Wisconsin attorney general candidate, Democrat Susan Happ, is fighting back against reports of the handling of a child sexual-assault case involving a man to whom Happ and her husband sold property.

In a memo released on Happ campaign stationary, the Jefferson County District Attorney said it is “dangerous” for Brad Schimel, her GOP opponent, to question her handling of cases because he “has plea bargained and reduced charges in hundreds of cases himself” since 2006 as Waukesha County District Attorney.

“So the records are there,” the memo continues. “They’re all public. And both sides could fire these missiles off every day. That’s not what we want this campaign to be about.”

The memo concludes:

Susan Happ wants to focus on who is best equipped to represent the citizens of Wisconsin as the people’s lawyer, who is more attuned to their needs and wants and who can better represent them, protect their rights and keep them safe. That’s what she intends to talk about between now and the election. We would invite her opponent, his supporters, and the news media to join her.

Happ is arguing two things: Both she and Schimel are district attorneys, whose offices have handled thousands of cases during their time as prosecutors and each has their share of controversial cases an opponent could make a campaign issue. And, the campaign for AG should not be about cherry-picking cases.

But at the same time the Happ campaign is doing exactly what it is asking Schimel not to do: Cherry-pick cases. In 2007, prior to reporting to jail after his third operating while intoxicated (OWI) conviction, a man killed a pregnant woman and her 10-year-old daughter while committing his fourth OWI offense.

The Happ campaign memo contends the failure of Schimel’s office to tack on a prohibited alcohol concentration (PAC) charge to the man’s third offense was leniency that contributed to the death of the mother and daughter.

State law at the time, however, prohibited that PAC charge from being filed. Schimel’s office asked for and got the maximum 75-day sentence allowed under law.

“Ms. Happ’s inexperience has shown through once again, Schimel campaign manager, Johnny Koremenos, says, “as she apparently doesn’t understand Wisconsin law, which states a defendant cannot be sentenced with both an OWI and PAC charge.”

Happ wants a selective scrutiny of her record off-limits, while at the same time subjecting her opponent to selective scrutiny of his. This sounds like a classic case of do as I say, not as I do.