Victorious Ald. Michael McGee

What are the odds of an elected official WINNING a primary election while jailed?

My guess is the odds would be slim to none, but it happened yesterday in Milwaukee's 6th District.

From his jail cell, Milwaukee Alderman Michael McGee managed to pull off a primary victory, thanks to some incredibly loyal constituents.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Campaigning from behind bars, a defiant Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee led eight challengers to survive Tuesday's primary election.

The first-term incumbent will face attorney Milele Coggs on the April 1 ballot for his north side seat on the Common Council.

...The outspoken McGee has rallied support in his largely African-American 6th District while antagonizing the city's power structure. He survived a recall last year, avoiding a runoff by amassing more votes than his seven challengers combined.

Less than two months later, however, McGee was under arrest, facing charges of shaking down business owners for bribes, of conspiring to have a man beaten and of buying votes in the recall campaign. He is being held without bail, a move that helped solidify support among backers who see him as a martyr.

Typical of those voters was Dorothy Carter, 76, who said: "I think he's a nice person, and I think he's been railroaded. I don't think he can do as good of a job in prison. But I think if he'd been a white man, he'd already been out of jail."

By contrast, Winona Usher, 57, said she chose Coggs because, "She has a good plan for this district. You talk about change: This district really needs change. This district needs healing."

If he is convicted of a felony in either state or federal court, McGee would be ineligible to serve. But that won't be known until after the election; his state trial is set for May 19 and the date of the federal trial has not been set. If McGee wins and is later found guilty, a special election would be needed.

Among those defeated were former Ald. Fred Gordon; School Board member Charlene Hardin; and Adel "Jack" Kheirieh, a business owner who is a key witness against McGee. Former Ald. Rosa Cameron, a felon who could not serve if elected, lost a write-in campaign.

I hope that 6th District residents have the good sense to vote for Milele Coggs on April 1.

Although McGee managed to secure enough votes to win in the primary, he only received 32% of the vote. The overwhelming majority of voters in the district expressed their desire to oust McGee. In a head-to-head race with Coggs, it's very possible she could win against incumbent McGee.

Even if McGee does win in April, the outcome of his trials could mean that McGee would be ineligible to serve as alderman.

So, the saga continues.

Let's face it. McGee's supporters won't abandon him. He's a martyr to them. I honestly believe there's absolutely nothing McGee could do that would turn his core followers against him.

Still, hope for real and effective leadership in the district is possible. Residents can voice their desire for change by voting for a law-abiding, competent woman, Milele Coggs.

I hope they learned what a mistake it was to save McGee in last year's recall election.

I have an idea for a campaign theme song for Coggs: "Won't Get Fooled Again."

Bottom line: A vote for McGee is not a vote for change. The 6th District is in dire need of change.
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BACKGROUND:

Thug Alderman Michael McGee Jr.

"Resign, 'Gatekeeper' McGee"

More posts on Michael McGee Jr.

Milwaukee's Bleak Conservative Leadership Landscape

It appears that no one in the city of Milwaukee is willing to run to unseat Mayor Tom Barrett.

David Clarke announced that he won't try.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr., who had publicly weighed a mayoral bid, said today he will not challenge Mayor Tom Barrett in the April election.

In recent months, Clarke has continued his criticism of Barrett on crime and other issues, but made no move to run. Candidates can begin circulating nomination papers Saturday.

"I'm really disappointed the timing is not right for me to run at this time," Clarke said. "As I said before, Milwaukee needs a change in leadership at City Hall, but that does not necessarily have to be me."

...Said Clarke: "It doesn't look like there's going to be a mayor's race in '08 and I think that's unfortunate."

It's a sad situation for Milwaukee residents that they will have no choice in the mayoral race.

Is Barrett going to be like the perpetually unchallenged Herb Kohl?

There has to be someone who will take on Barrett.

Does Milwaukee have such a conservative leadership vacuum? Is it really that bleak?

There are plenty of libs and nuts wanting to be elected to office. Even the jailed Ald. Mike McGee has filed his declaration of candidacy form to hold on to his position as alderman of the 6th District.

Why think small?

McGee could run for mayor. He has a lot of time on his hands. And he might win. Only felony convictions before the election would stand in McGee's way.

