Butler, who in 2008 lost one of the most expensive and closest races in the history of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, was nominated by President Obama last week to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. And that nomination has angered Wisconsin Republican Rep. James Sensenbrenner.
Butler became the first African American to serve on the state high court when he was appointed by the governor in 2004. He was defeated for a full, 10-year term in 2008 by a little-known county judge after special interest groups — primarily business interests — spent millions attacking him.
