Like True Politician, Brad Schimel Desperately Tries to Spin History On Rape Kits

MADISON, Wis. – Brad Schimel has a rape kit problem, and today, he is trying to spin his disturbing record of failing sexual assault victims as Attorney General. The facts are clear: Schimel is responsible for denying survivors justice and putting Wisconsin communities at risk.

Schimel had years to act, but instead, he dragged his feet — testing just nine kits in two years while more than 6,000 sat untouched. And Schimel’s record of failing victims of sexual assault goes as far back to his time as Waukesha County District Attorney, when he allowed 26 rape kits to go untested for years — even for a victim as young as three years old.

Now, after Judge Susan Crawford has called him out for his failures, Schimel is scrambling to cover up his well-documented record of failures with a desperate press conference befit for the floundering Schimel campaign.

In response to Schimel’s embarrassing press conference, campaign spokesman Derrick Honeyman released the following statement:

“While Brad Schimel dragged his feet, rapists roamed the street. Schimel only tested nine rape kits in two years, out of a backlog of more than 6,000, causing justice to be delayed. Now Schimel is running scared, and like a true politician, he’s trying to rewrite history. Schimel wanted a ‘bargain price’ to test the kits, causing obscene delays, and even as the Republican Waukesha DA, he let dozens of kits sit untested, including for a three year old victim.

“It’s disgusting and despicable that Brad Schimel is trying to rewrite history. But in his single term as Attorney General, Schimel failed countless victims of sexual assault. Schimel doesn’t deserve a decade-long term on the Supreme Court, and Wisconsinites will reject his record of shadiness and deception once again.”

Here are the facts for Brad Schimel:

• This isn’t the first time Schimel has been caught in a pants-on-fire lie over rape kits. In a 2017 interview, Schimel said “there is no ‘backlog’ of untested rape kits in Wisconsin.” PolitiFact rated Schimel’s claim a Pants on Fire and “not only wrong but ridiculous.”
• Brad Schimel only tested nine of over 6,000 untested rape kits during his first two years in office, delaying justice for victims of sexual assults.
• Schimel reportedly wanted a “Bargain Price” for testing kits, delaying testing. The Appleton Post Crescent reported, “Testing was a goal in Wisconsin — but it could wait for a bargain price.”
• In despicable fashion, Schimel then tried to shift blame for his own backlog, blaming survivors of sexual assault and “victim choices” for the number of untested rape kits.
• As Waukesha County District Attorney, Schimel allowed 26 rape kits to remain untested, which police officials attributed to prosecutors’ decisions. One of these kits was from a victim as young as three years old, the other a case involving an 18-year old who was sexually assaulted, but a staffer under Schimel dismissed the case as a “He Said-She Said” incident.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.