Tammy Baldwin opposes installing Brad Schimel as US attorney

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin opposes the term extension of interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel, citing concerns about partisanship.

Schimel stated he was blindsided by the opposition and that his office is a haven from politics.

Schimel was appointed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and his 120-day interim term expires in March.

District court judges can vote to extend Schimel's term, a process the senator cannot block.

MADISON – Interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel said he was blindsided by the news U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin opposes him continuing to serve in the position beyond the expiration of his term later this month.

"I don’t know where the source of all this vitriol is. I've always had a pleasant working relationship with her over many years," Schimel told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

"One of the great things about this office is that it really is a haven from politics. 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."

Schimel was sworn in as the top federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of Wisconsin on Nov. 17, after being appointed by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Interim U.S. attorneys are limited to 120 days, but district court judges can vote to allow them to continue, something the senator has no power to block. Schimel has said since his appointment he wants to serve a full term and hopes he can win the votes of the federal judges after the interim period ends March 16.

"This is a wonderful calling," Schimel said. "I'm blessed to be here. I hope it’s going to continue."

If the district judges don't approve Schimel to continue in the office, they could appoint a replacement or let the position go vacant.

In a statement, Baldwin noted her Republican counterpart, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, raised concerns in 2022 that the U.S. justice system was "increasingly populated with political partisans who are incapable of administering justice equally."

"I share those exact concerns today," Baldwin said. "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."

A Johnson spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on Baldwin's announcement.

'I don't want a political fight,' Schimel says

Schimel said he hasn't reached out to Baldwin or Johnson about the position, and didn't hear from Baldwin before she released the March 4 statement. He said he has met with all of the district judges and had pleasant conversations about the work the office is doing.

"I've kind of personally avoided (reaching out to the senators) because I don’t want a political fight," Schimel said. "I don’t want the judges to perceive there to be a political battle here – I hope that they perceive that I'm here to deliver effective, thoughtful leadership to a professional, apolitical team of attorneys and support staff. That’s it."

The state's U.S. senators have typically recommended candidates for the U.S. attorney position, one of whom the president selects to nominate and send to the full Senate for approval.

In the case of the current vacancy, the process stalled with no nominee receiving the five votes needed from the senators' nominating committee. At the time of his appointment, Schimel confirmed to the Journal Sentinel he had reached out to Bondi, whom he knew from when they were both state attorneys general, and said he was willing to serve in an interim role.

Schimel was elected as a Republican to the state attorney general's office in 2014, serving one term. Before that role, he served as the Waukesha County district attorney for about nine years.

Until August 2025, he served as a circuit judge in Waukesha County.

Schimel ran for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court in spring 2025, losing to liberal candidate Susan Crawford by 10 percentage points. President Donald Trump backed Schimel in the race.

Baldwin argued the state's bipartisan nominating commission should continue its work rather than cede its decisions to the president's preferences.

"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," Baldwin said. "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."

Jessie Opoien can be reached at [email protected].