Depressing.

No Bail for Michael McGee

Milwaukee Alderman Michael McGee Jr. should look on the bright side.

Yes, his appeal to be released from jail while he awaits trial on a laundry list of federal and state charges has been rejected.

But taxpayers are still paying his salary and he's still conducting business from jail.

Being behind bars hasn't kept McGee from going about some of his normal activities, like intimidating witnesses and violating court orders.

[Prosecutors] say while in the Milwaukee County Jail, McGee used three-party calling - in which one person calls another and connects that person with McGee - to encourage witnesses to "lay low" and to suggest that others be encouraged to recant statements.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Haanstad said it was clear McGee knew this was not allowed. He said in one call, McGee's wife, LaSonia McGee, said something to the effect of: "Those of you who are listening, it's I, the wife, making the three-way call, not Mr. McGee."

No, McGee's not going anywhere for now.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Ald. Michael McGee will remain behind bars into next year as he awaits trial on federal and state charges after a higher court rejected his appeal for release.

A three-judge panel from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a July 10 decision by U.S. District Chief Judge Rudolph Randa to detain McGee.

Prosecutors said McGee made several calls from jail intended to intimidate witnesses and sway testimony. In July Magistrate Judge Patricia Gorence set bail for McGee at $10,000, along with a series of restrictions that largely would have confined him to his home.

Prosecutors appealed to Randa, who overturned Gorence's decision.

The 7th circuit panel upheld Randa in a single-page order issued late Wednesday. It didn't comment on the merits of either side. The panel, which did not hold a hearing in the matter, was made up of Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook and judges Richard Posner and Daniel Manion.

McGee, 37, who is in the Waukesha County Jail, is charged with seeking and accepting bribes from businesses in his district in exchange for help obtaining or keeping liquor licenses. In state court, McGee is charged with nine felony counts, including making threats and election violations. The trials are not expected until sometime next year, when McGee also is up for re-election.

This latest setback for McGee is likely to rile his supporters and solidify their beliefs that McGee is a political prisoner.

...No tapes of those jailhouse calls where played before Gorence. Instead, Haanstad played tapes relating to the state charges that McGee violated a court order not to talk about a secret John Doe hearing.

McGee's attorney, federal public defender Calvin Malone, argued that without playing the tapes it was impossible to assess the evidence against McGee. He also noted that Randa didn't have a transcript of the hearing before Gorence prior to overturning her order.

Malone said he hadn't received anything from the appeals court as of Thursday afternoon and was disappointed that the court was releasing only a one-page order with no comment. Without more from the appeals court, he said it would be difficult to further argue for McGee's release.

At the beginning of this month, in "Tales of injustice find audiences via Internet," Eugene Kane notes that stories otherwise lost can gather steam and receive nationwide attention.

He tells about the impact of "public support after e-mail campaigns and petition drives designed to get the cases more attention succeeded."

Kane writes:

In the age of point-and-click communication, spreading news about questionable court decisions involving African-Americans is easier than it's ever been.

That can only be a good thing.

Closer to home, an e-mail campaign in support of jailed Ald. Mike McGee questions whether the government's case against him is racially biased and criticizes a judge's refusal to grant bail on corruption charges. The campaign hasn't gone national yet, but I suspect "Free McGee" petitions might start circulating on the Internet if more people knew some of the puzzling turns taken by prosecutors in regard to the alderman's bail.

With the latest developments in McGee's case, expect the Free McGee crowd to push its Internet campaign into high gear.

Does the Waukesha County Jail give inmates Internet access?

I think being denied the Internet might be considered cruel and unusual punishment.

Block Party Pooper McGee

The 16th Street Block Club's "Community Unity" back-to-school event was scheduled for Saturday night.

While behind bars, disgraced Alderman Michael McGee Jr. decided to poop on the party by denying the permit.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Using the power he still wields from jail, Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee has denied a permit for a block party organized by two key figures in the state and federal cases against him.

But Common Council President Willie Hines Jr. stepped in Friday to ensure that the block party can be held as scheduled tonight.

