{"id":10167,"date":"2024-04-09T12:25:41","date_gmt":"2024-04-09T12:25:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wifamily.news\/?p=10167"},"modified":"2024-04-12T06:41:06","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T06:41:06","slug":"will-responds-to-wisconsin-state-bars-new-calls-for-racial-discrimination-media-intimidation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wifamily.news\/?p=10167","title":{"rendered":"WILL Responds to Wisconsin State Bar\u2019s New Calls for Racial Discrimination, Media Intimidation"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post originally appeared at https:\/\/will-law.org\/will-responds-to-wisconsin-state-bars-new-calls-for-racial-discrimination-media-intimidation\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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The News<\/span><\/b>: Today, the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL) is responding to the Wisconsin State Bar\u2019s latest media and public relations efforts regarding a settlement reached by the Bar and WILL last week. Since that announcement on Thursday, April 4, the Bar has insisted that their program remains \u201cunchanged.\u201d Going even further, the Bar stated on Monday, April 8 that race will remain a factor in the program, contradicting the settlement agreement and the law.\u00a0\u00a0 Additionally, WILL has learned that the Bar attempted to intimidate a member of the media for reporting WILL\u2019s perspective on the settlement, which raises serious First Amendment questions. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Quotes: <\/span><\/b>Rick Esenberg, WILL President and General Counsel, stated, \u201cIt is impermissible and, frankly, offensive to equate race with an individual\u2019s characteristics.\u00a0 Yet, in a Monday morning press release, the Bar has all but announced its intent to do just that. This is not only a breach of the settlement agreement but illegal. If that is in fact the case, we are going to hold them accountable.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Esenberg continued, \u201cThere\u2019s also an effort to intimidate and pressure media outlets, which we wanted to bring to the Bar\u2019s attention. The State Bar is a state actor, funded in part by mandatory membership dues. It was created and is regulated by the Wisconsin Supreme Court and is placed in a privileged position. As a matter of civility \u2013 and perhaps even law \u2013 it shouldn\u2019t be intimidating legal or media publications.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

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Figure 1<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The media intimidation came to our attention on Friday. The Wisconsin Law Journal published an article titled, \u201cWILL: State Bar of Wisconsin to end DEI practices; State Bar: No changes other than diversity definition.\u201d The managing editor, Steve Schuster, engaged in a fact-finding mission with both the State Bar and WILL. In those conversations we were notified that the reporter \u201cwas scolded by the State Bar\u201d for publishing WILL\u2019s position, as articulated in its press release. He also said, \u201cThe State Bar . . . literally demanded we take down the story last night.\u201d The First Amendment demands much more. If we are to have a free press, as guaranteed by the Constitution, then State Bar employees may not bully and intimidate reporters, as they have here. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

WILL Letter, 4.9.24\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"Rick<\/div>\n
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Rick Esenberg<\/h4>\n

President and General Counsel<\/p>\n

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rick@will-law.org<\/p>\n<\/div>\n