Open Letter to Judge Susan Crawford, candidate for Justice of Wisconsin Supreme Court
Dear Judge Crawford,
My name is Jarrett Brown and I am a non-attorney workers’ rights advocate from Green Bay, WI. Throughout my career, I have helped Democratic Party-aligned candidates connect with workers from the political left, right, and center. As your race is for a non-partisan position, here is some advice about how to connect with working Wisconsinites on issues that transcend partisan politics.
The results of the November 2024 elections made it impossible to ignore the fact that workers (99 percent of the population) feel that they are not being treated fairly at work, in the economy, or by the government. They simply feel that they are not being heard and that they are not getting a fair chance to succeed and have the lives they and their families deserve.
As a candidate and as a Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, you will not be able to promise workers that you will side with them and do what pleases them in every case. However, you can promise that you will, as all judges and justices should, be a neutral third-party arbiter of cases between adversarial parties. Workers are incredibly reasonable and expect nothing more than that which is fair.
If someone stood outside of your courthouse and spoke to parties after they left your courtroom, I imagine the situation would play out something like this:
Person 1: Hi, how did it go for you in Judge Crawford’s court today?
Party 1: Well, it didn’t go the way I had hoped, but my attorney made strong arguments and the jury/judge listened closely and carefully considered them. They made their decision based on the law and the facts. I wish the result had been different, but it was fair. It is what it is, I guess.
Person 1: Hi, how did it go for you in Judge Crawford’s court today?
Party 2: Well, it was nerve-racking, but the judge/jury sided with us. Both sides made strong arguments, the judge/jury listened closely, and the final decision was in our favor. I appreciate that the process and final decision were fair and I am glad it worked out in my favor.
My hope is that conversations like the preceding would occur outside of every courtroom and courthouse in Wisconsin. It is vitally important for citizens to have trust in the judiciary.
Some Democratic Party leaders might urge you to focus on controversial issues that appeal to certain segments of the electorate. You probably won’t be able to avoid discussion of those topics when you are speaking directly to those groups, but when you are communicating to the masses it would be best for you to focus on Wisconsin values and your personal values as they relate to the legal profession and the position you seek. I would recommend explaining that having wealth and power does not give a party an advantage with you and having less wealth and power does not give a party a disadvantage with you.
Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. All the best to you and your team!
Sincerely,
Jarrett Brown
Jarrett Brown is a former longtime food processing worker and workers’ rights advocate. He is a lifelong Democrat who has supported pro-worker candidates and organizations. Brown holds a Master of Legal Studies degree and works in a non-attorney role at a non-profit law firm in Green Bay.