Senator Tammy Baldwin refused to support Interim US Attorney Brad Schimel’s appointment to a full term, but could not list a reason beyond partisan politics.
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) has refused to support extending Brad Schimel’s tenure as interim US Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin beyond his 120-day appointment, which expires March 16th.
“I never thought a clearly partisan actor like Brad Schimel should be a top federal prosecutor in our state to begin with, and he certainly shouldn’t get an extension for this job,” she said in a news release Wednesday. “We have a process in Wisconsin that has worked to advance high-quality, impartial, and experienced candidates. Sometimes it’s been hard, but getting the right person who will uphold the rule of law, not pledge loyalty to the President, is more important than ever.
“We need to get back to that process and not allow the Trump administration to skirt the law and our Wisconsin way of doing things.”
Schimel, a Republican with decades of experience in Wisconsin’s legal system, was appointed to the interim role in November 2025 by Attorney General Pam Bondi after the bipartisan nominating commission, co-chaired by Baldwin and Republican Senator Ron Johnson, failed to select a permanent nominee.
Schimel served as Waukesha County District Attorney from 2006 to 2015, before his election as Wisconsin Attorney General in 2014. After his term ended in 2019, Governor Scott Walker appointed him as a Waukesha County Circuit Court judge in 2019, a position he held until August. He also ran unsuccessfully for the Wisconsin Supreme Court in 2025.
Baldwin criticized the Trump Administration for bypassing the nominating commission, which requires five votes from its six members—three nominated by each senator—to advance candidates.
In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Schimel expressed surprise at Baldwin’s position, noting a history of pleasant professional interactions and insisting his office operates apolitically, with political conduct prohibited by law.
“One of the great things about this office is that it really is a haven from politics,” he said. “We are not only discouraged but legally prohibited from engaging in political conduct, and I enjoy that. I don’t know why the senator has taken this position.”
The decision on Schimel’s extension rests with the district’s federal judges. If they decline to extend his term, the position could remain vacant or see a judicial appointment until a Senate-confirmed nominee emerges.
