Madison Reporter

Brandon Maly, chairman of the Dane County Republicans, expressed concerns about Susan Crawford's claims of impartiality in her campaign for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Maly said that her campaign is "fueled by out-of-state Democratic billionaires," while asserting that Brad Schimel enjoys overwhelming support from Wisconsin voters. Maly made these remarks to Madison Reporter on February 25.

"Susan Crawford claims she's an impartial candidate, but that couldn't be further from the truth—she's bankrolled by out-of-state Democratic billionaires like George Soros and J.B. Pritzker," said Maly. "She isn't running to serve Wisconsin voters; she's running to be a puppet for the Democratic Party's radical agenda. Meanwhile, Brad Schimel's support comes overwhelmingly from hardworking Wisconsinites, proving he's the only candidate who truly represents the people. If Crawford wins, expect a court controlled by wealthy liberal elites, not by those who actually live and work in Wisconsin."

According to the Wisconsin Examiner, Crawford's campaign has received significant financial backing from billionaire donors through the state Democratic Party. Finance reports indicate that Crawford, a Dane County judge, received $2 million from the party following donations of $1 million from billionaire George Soros and $500,000 from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. State law permits unlimited contributions from parties to candidates, whereas individual contributions are capped at $20,000. From January 1 to February 3, Crawford raised nearly $4.5 million, bringing her total fundraising to over $7.7 million since entering the race, with more than $1 million originating from out-of-state sources.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Crawford’s claim on January 18 that she is the only impartial candidate in the Supreme Court race against Schimel. The Sentinel detailed her participation in a donor briefing organized by Focus for Democracy and attended by state Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler. This event was reportedly backed by liberal billionaire Reid Hoffman and aimed at mobilizing donations while discussing strategies to flip traditionally conservative congressional seats in Wisconsin. The Sentinel also noted that shortly after Crawford's impartiality claim, her campaign reported receiving an additional $1 million from the state Democratic Party.

In a press release dated February 10 on his campaign website, Schimel's team highlighted their fundraising achievements ahead of Election Day. The statement claimed that "the Schimel campaign has already raised more money than any conservative campaign in Wisconsin Supreme Court history." It emphasized that Schimel is conducting a statewide effort across all 72 counties with more than 97% of his donors residing in Wisconsin. The release further underscored Schimel's career as a prosecutor, Attorney General, and judge dedicated to defending victims and supporting law enforcement.

Maly serves as Chairman of the Dane County Republicans and was elected to this position in 2023. According to the organization's website, he aims to enhance Republican voter turnout, expand party membership, and effectively communicate party positions relevant to Dane County voters.