Fact Check: Dan Kelly Lies About His Extremist Ties
MADISON, Wis. — In the Wisconsin Supreme Court debate this afternoon, self-proclaimed “trustworthy judicial conservative” Dan Kelly repeatedly lied to cover up his extremist ties.
Here are the facts about Dan Kelly’s ties to the extreme right wing:
- Dan Kelly claimed [17:56] that he made no promises to anti-abortion groups to receive their endorsement. However, at the time of their endorsement, Wisconsin Right to Life endorsed “candidates who have pledged to champion pro-life values and stand with Wisconsin Right to Life’s legislative strategy.” The website has since been updated to reflect that for judicial candidates, the group merely “endorses candidates whose judicial philosophies and values fit with those of Wisconsin Right to Life.”
- Kelly claimed [16:06] that he had never been on the payroll of the Republican Party. The fact remains that Kelly took on the Republican Party as a client and was paid nearly $120,000 by the state and national Republican Parties to work on “election integrity” issues. Kelly’s work included advising the Wisconsin GOP on their efforts to overturn the 2020 election by appointing a slate of fake electors.
- Kelly said he would not accept any funding from the Republican Party of Wisconsin because [14:16] “it gives the appearance that the Justice is bought and paid for by a political party.” This has never bothered Kelly before. In 2017, Dan Kelly voted against a rule that would have required judges and justices to recuse themselves from cases involving their financial backers.
- Despite previously rejecting reports that he was involved in the Republican Party’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election, Kelly today justified [50:46] his involvement in the scheme, saying he was just one of several lawyers who advised the state GOP on their efforts to appoint a slate of fake presidential electors.
- Kelly also claimed [50:56] that he was not kept in the loop on the GOP’s efforts to overturn the election. Former Wisconsin Republican Party Chair Andrew Hitt contradicts Kelly, saying in a deposition that he had extensive conversations with Kelly about the fake elector plot.
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