Former state Attorney General Bronson La Follette died Thursday. He was 82. La Follette was the last politician of the direct La Follette line, the grandson of Progressive champion Robert La Follette Sr and the son of Senator Robert La Follette Jr. La Follette won five elections for Attorney General, serving two two-year terms in the 1960s and three four-year terms in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1981, La Follette was arrested for drunk driving but apologized and was re-elected in 1982 after Republicans failed to field a candidate against him.
La Follette lost his last election in 1986 in what should have been a Democratic year in Wisconsin after a scandal investigation and an Ethics Commission finding that he misused his office.
Governor Scott Walker issued the following statement with the news of La Follette’s death.
“Tonette and I send our prayers to the family of former Wisconsin Attorney General Bronson La Follette. He was a dedicated public servant for several decades.”