Jack Kheirieh and Joan Hollingsworth had sought the permit for the 16th St. Block Club's annual "Community Unity" back-to-school event promoting safe streets, AIDS prevention and drug abuse rehabilitation. The party, held for the past nine years, draws 300 to 400 people and provides free backpacks for students, Kheirieh said.

The Department of Public Works and the Police Department agreed with issuing a permit to close the 2800 block of N. 16th St. for the party. That site is near the line between Hines' district and McGee's district.

Hines also signed off on the permit, because of confusion over whether the location was in his district. But when the public works staff realized the site was actually in McGee's district, they sent the application to him, and he denied it, said department spokeswoman Cecilia Gilbert.

By the time the permit was denied, organizers already had spent money on preparations, assuming the permit would be routinely approved as in the past, Hines said. Volunteers have been working on the event for three or four months, Kheirieh said.

McGee is in the Waukesha County Jail, awaiting trial on federal charges of shaking down business owners for bribes and state charges of buying votes and of conspiring to have a man beaten.

Yet he remains in office, conducting business through telephone conversations with aide Mary Fitzgerald.

...Hines said she had told him McGee denied the permit for safety reasons, because of a recent fatal traffic crash nearby.

What a load!

The Department of Public Works and the Police Department agreed to issue the permit. They identified no safety concerns.

But McGee, that conscientious public servant, refused to sign off on it.

I don't buy it that McGee tried to block the block party because of safety issues.

...But neighbors told Hines they believed McGee was retaliating against Kheirieh for cooperating with law enforcement authorities.

...Neither Kheirieh nor Hines specifically accused McGee of retaliation.

"I really don't know why he denied it," Kheirieh said of the permit. "Maybe he has something personal against me, but he shouldn't take it out on the community."

McGee supported and attended last year's block party, Kheirieh said.

Hines said he respects McGee's decision but also wanted to help residents. Some of the organizations involved in the event are based in Hines' district, and Hollingsworth is a Hines constituent, he noted.

Of course, McGee was retaliating.

I don't know why Hines is giving McGee any respect.

He doesn't deserve it.

If an alderman denies a street closing permit, residents ordinarily can appeal to the council's Licenses Committee and ultimately to the full council, Hines said. But the council is in its August recess, with no meeting set until Sept. 5.

Once again, the council's August recess is getting attention.

Residents are reminded that aldermen take a lengthy month long break from City Hall during the summer.

This block party matter didn't require a special meeting to be resolved, like the Bar Louie liquor license lapse did.

No aldermen had to interrupt recess plans to take care of this one. I'm sure they were pleased.

Instead, Hines arranged a permit for the party to be held a block away in his district, either in the 2700 block of N. 15th St. or on W. Hadley St., between 15th and 16th streets.

Party organizers were to decide whether to take Hines up on that offer or to hold the party in the parking lot of Kheirieh's store, now called Magic Foods, which is in McGee's district. No permit would be needed to use the parking lot, Hines said.

Kheirieh thanked Hines for his assistance, but remained concerned that the event had been jeopardized.

"To all politicians: When something's going on for the community . . . it shouldn't be stopped," Kheirieh said. "They should appreciate what I'm doing for the community, not try to block me."

Thankfully, McGee was not able to hold the people of his district and residents in Hines' district hostage.

McGee failed. I hope the NAACP doesn't protest this positive event for the community. I know that McGee's supporters get very upset when their man doesn't get his way.

Bottom line:

McGee didn't poop on the party. He pooped on himself.

Free McGee Rally Embarrassment

Tuesday's rally held by Ald. Michael McGee's supporters provided some solid evidence that there are TWO MILWAUKEES.

One is based in reality and the rule of law and the other is grounded in a culture of perpetual victimhood and race-baiting.

MILWAUKEE -- Supporters of Milwaukee Alderman Michael McGee, Jr. showed their support and blasted state and federal prosecutions at a news conference at Coffee Makes You Black on N. Teutonia Ave. Tuesday, a day after the embattled alderman pleaded not guilty to all federal charges against him.

"There's no integrity there," St. Timothy Baptist Church pastor Mo Fuller said to a cheering throng of about 100 people, many of whom stood behind the podium in a show of solidarity. "There has been just plain, overt racism and everybody knows that."

