Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidate Missteps on Historical Ruling
Maria Lazar, a current member of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and a candidate for the Wisconsin Supreme Court, recently found herself at the center of controversy. During an interview, Lazar’s understanding of a landmark decision, the Dred Scott case, was called into question.
Lazar is campaigning to succeed retiring Justice Rebecca Bradley in the upcoming election on April 17. Her comments about the Dred Scott decision, a pivotal 1857 ruling that denied full citizenship rights to Black individuals under the U.S. Constitution, have drawn significant attention.
In an October 1 radio interview, Lazar cited the Dred Scott case as an example of judicial precedent that was reversed. She stated, “Precedent doesn’t mean that you never overturn a case. I mean, there are cases, for example, Dred Scott and some other appalling cases that the U.S. Supreme Court issued that deservedly should have been overturned.”
This assertion, however, is factually incorrect. The Dred Scott decision was never overturned by the Supreme Court. Instead, it was effectively nullified by subsequent constitutional amendments: the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery; the 14th Amendment, which granted full citizenship rights to Black people; and the 15th Amendment, which protected the voting rights of citizens.
The composition of the Wisconsin Supreme Court currently stands at four liberal justices and three conservatives. The outcome of the April 7 election will determine whether the liberal majority remains unchanged or becomes more pronounced. The newly elected judge is expected to be involved in significant cases, including potential disputes over congressional redistricting.
Lazar is running against fellow Wisconsin Court of Appeals Judge Chris Taylor, who has garnered endorsements from figures such as Senator Tammy Baldwin and organizations like the AFL-CIO.
The post Maria Lazar misstates history of Dred Scott decision in interview appeared first on American Journal News.
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