Brandon Maly, chairman of the Dane County Republicans, emphasized Brad Schimel's initiatives to address the backlog of untested rape kits, which had been overlooked under a previous Democratic administration. "Schimel has delivered justice to victims and ensured accountability in the process," Maly said. He shared his comments with the Madison County Reporter on January 16.
"A backlog of rape kits was left to gather dust under a Democratic administration, abandoning thousands of victims and delaying justice," said Maly. "Brad Schimel stepped up, cleared over 4,000 tests, put criminals behind bars, and gave survivors the closure they deserved. While liberals turned a blind eye, Schimel delivered a bold, unprecedented solution that no one else dared to tackle. Democrats don't want to admit it, but Schimel fought for the forgotten women they ignored."
In 2018, WiSAKI reported that Attorney General Brad Schimel announced the completion of reviewing thousands of unsubmitted sexual assault kits, testing over 4,000 within three years. Supported by a $1,033,829 federal grant, the Department of Justice’s Wisconsin Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (WiSAKI) continues to assist survivors. Testing results are reviewed by the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory, and eligible DNA profiles are uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). Local and DOJ teams collaborate to investigate cases and consider prosecution, having reviewed over 500 cases to date. Efforts also include assessing police reports, public safety risks, and legal challenges.
According to Post Crescent in 2018, Wisconsin was set to eliminate its backlog of untested rape kits by the end of that year due to Schimel's efforts. A final batch of 48 kits was sent for DNA analysis, completing the submission of 4,100 kits stored for decades. Another 2,700 kits remained untested due to lack of consent, convictions, or other factors. DNA testing helps identify suspects, exonerate the innocent, and uncover patterns of serial assaults. Since 2014, Wisconsin has secured $7.1 million in grants to address the backlog and improve responses to sexual assault.
AP News reported in 2023 that former Republican Attorney General Brad Schimel announced his candidacy for the Wisconsin Supreme Court with an aim to restore a conservative majority in the 2025 election. "There is no check on this new liberal Supreme Court majority," Schimel said in November 2023. "The only check on them is to take back the majority by winning in 2025." Schimel served as Wisconsin's attorney general from 2015 to 2018 and has previously supported abortion restrictions, voter ID laws, and efforts to overturn the Affordable Care Act.
Brandon Maly is serving as Chairman of the Dane County Republicans since his election in 2023. A resident of Middleton, he values serving both his party and local voters by focusing on increasing Republican voter turnout and effectively communicating party positions on issues important to Dane County residents.
Alerts Sign-up