POLITICS

Children's Court prosecutor to challenge Scott Walker appointee in 2020 judicial election

Bruce Vielmetti
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Before the campaign for this year's contested Milwaukee County judicial election has really heated up, a Children's Court prosecutor has announced she'll challenge another short-term incumbent in 2020.

Rebecca Kiefer

Rebecca Kiefer, an assistant district attorney since 2004, says she is running for Branch 29, now occupied by Dan Gabler.

During his last week in office, former Gov. Scott Walker appointed Gabler to fill the seat left vacant by the resignation or Richard Sankovitz, who left to work in private mediation.

Gabler spent 17 years as an assistant prosecutor in Milwaukee County until Walker appointed him chairman of the Wisconsin Parole Commission in March 2017.

Kiefer, like Gabler a graduate of Marquette Law School, worked in her father's Kewaskum law office for a year before joining the District Attorney's office in 2004. Since 2005, she has specialized in termination of parental rights cases.

Daniel Gabler was appointed to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court by Gov. Scott Walker.

This April's election is between incumbent Andrew Jones and Assistant Public Defender Danielle Shelton.

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Walker appointed Jones, a former partner at the law firm Husch Blackwell, to replace Rebecca Dallet after she was elected to the Wisconsin Supreme Court.