Wisconsin court candidate won't hear Democrats' lawsuits

The Democrats’ choice in a high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court race says she would not hear cases brought by the Wisconsin Democratic Party because it has donated $2.5 million to her campaign. However, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Janet Protasiewicz also said Wednesday that she would not recuse herself from cases involving abortion or legislative redistricting, even though groups active on those issues are backing her campaign. Protasiewicz faces Republican-backed candidate Dan Kelly in the April 4 election, with majority control of the state’s highest court at stake. The court is expected to hear a challenge to Wisconsin’s 1849 law banning abortion.