by Benjamin Yount
Wisconsin’s Republican U.S. Senator says he wants to know how many other Darrell Brooks Jr.’s there are.
Sen. Ron Johnson, along with Wisconsin Republican Congressman Scott Fitzgerald, introduced legislation to require a federal review of low-bail policies in the states.
“The current Democrat policies of catch and release of violent offenders within our criminal justice system has resulted in untold tragedies throughout America,” Johnson said in a statement.
The demand comes after Brooks was released from Milwaukee County jail on $1,000 bail just days before police say he sped through the crowd at a Christmas Parade in Waukesha. Six people died in the attack and nearly 60 others were injured.
“This horrific tragedy never should have happened, but was the direct result of the low-bail, no-bail policies implemented by soft on crime district attorneys and pushed by the Biden Administration,” Johnson added. “The Pretrial Release Reporting Act will bring transparency the American public deserve and make everyone aware of how frequent violent offenders are released into their communities after posting meager bail, or none at all.”
Wisconsin lawmakers are looking to fix the state’s system of low bail.
The State Assembly back in February passed a plan that would amend the state constitution to allow judges to consider the severity of a crime when setting bail. Currently, the state constitution says every suspect is entitled to some bail, and the constitution prevents judges from using the harshness of a crime as a determining factor.
Congressman Fitzgerald, who used to lead the Wisconsin Senate, said the problem of low- or no-bail is not a uniquely Wisconsin issue.
“We cannot turn back the clock, [but] we must hold local leaders accountable moving forward,” Fitzgerald added. “The Pretrial Release Reporting Act will do exactly that by requiring the DOJ to critically analyze how weak bail policies impact our communities.”
Wisconsin’s other Republican congressmen also support the legislation. But it faces almost certain doom in Washington because of a lack of Democratic support.
– – –
Benjamin Yount is a contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Ron Johnson” by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0. Photo “Scott Fitzgerald” by Scott Fitzgerald. Background Photo “Bail Bonds” by Darylosswald. CC BY-SA 3.0.
