Spice and Shark

The Spice Boyz dismiss Diane Sykes' crticism of the Supreme Court and conservative bloggers reaction to it. In the part that I found most fascinating, here is what they said about me:

Shark and Shepherd repeatedly heaped praise on Diane Sykes. Wonder if this scores any points for attorney Rick Esenberg, who operates the blog, if he ever appears before her honor?

Obviously the Spice Guys don't read their own paper's editorial pages. While I like to think I am fair and open minded, I am a conservative lawyer. You wouldn't have to read more than one of my columns to figure that out. Given that I write for the paper, participate in a radio pundit panel, blog and have, over the years, done pro bono work for groups like the Washington Legal Foundation, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and the Alliance Defense Fund (we're not talking the ACLU here), I am rather open about it.

I like what Sykes said - and have used it as a a focal point to blog on the issues she raised - because 1)the best I can offer a crowded blogoshere may be commentary on local legal matters and 2)she said what I would have said had I been invited to deliver such a lecture. I am more than happy to promote it because I think it is right. I would have been happy to give the same speech. But since I didn't and she did, I am going to commend it to others.

I actually serve the Wisconsin Supreme Court as a referee in attorney discipline matters. Do I think criticizing their decisions will hurt me in that capacity or if I appear before them in a matter? No. The justices, even the ones I disagree with, are bigger than that. Will writing that I agree with Sykes (or even, as I have, that she'd be a good nominee for the Supreme Court) help me if I appear before a panel on the 7th Circuit of which she is a member? Give me a break. My guess is that she could care less.