http://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/rebecca-bradley-appt-s5.jpgGovernor helps his hand-picked candidate, conservative appeals court Judge Rebecca Bradley, in the upcoming spring election to fill the vacant seat created by the death of Justice N. Patrick Crooks less than a month ago.

MADISON - Gov. Scott Walker announced Friday morning that he is appointing conservative appeals court Judge Rebecca Bradley to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Bradley is already running to fill the vacant seat created by the death of Justice N. Patrick Crooks on Sept. 21 at the age of 77.

Walker made the announcement at a news conference at the Capitol. He previously appointed Bradley to the Milwaukee County Circuit Court in 2012 and the 1st District Court of Appeals earlier this year. She won re-election to the circuit court position in 2013.

Bradley is closely tied to Gov. Walker and his political machine, having been appointed by Walker to the only judicial posts she has held. Her 2013 election bid to the Milwaukee County seat she was appointed to was overseen by a Walker administration aide and her campaign chair was none other than Michael Grebe, head of the right wing Bradley Foundation and chair of Walker’s gubernatorial and presidential campaigns.

According to Matt DeFour at the Wisconsin State Journal, the governor said his criteria for the selection included integrity, an understanding of the law and recognition that the role of a justice is to uphold the constitution and laws of Wisconsin.

One Wisconsin Now, a non-profit, non-partisan issue advocacy organization in Madison, said the appointment was only about one thing, helping his hand-picked candidate win the upcoming spring election to fill this seat for a full term.

One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross said: “So it’s no surprise he’s appointing someone to fill Justice Crook’s seat who’ll be focused on campaigning for her election instead of doing her job on the court.”

"It is unprecedented for a Wisconsin governor of any party to appoint a declared judicial candidate to the Supreme Court this close to an election," said State Senator Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse), "This power grab sets a terrible precedent and doesn’t pass the smell test.”

“Rather than single-handedly injecting more politics into Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, Gov. Walker should allow voters to elect the next Supreme Court Justice in the non-partisan spring election," Senate Democratic Leader Shilling said in a statement released this morning.

Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) said in a statement released today, “The Governor making this appointment so close to the election does not serve the public well but is in line with Republicans’ continued right-wing special interest stranglehold on our state".

Walker had interviewed three applicants on Wednesday for the opening. The other two applicants to the seat were Madison attorney Claude Covelli and Dane County Circuit Court Judge Jim Troupis, who Walker appointed to that position earlier this year. Only Covelli showed any sign of being outside Walker's inner circle.

In addition to Bradley, Appeals Court Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg and Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Joe Donald are running for the seat next spring but both of the judges declined to apply for the appointment to fill the remaining 10 months of Crooks’ term.

A primary election scheduled for February would narrow down the field to two candidates who would face off on April 5.