On Thursday, April 27, 2023, Goldin & Lennon, LLC, and Attorney Matthew L. Goldin of Oshkosh requested before the State Of Wisconsin Circuit Court Winnebago County that Honorable Scott Woldt, a Winnebago County Circuit Court Judge, be replaced in the State of Wisconsin v. Todd Schaffer case. This is in relation to the alleged threats of Hon. Woldt against attorney Goldin after the latter “supported” the judge’s opponent in the previous election.

According to a report by Wisconsin Public Radio, Hon. Woldt after being suspended in 2021, is now facing new allegations after threatening to retaliate against an attorney who supported his opponent in the recent election. Allegedly, Hon. Woldt confronted attorney Matthew Goldin during a lawyer get-together at an Oshkosh taproom on April 25 when the Winnebago County judge told Goldin that he would face “consequences” for supporting Hon. Woldt’s opponent.

In relation to this, Mr. Goldin stated, “Woldt appeared (to be) threatening that he would utilize his judicial power to punish me, my clients, and my practice for some sort of perceived entitlement to loyalty.” Moreover, during the April 25 interaction, Mr. Goldin added that Judge Woldt told him that he was “dead to him” for allowing Haase to put a campaign sign on Goldin’s Omro property. The judge indicated he would “take out his anger and fury” on Goldin and his clients, then he said “I could write him a check for $28,000 to pay for the contested judicial campaign, and then we’d be square,” in which Mr. Goldin replied, “I told him that would be unethical.”

Mr. Goldin clarified to the judge that his support for Haase wasn’t personal and that he thought diversity is important because there are too few black judges. The attorney stated to Hon. Woldt that he didn’t publicly endorse Haase and only displayed a sign on the Omro property — not at his home or office, as the judge asserts. Hon. Woldt responded by saying Goldin’s support of Haase meant he was responsible for her campaign strategy and the “dirty laundry” that arose during the campaign. As Mr. Goldin wrote, Hon. Woldt added, “I’m 61 years old, what am I supposed to do if I lost an election?”

In lieu of this event, on April 27, 2023, Mr. Goldin requested that Judge Scott Woldt recuse himself from taking any action in one of his client’s cases and that another Winnebago County judge be appointed to hear the said matter. A request for the substitution of the judge was also filed before the State of Wisconsin Circuit Court Winnebago County.

The Request for substitution states:

“Now Comes Todd Schaffer, Defendant, by his attorneys, Goldin & Lennon, LLC and Attorney Matthew L. Goldin of Oshkosh, Wisconsin and requests a substitution of judge pursuant to section 971.20 Wis. Stat., and that a different judge be assigned to this case in place of the Honorable Scott Woldt.”

Judge Woldt sits as a judge in Winnebago County Circuit Court located at 400 W State St, Rockford, IL 61101, and can be reached at +1 815-319-4500. His info can be found on Ballotpedia.org.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.