..."Take note of what is happening to this man," Fuller said. "There have been inconsistencies. There's has been no code of judicial justice. I want every black person in the city of Milwaukee to stand up and take a stand against the injustice."

Fellow Milwaukee Alderman Ashanti Hamilton also spoke at the event, calling the McGee prosecutions evidence of "a system gone astray."

"What we are witnessing now is a manifestation of the mistreatment of an elected official," he said. "Let's correct this, and let's not stand to let our system of justice to be perverted, because it's all of ours. If we don't correct it, then we stand to be in that position, too."

Milwaukee County Supervisor James White spoke at length about what he called "unfair" prosecutions targeting African-American politicians and institutions, from the investigation into fraud at the Opportunities Industrial Council to the redistricting that led to Michael McGee, Sr.'s defeat.

"Many people believe that [the McGee, Jr. prosecution] is revenge against Michael McGee, Sr. for exposing Milwaukee's atrocious record of racial segregation and segregation to the entire country," he said. "It is revenge against Michael McGee, Jr. for standing up, speaking out, organizing, and advocating for justice and fairness both for his constituents and the constituents of other African-American elected officials who will not stand up, who will not speak out, and will not publicly advocate on behalf of justice."

What was disturbing about this rally was that community leaders have taken up McGee as their cause.

Rather than rallying to work on the problems facing people of the 6th District and other troubled areas of the city, they're devoting time and energy to presenting McGee as a victim of injustice.

The comments from Wanda Montgomery, McGee's sister-in-law, were stunning.

She said:

The first thing that happened is he was detained.

The second thing that happened, he's been defamed.

The third thing that they're trying to do is destroy him.

Regarding McGee's detention, she claimed, "It is a violation of due process. We want to see him free."

Detained, defamed, and destroyed.

Montgomery wasn't the only one to act oblivious to why McGee is under arrest and what he's done while in custody.

Rev. Mo Fuller fumed, "We cannot have any political prisoners in this city. We cannot have that. We must have justice and integrity and that's it."

Political prisoners?

Good grief.


From the Nation of Islam, William Muhammad declared, "Ald. Michael McGee Jr. is a victim of character and political assassination.

"He's not a thug. He's a warrior for justice. He's an advocate for peace and he's an advocate for the poor."

I'm sorry. That's just a load! An absolute load!

There will be more to come. This isn't the end of the Free McGee movement.

William "McGee's not a thug" Muhammad, minister of Muhammad's Mosque No. 3., is organizing another rally.

The mosque will host a rally at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mercy Memorial Baptist Church, 2477 N. 36th St., where Abdullah Muhammad, a Nation of Islam leader over the national prison reform ministry, will speak.

Frankly, I'm not surprised that the NAACP and McGee's relatives would back him, ignoring the charges against him.

However, it's truly an embarrassment to the city that elected officials and religious leaders have decided to very publicly voice their support for McGee and decry the justice system.

I think it would be appropriate for Mayor Tom Barrett to comment on their accusations.

Barrett is the city's chief executive, right?

He should say something, anything. It's not OK for there to be a gathering of community leaders claiming that an elected official is being held as a political prisoner.

Is Barrett just going to let that slide?

This group wants to get the Department of Justice involved. They want it to investigate the violation of McGee's civil rights.

I think Barrett should tear himself away from his disastrous streetcar plan and his power struggle with Scott Walker to tend to this matter, for just a few moments. That's not too much to ask.

It seems that the McGee Freedom Fighters are trying to redefine McGee's case as a matter of racial and political persecution, in an attempt to deflect attention from his alleged crimes and their own failures as leaders in the central city.

That doesn't help the community.

It's an irresponsible thing to do.

In effect, McGee's supporters are rallying in support of Milwaukee's Thug Culture.

It's an embarrassment, a very enlightening embarrassment.

Michael McGee and U.S. District Judge Charles Clevert

Mike Nichols points out a potential problem for Michael McGee Jr. and his band of supporters.

Nichols writes:

Ald. Michael McGee's federal case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Charles Clevert....

Clevert is an experienced judge who happens to be black.

McGee is, of course, innocent until proven guilty. But presuming there is a conviction and sentencing at some point (and that is almost always what happens when people are charged by federal prosecutors), Clevert's involvement is going to make allegations of racism a bit less plausible.

