Kelly Fundraiser At Brookfield Gun Center Causes Controversy

BROOKFIELD, WI — Controversy over Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly's election campaign hosting a fundraiser at a Brookfield firearms training center has Democrats roiling and Republicans incredulous over the nature of the criticism.

Kelly and his opponent, Jill Karofsky, a Dane County Circuit Court Judge, are running for a 10-year term on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Election day is April 7.

On Feb. 27, Kelly, a noted gun rights supporter and conservative-leaning justice, had a campaign fundraiser on Feb. 27 at the Wisconsin Firearms Training Center in Brookfield.

As part of the language of the event, the Waukesha County GOP posted the notice on Facebook saying, in part, "Help return Justice Daniel Kelly to the State Supreme Court by attending a fundraiser in his honor hosted at the Wisconsin Firearms Training Center in Brookfield!! Every dollar counts as liberal money has begun pouring into the state to back soft on crime Madison Judge Jill Karofsky. Can you help save our courts?!"

Donation amounts for the fundraiser were as follows: 10mm level: $1,000, .25 ACP level: $2,500 and 50 Cal M2HB: $5,000.

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You can see the campaign fundraiser flyer here: A Fundraiser in Honor Of Justice Daniel Kelly

Democrats took issue with the fundraiser, even going so far as to tie it to the Molson Coors shooting that left five workers, and the shooter dead.

“Dan Kelly’s decision to hold a gun-themed fundraiser just 24 hours after the shooting at Molson Coors is tasteless and disrespectful,” said Courtney Beyer, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin in a Wisconsin State Journal report. “Wisconsinites want a Supreme Court justice who takes seriously the epidemic of gun violence, not an extremist political activist like Dan Kelly who’s been bought off by special interests to stand in the way of meaningful progress on gun safety reform.”

Kelly's campaign was not pleased, to say the least.

In the same Wisconsin State Journal report, Kelly for Justice campaign spokesman Charles Nichols said the Democrats sought to "exploit a horrible tragedy for their own political gain," calling it "repulsive, yet unsurprising," given the nature of his opponent's campaign.