Here we go again with the liberal Milwaukee paper trying to make something out of nothing.

What goes on at the state Department of Justice stays in the state Department of Justice.

So says Attorney General Brad Schimel.

On Aug. 10, staffers at his agency were sent an email instructing them to sign a nondisclosure agreement barring them from revealing any confidential information about their work — not just during their time in office but even after they leave the state.

The email then included a spreadsheet with the names of 129 employees who had yet to sign the one-page statement.

“If your name is on the attached list, please print and sign the attached Agreement,” the email says.

According to a copy of the agreement, it applies not just to current full-time employees but also “limited term employees, contractors, interns, externs and law enforcement partners.”

The DOJ deals with some of the most sensitive and confidential information in government. As long as they are equally vigilant about providing public information subject to the open records law, we citizens want DOJ employees to keep the rest confidential.

Good.

UPDATE (WKOW)– Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel says a recent video posted by conservative group Project Veritas shows concerning comments that will require a lengthy investigation.

Project Veritas released two videos earlier this week. They feature Scott Foval, a well-known democratic operative in Madison political circles. The videos, which are highly edited, appear to show Foval taking credit for disrupting a Scott Walker presidential rally, and also talking about how to commit voter fraud.

“I’ve got strong instincts that say if you see a bad guy, go after a bad guy. Those videos appear to have someone bragging about breaking Wisconsin laws and some federal laws. So, my instincts are to take a look at it, and we will do that.”

Since the videos went public the policy group Americans United for Change has fired Foval. Foval tells 27 News these accusations are part of a sinister plot that is nothing more than a ruse.

Schimel says he will examine any materials he and his office can legally get their hands on, so they can take a deeper look and determine if any election laws were broken.

Excellent.

MADISON – Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel joined attorneys general and school districts from across the United States today in challenging the Obama Administration’s new Title IX policy. In the latest example of the Obama Administration’s unlawful executive overreach, which re-interprets the word “sex” to include “gender identity,” Wisconsin’s sovereignty and independence have once again been undermined by the federal government.

“President Obama’s attempts to re-write the laws of our country without congressional consent and approval are not going to be tolerated by the State of Wisconsin,” said Attorney General Schimel. “After discussing with Governor Walker, I have decided to join my colleagues from across the country in challenging the Obama Administration’s latest power grab, which will have a significant impact on Wisconsin, particularly at the University of Wisconsin and Department of Public Instruction.”

Earlier this month, the United States Department of Justice (USDOJ) issued a “significant guidance letter,” which forces all recipients of Title IX funding to treat an individual according to their “internal sense of gender.” According to the guidance, “gender identity [is] the [individual’s] sex for purposes of Title IX and its implementing regulations.”  USDOJ argues that Title IX requires those government agencies receiving federal funds under Title IX to treat an individual according to their “internal sense of gender.” While this policy most notably applies to bathrooms and locker rooms at educational institutions, it would also apply to athletics, single-sex classes, and single-sex housing (i.e. dorms).

On the merits, this new policy conflicts with the plain language of Title IX, and is therefore an unlawful interpretation.  Title IX does not prohibit “gender identity” discrimination, but sex discrimination.

Good. As long as it is done with the purpose of enabling more transparency, I’m all for it.

Attorney General Brad Schimel is starting the substantial task of updating the state’s open records law at a time when voices of outrage are still reverberating in the Capitol’s halls over a recent unsuccessful attempt by leading lawmakers to significantly diminish public scrutiny.

“This is a big beast,” said Schimel of the task, who has said since he was elected in November he wanted to update the state’s open records law for the first time since 1981 to, in part, better reflect government officials’ use of modern technology.

“I don’t believe you’ll find the word ‘electronic’ in (the records law) anywhere,” he said Friday.

First, consider that Schimel is so well respected in the law enforcement community that he is training other folks on law enforcement strategies. Second, consider that the democrats prioritize potential “gotcha” comments for campaign ads above victim privacy or the integrity of law enforcement training.

Wisconsin Democrats have filed a lawsuit seeking videos of prosecutor training sessions involving Republican attorney general candidate Brad Schimel.

Their lawsuit Tuesday said a state Democratic Party researcher made an open records request with the state Justice Department seeking the videos on Sept. 15. The party said Schimel may have made inappropriate remarks at the presentations.

The agency denied the request on Monday, saying the videos include detailed discussion of cases that could compromise victim privacy and reveal law enforcement strategies. In a statement, Schimel said releasing the videos would expose law enforcement’s playbook and put the public at risk.

Interesting idea.

Brown County District Attorney David Lasee can’t say whether his office would gain if state prosecutors were all put under the state Department of Justice’s umbrella, but he has no doubt that his and other DA’s offices need help.

Lasee was responding to a proposal by Brad Schimel, the Republican candidate for Wisconsin attorney general, to make the organizational shift. The state’s 400 prosecutors are employees of the state Department of Administration, and Schimel says that doesn’t work.

“They’re the department of everything,” Schimel said. “We’re very low on their priority list.”

But the shift would nearly double the size of the Department of Justice, and dealing with prosecutor shortages would be a major priority under that arrangement, which would require enabling legislation, Schimel said.

On the surface it makes sense and I don’t see a downside.