Judge`s donations spark controversy

A judge who has directed the Department of Natural Resources to pay nearly $45,000 in legal fees to environmental groups in a case involving the expansion of a large dairy farm declined to remove himself from the case after disclosing he made past donations to one of the groups.

On Friday, Dane County Circuit Court Judge John W. Markson ruled the DNR should pay Clean Wisconsin and Midwest Environmental Advocates $44,985 for their legal work to fight plans by Kinnard Farms Inc. to add more than 2,000 cattle at its farm in Kewaunee County.

The environmental groups on Tuesday applauded Markson’s decision to award the funds, but his refusal to step aside has come under fire as well....

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Ken Notes: If a Judge made contributions to the Red Cross or a local hospital, should he or she step aside on an issue relating to these facilities. We need to trust the integrity of our officials UNTIL they give us a reason not to. In this case the judge ruled on the merits of the case and was forthcoming regarding his previous contributions. If our current presidential candidates were 1/100 this honest we would be ecstatic.