Supreme Court asked to consider term limits.

• Date: 20 February 2002
• Author: Ziemer, David

Byline: David Ziemer

Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Wagner is turning to the state Supreme Court in an effort to make a possible run for county executive or other office.

Wagner needs a re-interpretation of the state constitution in an area that has long held that a judge cant run for another office for the length of his term. Since Wagner was elected in 2000 to a six-year term, the argument is that he has to wait until 2006 for any other aspirations.

Wagners name has popped up as a possible candidate for Milwaukee County Executive if a recall election happens. He also said last fall he was interested in running for mayor of Milwaukee in 2004.

His lawyer says hes going to the Supreme Court at the start of his case because a recall election could be held before his petition could make its way through normal judicial channels.

His argument in front of the highest court hearkens back to a similar case involving former U.S. Senator Joe McCarthy. When then-Outagamie County Judge Joe McCarthy was running for U.S. Senate, his foes in the State Bar Commission tried to keep him off the ballot, using the same state constitutional language as...