It doesn’t pass the smell test.

The father of Wisconsin’s two most powerful state lawmakers was just picked to lead the Wisconsin State Patrol.

Department of Transportation Secretary Mark Gottlieb, with Gov. Scott Walker’s blessing, announced the appointment of Stephen Fitzgerald, 68, to the position Tuesday that will pay Fitzgerald $105,678 a year and boost his public pension just as he presumably nears retirement.

Fitzgerald’s eye-rolling appointment also follows his defeat in the fall election for Dodge County sheriff by a 2-to-1 margin. So he’s been seeking employment and just bounced back big time by landing a law-enforcement gem.

Yes, Fitzgerald’s resume includes time as a police officer in Chicago and Hustisford and more than a decade as Dodge County sheriff. He left that post in 2002 when former President George W. Bush appointed Fitzgerald U.S. marshal in the Western District of Wisconsin, where he oversaw security for federal courts.

The issue isn’t that Fitzgerald lacks applicable experience. The issue is public trust in state government. Citizens expect their leaders to pick the best candidates for top state positions — not the best connected or closest relatives of top lawmakers.