Outgoing Attorney General Brad Schimel talking for the first time since losing the election. Schimel also offering his take on G-O-P backed laws that will reduce his successor's powers.
Benson: Do you believe that Republican lawmakers and the governor have weakened the powers of the next Attorney General?
Brad Schimel: It might make a few things a little slower.
Attorney General Brad Schimel says he had challenges with Republican lawmakers on budget issues during his one term in his office.
He says AG-elect Josh Kaul will face some push back after Republicans gave the legislature more influence over filing and settling state lawsuits.
Benson: Wouldn't you want to be untethered from lawmakers deciding when you can and can't file a big lawsuit?
Schimel: Wisconsin law already provides some pretty strict limits on the power of Attorney General. I could not file any of those lawsuits without getting the approval of either legislature or the governor. He (Kaul) can file a lawsuits by getting the approval of the Governor.
Schimel lost by less than one percent to Kaul in a record mid term turnout.
"I think in my election, it was kind of a death by a thousand cuts," said Schimel.
Schimel says those cuts included headwinds on healthcare and protecting pre existing conditions, legalize marijuana referendums around the state that helped boost turnout that favored Democrats, plus...
"We did lose votes I think because people are not happy with some of President Trump's language that he uses in his communications," said Schimel, "and there was an anti Scott Walker element there too."
Schimel says he had a good conversation with Kaul this week about the transition. Kaul has previously called the new GOP backed laws "stunningly bad legislation."
