Groups ask Gov. Walker not to appoint court candidates to vacancy

MADISON — Four advocacy groups are urging Gov. Scott Walker not to name one of the three candidates for the Wisconsin Supreme Court to fill out the term of Justice Patrick Crooks who died last week.

The groups on Monday sent Walker a letter asking him to name an interim justice to fill out Crooks' term which runs through July 31. Three judges had already announced their plans to run before Crooks died last week. Crooks was not seeking re-election.

The letter to Walker came from Common Cause in Wisconsin, the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and Wisconsin Voices.

They say appointing one of the three candidates would "exacerbate the shrill partisan and mean-spirited tone for the upcoming election."

Walker has not said what his plans are.