(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s supreme court candidates continue to spar with each other in the opinion section of local newspapers.
Judge Chris Taylor wrote the latest, it appeared in the Washington County News.
“State courts are often the last line of defense when it comes to protecting our fundamental rights and freedoms and in holding those who violate the law accountable, no matter how powerful or privileged. That is why this race matters,” Taylor wrote in her op-ed titled “The choice for Wisconsin’s Supreme Court: rights or restrictions.”
Taylor took issue with Judge Maria Lazzar’s op-ed last month on abortion. Lazar used her op-ed to push back on the narrative that she wants a more restrictive abortion law for Wisconsin. Specifically, the claims that she wants a six-week abortion ban.
“Let me be clear: I am a jurist, not a politician. I am not running to impose a heartbeat bill from the bench, and any insinuation to the contrary is false. While I have been honest about my personal values as a mother, those feelings do not dictate my rulings. My role is to follow the law, not to legislate from the bench,” Lazar wrote.
Taylor, similarly, said she wanted to use her op-ed to try and clarify her stance on abortion in Wisconsin.
“The Wisconsin Legislature could pass restrictions on reproductive health care at any time,” Taylor wrote. “Wisconsinites deserve a justice who will protect their rights and freedoms, not take them away. That has always been my commitment, and the reason I went to law school over thirty-five years ago.”
Taylor also used her op-ed to open the door to other cases that are expected to end up before the state’s highest court, including Act-10 and right to work.
“Growing up, I learned that the law can be a powerful tool to help people and improve their lives. My grandma was a single mom to her three kids. She struggled to make ends meet, until she got a union job and was able to earn a living wage. I saw how laws that allow working people to organize, have a voice in their workplace, and earn a fair wage help working people not just survive, but thrive,” she added.
Taylor and Lazar are running for the open seat on the court. Voters will pick one of them in the April election.
