Wisconsin Supreme Court rivals differ on Constitution

http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/118818269.html

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Madison —The candidates running for a 10-year term on the state Supreme Court expressed differing views on the state constitution Monday, with the incumbent saying he was suspicious of efforts to use the document to grant rights not in the U.S. Constitution.

"It seems to me those who would like to have a more powerful court  . . .  love to look to the Wisconsin Constitution as a place where they depart from the federal Bill of Rights," said Justice David Prosser. "I think that's extremely dangerous. First of all, it creates confusion. I think that power can be tremendously abused and I simply do not favor it."

His opponent, Assistant Attorney General JoAnne Kloppenburg, said the two constitutions often overlap but must be evaluated independently.

"The federal constitution is a floor, not a ceiling," she said.

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