‘Sexting’ Wisconsin prosecutor says he’ll get therapy, consider time off but won’t resign

‘Sexting’ Wis. prosecutor says he’ll get therapy

MADISON, Wis. — A Wisconsin district attorney said Friday he’ll get therapy and consider taking time off work but won’t resign despite the growing calls for him to step down over sexually-tinged text messages he sent to a domestic abuse victim.

At a news conference Friday, Calumet County District Attorney Ken Kratz offered a “sincere and heartfelt apology” to the woman and his family for his lack of judgment.

“This behavior showed a lack of respect, not only for my position but for the young woman that was involved,” he said from the courthouse in Chilton in remarks carried live by Wisconsin television stations.

But Kratz left without taking questions after reading a four-minute statement, and did not respond to increasing calls for his resignation. He said only he would consider taking personal time off work as the court calendar will allow as he gets psychotherapy treatment.

The news conference marked the most remorse Kratz has shown in the two days since acknowledging he sent 30 text messages in three days to the 26-year-old woman last October. In one, he asked whether she was “the kind of girl that likes secret contact with an older married elected DA.”

In others he called her a “tall, young, hot nymph” and questioned whether her “low self-esteem” was to blame for her lack of interest. At the time, he was prosecuting her ex-boyfriend on strangulation charges.

Kratz had struck a far different tone in an interview earlier Friday, saying he was the victim of a “smear campaign” and dismissing calls for his resignation.