WPT Participation Policy
WPT Letter with Format Info
WXXI Participation Policy

January 19, 2000

Justice Diane Sykes
Friends of Justice Sykes

Dear Justice Sykes,

On behalf of the partners of We the People/Wisconsin, we invite you to participate in a Supreme Court forum on Friday, March 24 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the temporary Supreme Court chamber in Madison. Your response is requested by Tuesday, Feb. 1 at .

As you know from our past endeavors to engage the public in a conversation about the importance of the state's judicial branch, We the People/Wisconsin has a deep interest in raising the visibility of Supreme Court election campaigns. We consider this a service to our readers, viewers and listeners across Wisconsin.

That is why we are inviting you and your opponent, Milwaukee Municipal Judge Louis Butler, to take part in this forum. The one-hour broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. and will air live on Wisconsin Public Television, TVW (Ch. 6, Madison) and Wisconsin Public Radio. It will air at 10 p.m. on WMVS, (Ch.10, Milwaukee) on Friday March 24 and will be rebroadcast at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 26 on all Wisconsin Public Television stations. It may be rebroadcast on other local stations across the state at a later time.

Immediately preceding the debate, citizen participants will take part in a town hall meeting during which they will identify and prioritize the issues they want the high court candidates to address. There may be two types of citizen questions. The first will be general questions about each candidate's judicial philosophy and approach to decision making. Also, questioners will have reviewed the overall work of the Court and may draw upon that information to formulate some of their questions. As we move closer to the forum date, more detailed information about the format and other logistical details will become available.

We look forward to your reply. As with all We the People election forums, candidates who choose not to participate are advised that their opponent will be allowed to answer citizen questions during the scheduled broadcast hour. If you have any further questions regarding this matter, please contact me at . Best of luck in your campaign.

Sincerely,

Thomas W. Still
President, We the People/Wisconsin, Inc.
Associate editor, Wisconsin State Journal