I don't think McGee and his supporters will have a problem dismissing Clevert as being part of a vast racist conspiracy designed to destroy the alderman.

It never seems to fail. When an African-American refuses to play the race card and participate in the racial victim game, that individual is deemed to be something other than black.

Some examples:

While campaigning for the U.S. Senate as a Republican, Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele was pelted with oreos.

Harry Belafonte called Secretary of State Colin Powell a "house slave" and President Bush his "white master."

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board called U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas "a black man who deserves an asterisk."

Condoleezza Rice has suffered similar indignities.

Read more here and here.

The strategy of branding some African-Americans as not really black is one that's been perfected.

I'm sure McGee's loyalists will use it to advance their charges that McGee is a victim of racism rather than the victimizer of his constituents and abuser of his authority as an alderman.

They won't let a little thing like Judge Clevert's skin color derail the use of their "concrete plantation" template.

No way.

Michael McGee Pleads Not Guilty, Nods and Winks

Picture Ald. Michael McGee Jr. standing at a podium wagging his finger at members of the press and saying this:

I want to say one thing to the people of Milwaukee. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again. I did not shake down businesses or solicit bribes, with those constituents, of the 6th District. I never told anybody to kill or beat someone, or pay people five bucks to vote for me, not a single time – never. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for the people of the 6th District.

NOT GUILTY.

This morning, McGee formally declared he is not guilty of those NINE federal charges against him.

This followed his court appearance last week, when he entered a not guilty plea to each of TWELVE state charges, including SEVEN felonies -- "counts of lying to election officials, filing a false campaign report, election bribery, solicitation to commit a felony and conspiracy to commit battery."

In an arraignment that lasted about five minutes, McGee formally was told of the charges he faced. Through his attorney, public defender Calvin Malone, McGee entered a not guilty plea on each of the nine felony counts facing him: three counts of extortion, five bribery counts and one count related to a financial transaction.

Malone declined to comment on the indictment after the hearing.

In theory, McGee faces up to 115 years in prison if convicted of all counts, plus more than $1 million in fines. However, under federal sentencing guidelines, any sentence would likely be much shorter.

McGee's trial is scheduled for October 1.

His trial on the state charges has not been set.

Although 2007 isn't playing out too well for McGee, he's keeping his spirits up, drawing strength from his loyal supporters.

McGee did not speak during this morning's hearing, but as he entered and exited the courtroom he repeatedly nodded and winked at about a half-dozen supporters. One said, "Thank you, alderman," as McGee left. Another said: "Black love."

Thanks for what?

For abusing constituents?

For abusing his position of power?

For being a thug?

And what does "Black love" have to do with McGee and his multiple felony counts?

What a bizarre thing for a supporter to blurt out!

McGee isn't a victim of racism. Why don't his loyalists get that?

If McGee was being victimized because of his skin color, you know that Jesse Jackson would have made an appearance in Milwaukee by now. Al Sharpton would have packed his bullhorn, caught a plane to the city, and led rallies on the steps of the courthouse.

Michael McGee, Eugene Kane, and the Concrete Plantation

It's not necessary to read Eugene Kane's column, "McGee bail is game of bait and switch."

Why bother?

Did you think he would argue that the jailed Ald. Michael McGee Jr. should be denied release on bail and remain behind bars?

Can you imagine race-baiter Kane applauding the fact that McGee's wardrobe now consists of an orange jumpsuit?

Can you picture Kane supporting U.S. District Judge Rudolph T. Randa's decision that it's best for the community in the long run to not unleash McGee at this time?

Did you actually think that Kane would speak out about McGee "attempting to intimidate witnesses and sway testimony" from his jail cell?

Really, if you know Kane's writings, there's no need to read his Thursday column. You already know exactly what he'll say.

He writes:

[U.S. District Judge Rudolph T.] Randa ordered McGee to remain behind bars until his federal trial is over, which could be months or even a year from now.

It seems the state and federal authorities in charge of setting McGee's bail have played a confounding game of bait and switch that has his supporters wondering if the justice system can pretty much pick and choose which procedure to follow depending on the defendant's reputation.

