech. I think they have a right to make those contributions. I would not offhand reject them.”

Schimel says he recently gave a financial donation from Rep. Bill Kramer, R-Waukesha, to charity; Kramer recently lost his position as Assembly majority leader after an accusation of groping a legislative aide.