Nation's first female Hmong-American judge could be elected in Milwaukee County
Is it time for Milwaukee County to elect the nation's first female Hmong-American judge, or will voters go with a mainstream candidate with more trial experience and a longer list of judicial endorsements?
Kashoua "Kristy" Yang, 36, brings an inspiring backstory to the Circuit Court race: She came to the United States as a 6-year-old refugee from Laos with her parents. She grew up with 11 siblings, married young, divorced, worked her way through college as a single mother, then worked for Kohler Co. before going to law school, remarrying her ex-husband and moving to the Milwaukee area.
If elected, Yang would become only the second Hmong-American judge in the United States. Hmong-American Paul Lo has been a judge in Merced County Superior Court in California since 2014.
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Yang says the justice system "needs more people who have lived different experiences."
Scott Wales, 55, grew up on the North Shore and has practiced law more than 25 years in Wisconsin, mostly in criminal defense, and as the part-time municipal judge in Fox Point, where he lives. Numerous judges, prosecutors and other lawyers back him.
He said because people asked why he didn't smile in his campaign photos, he began publicly discussing for the first time how a birth condition, Moebius syndrome, paralyzed part of his face and how he was bullied for a related speech defect he overcame with extended therapy.
Debate over experience
At a candidates' forum recently, he said his campaign has three themes: "Experience, experience, experience." He said as a much younger lawyer, he had unsuccessfully sought appointments to the bench a few times, and later realized he wasn't ready.
Yang parries the criticism that she lacks trial experience. "It's the depth and breadth of your experience," she said. "It's not simply about length of service. What have you done with your time?"
Yang earned a computer science degree with honors from Lakeland College, then worked six years in customer service and supply chain logistics at Kohler, a job that required travel around the U.S. and abroad. The work involved lots of management skills, she said, and leaving it for law school was her hardest decision, but she was convinced she could help more of those around her as a lawyer.
Yang graduated from University of Wisconsin Law School in 2009. After a few years in legal services and at Hawks Quindel law firm, she opened her own practice in 2014, concentrating in family law, mediation and Social Security disability and worker's compensation.
She lives in Oak Creek with her husband and three children. Starting in mid-March, she began running a TV spot that highlights her refugee origins and the hard work, education and family ties she credits for allowing her to succeed. The ending frame shows two photos: one of her holding a sign with her name and age (5) at a refugee camp, and one of her now in front of the courthouse, holding a sign reading, "Yang for judge."
Wales also has a TV spot. He's shown standing with his family and says there are many things he's proud of, including overcoming facial paralysis, his 30 years in the legal profession and his endorsements from judges. The ad says that of judges who are endorsing someone in the race 80% choose him. "The people we trust choose Scott," says the narrator.
Wales and his campaign consultant Brennan Balestrieri concede Yang's candidacy comes with a great backstory. "But it's the only story," Balestrieri said. "There's no front story." He thinks she would make a great candidate in another five to 10 years.
Wales graduated from Nicolet High School in 1979, got a degree in history and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1983, and his law degree from the University of Miami in 1987. He's represented hundreds of clients in municipal, state and federal court, many of them poor or indigent. He was elected municipal judge in 2008, a position that pays $4,800 year. He also has taught paralegal classes at Milwaukee Area Technical College since 1992. He lives in Fox Point with his wife and two children.
Wales and Balestrieri questioned Yang's tactics during the run for judge.
Wales had registered in April to run against John Siefert, a longtime incumbent in Branch 47 who was rumored to be considering retirement. In August, Yang registered to run against Cynthia Davis, appointed to Branch 21 in February 2016 by Gov. Scott Walker. Yang said she called Wales as a courtesy to alert him that if Siefert indeed retired, she would switch to the Branch 47 race.
Wales recalls the phone call as unnerving. He says Yang said she had "dirt" on Davis, and insinuated she hoped there was none on Wales. Very soon after that, Wales bought the website name, yangforjudge.com. In October, after Siefert made it clear he would not seek re-election, Yang amended her registration to Branch 47.
It is not unusual for judicial candidates to move among races seeking the match-up they see as most winnable.
Yang denies claiming to have "dirt" on anyone and said when she tried to buy yangforjudge.com, she discovered she was too late and opted for yangforjudge.org instead. She said she understands she got outmaneuvered but calls it a "low-ball tactic" that Wales' campaign recently activated the .com site with material promoting him and a red box reading, "WARNING: Attorney Kashoua Kristy Yang is NOT QUALIFIED."
Yang doesn't say she's Hmong-American in her TV spot or fliers, but she said she does expect support from that community, which she says includes about 11,000 registered voters in the county but traditionally have not voted in high percentages.
Wales is counting on the 200 appearances he's made, and the influence of his endorsements to persuade voters to back experience. "I hope 30 years means something," he said.
The 47 circuit judges in Milwaukee County rotate among divisions that hear misdemeanor and felony crimes, family law cases, probate, small claims, general civil and children's court matters. Judges serve six-year terms and earn about $132,000 annually.