Apparently, McGee's tendency to flout the rules of the court even behind bars convinced Randa he wouldn't follow instructions not to contact possible witnesses. The end result - McGee behind bars for the foreseeable future - served as stunning confirmation for McGee supporters that when some people talk about "justice," what they mean is "just us."

I have previously suggested the feds must view McGee as Milwaukee's own Tony Soprano. But when the federal government prosecuted local crime boss Frank Balistrieri and his two sons in 1984 on conspiracy and extortion charges, the defendants remained free on bail despite government concerns that they could intimidate witnesses.

Political kingpin Chuck Chvala, the former Senate majority leader who was convicted of felony corruption charges, wasn't imprisoned after being charged with extortion even though prosecutors expressed fears that if he were free he could intimidate witnesses.

At this point, it's not even about guilt or innocence for some McGee observers. Even the hardcore McGee faithful seem willing to accept the fact that he will eventually have to stand trial and face the various allegations against him.

But according to an urgent e-mail message distributed this week, a virtual "Who's Who" of black Milwaukee - including politicians, businessmen, clergy and activists - is dismayed at the latest turn of events that suggest McGee is being treated unlike any other defendant in recent memory.

If the federal authorities are so concerned about losing their case against McGee that they want to stack the deck by keeping him off the streets until trial, that's understandable. But it shouldn't be acceptable.

Making McGee Public Enemy No. 1 in order to keep him behind bars might make lots of people in town happy, but it's not the way America is supposed to work.

What did I tell you?

Kane and other McGee apologists and supporters are wrong if they think lots of Milwaukeeans find pleasure in the thought of McGee staying in jail.

Some sickos may find happiness in that, but I think for most people, they're just glad that justice is being done.

Because that's the way America is supposed to work.

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Read about what's right with the McGee family and gain some new insight on the jailed McGee here and here..

There's actually a responsible and upstanding brother in the family, Justus McGee.

Go back to Kane's column and note this line:

The end result - McGee behind bars for the foreseeable future - served as stunning confirmation for McGee supporters that when some people talk about "justice," what they mean is "just us."

It would be nice if McGee supporters would abandon their allegiance to Michael and talk more about Justus.

Nice, but unlikely.

Michael McGee: Jail, No Bail

Michael McGee won't be trading his jailhouse orange jumpsuit in for civilian clothes anytime soon.

That's as it should be.

It has nothing to do with his race.

It has everything to do with his actions.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A federal grand jury issued a nine-count indictment Tuesday against Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee, who a judge ruled must remain behind bars until a trial on allegations that he shook down business owners in his district.

The court actions were a double blow to McGee, who 24 hours earlier was on the verge of being released on bail. But prosecutors quickly moved to block the release, and Chief Judge Rudolph T. Randa ruled that McGee would remain in federal custody.

Randa cited concerns that if allowed home, even under severe restrictions, McGee would attempt to intimidate witnesses and sway their testimony on both state and federal charges.

With a small group of supporters in the courtroom, McGee slowly shook his head after the ruling but made no comments. One woman said: "There is no justice."

What planet is that woman living on?

McGee is not a victim.

...Calvin Malone, McGee's court-appointed federal attorney, left the detention hearing without commenting. Asked if an appeal was possible, he replied: "There are always options."

Malone has not said much publicly about the overall case against McGee. Glenn Givens, the private attorney representing McGee on state charges, has said McGee is
the victim of an unfair, racially biased prosecution.

What's with the court-appointed federal attorney?

McGee can afford an attorney. If he fears the legal bills would get too high for him to handle, he always has supporters like the Rev. George King. If King could write a check for $50,000 for McGee's bail, I'm sure he could help with the cost of an attorney.

Is McGee just trying to screw the taxpayers?

The numerous state and federal charges against McGee are really stunning.

McGee should write a book: Corruption and Rigging Elections for Dummies.

As if things weren't bad enough for McGee, he's pounded additional nails in his own coffin.

[McGee] also is accused of repeatedly ignoring court orders to not discuss the contents of the secret John Doe probe with others.

In one case, he allegedly left a John Doe hearing and almost immediately called Garrett Huff, who would later be charged in the vote-buying scheme, to alert him to the investigation.

