Federal judges in Wisconsin’s Eastern District have decided not to extend interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel’s appointment after his 120-day term expires on March 17.
Schimel, a Republican who previously served as Waukesha County district attorney and later became Wisconsin attorney general from 2014 to 2018, was appointed to the interim role by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi following the collapse of the Senate confirmation process for a permanent appointee.
The judges announced their decision on Tuesday morning, stating they await the nomination and confirmation of a full-time United States Attorney by the President and the U.S. Senate.
In a statement, the court clarified that the decision was not intended as criticism: “In doing so, the Court intends no criticism or commentary on the performance or qualifications of the Interim United States Attorney or any of the attorneys in the United States Attorney’s Office.”
Schimel had expressed hope to remain in the role after engaging in “good conversations” with the judges last week. However, he faced opposition from Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., who stated she opposed his continuation as U.S. attorney—a position Schimel said caught him off guard.
The court noted that the office had continued to represent the district effectively and that a majority of the judges chose not to extend Schimel’s appointment but instead wait for President Donald Trump and the Senate to select a full-time U.S. Attorney.
Schimel, who lost his bid for re-election as Wisconsin attorney general in 2018 to Democrat Josh Kaul and was later appointed by then-Gov. Scott Walker as a judge in Waukesha County, oversaw the prosecution of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan within weeks of taking the interim federal post. Dugan was convicted in December on charges of obstruction for allegedly helping an immigrant evade federal officers at the Milwaukee County courthouse.
Schimel declined to provide further comment when contacted by press representatives.
