The hard thing to do, the courageous thing to do, is to fulfill your oath, especially when you know its going to make your political supporters unhappy. It doesnt matter what your role is, whether youre the Republican secretary of state of Georgia or any other elected official.
So Im not unaware of the political criticism that some of my decisions would bring. Im well aware of that, and so I think its a wonderful reflection of the strength of our country when people can do what they think is right and fulfill their oath as they understand it regardless of what political pressure may come their way.
How have you become aware of some of that criticism?
Talk radio in Wisconsin, particularly on the conservative side, is very prominent. I turned on the radio one morning driving to work and heard what a horrible person I was. So its hard to miss it.
Yes, Ive been called a traitor. Ive been called a liar. Ive been called a fraud. Ive been asked if Im being paid off by the Chinese Communist Party. Ive been told I might be tried for treason by a military tribunal. Sure, Ive gotten lots of interesting and sometimes dark messages.
Does that change your approach to your job at all, having that sort of feedback?
Maybe members of the public forget this because their civic culture really just doesnt know how to debate issues in a very healthy way right now. And there is sort of this tribal understanding that either youre with us or youre against us.
Ive got five young kids and, sure, theres certain uncomfortableness, too, when your child asks you whether its OK to play in the front yard or whether they should just stay in the backyard.
What did you think about the broader conservative push led by the president to change the results of the election and the widespread rejection of that from courts at multiple levels?read more
A Conservative Justice in Wisconsin Says He Followed the Law, Not the Politics