Those calls, in turn, were cited this week by federal prosecutors as they successfully argued that McGee is prone to violating court orders and should remain behind bars until trial.

They say while in the Milwaukee County Jail, McGee used three-party calling - in which one person calls another and connects that person with McGee - to encourage witnesses to "lay low" and to suggest that others be encouraged to recant statements.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Haanstad said it was clear McGee knew this was not allowed. He said in one call, McGee's wife, LaSonia McGee, said something to the effect of: "Those of you who are listening, it's I, the wife, making the three-way call, not Mr. McGee."

On Monday, federal Magistrate Judge Patricia Gorence acknowledged prosecution concerns about witness intimidation, but set bail at $10,000. She also added a series of restrictions, including that McGee largely be confined to his home, except for City Hall votes and other limited instances.

After the ruling, McGee supporters gathered the $10,000. It was submitted as bail Tuesday by William Butler, who appears to be associated with McGee's legal defense fund.

Earlier, several community members paid $50,000 in bail on the state charges. But before McGee was released in the state case, he was taken into federal custody.

The guy doesn't quit.

He's behind bars and he's still attempting to intimidate people.

Nonetheless, some people adore him.

Local news crews interviewed some angry McGee supporters after the hearing on Tuesday. For instance, on TMJ4, an irate Jean Williams had this to say:

I'm hurt because as people in the United States, and citizens of this city, we believe, try to believe in justice. There ain't no justice. It's just us.

Milwaukee or shall I say Mili-ssippi, Witch-consin is where we live and what we have to endure. Not Milwaukee. Mili-ssippi. We as close to Mississippi and living on this concrete plantation as we can be.

WISN 12 News spoke with another upset McGee supporter, John Townsend:

Going through what we're going through now with our alderman, with our leader, of Milwaukee is ludicrous.

Milwaukee, I mean "Mili-ssippi," is not a concrete plantation as Williams states.

And for Townsend to refer to McGee as "our leader," is really nauseating.

It takes some awfully messed up followers to choose McGee as their leader.

McGee could never have done what he's charged with doing if he didn't have a band of backers condoning his actions and giving him free rein to abuse constituents.

Former Milwaukee County district attorney E. Michael McCann, in all his incompetence cluelessness, and/or laziness, also gave McGee the opportunity to ignore the law.

McGee had all the enablers he needed to assist him in royally screwing up his life.

I question the stability of McGee's supporters. I understand people reaching out to him now and showing compassion and forgiveness, praying for his lost soul. I don't get the ones willing to give victim status to McGee, the victimizer.

As McGee supporter Williams said:

I'm hurt because as people in the United States, and citizens of this city, we believe, try to believe in justice. There ain't no justice. It's just us.

She shouldn't be troubled.

The fact that McGee is behind bars should show her that there most definitely is justice and she can believe in it.

The citizens of McGee's district should be celebrating because justice is being done.

Some are; but some are talking about a concrete plantation.
_________________________

Read the federal indictment.

Bailing Out Michael McGee

The jailed Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee gets by with a little help from his friends.

Yesterday, $50,000 bail was posted for McGee.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee is expected to appear in federal court today on bribery charges after his bail was posted on state charges Thursday.

Also Thursday, Common Council President Willie Hines Jr. said he wouldn't consider starting impeachment proceedings against McGee until the criminal charges were resolved.

A $50,000 cashier's check was posted for McGee's bail, sheriff's spokeswoman Kim Brooks said. McGee remained in the Milwaukee County Jail on a federal hold overnight.

The Rev. George King signed the check, Brooks said.

McGee's attorney, Glenn Givens, said King and another man, whom he didn't identify, put up the money. They believe McGee was being subjected to injustice and an inflated bail, Givens said.

Givens said King and the other man have never met McGee. He said King, who is nearly 80, was not a minister.

"This money comes from unimpeachable sources, from very upstanding citizens, people who have led a clean life and who are very concerned about what is going on," Givens said.

Who is the Rev. George King?

According to Givens, he's not a minister.

So why does he use the "Rev." title?

What sort of "very upstanding citizen" calls himself "Rev." even though he hasn't earned it?

Very odd.

When you think about it, what isn't odd about the McGee saga?

...If bail isn't argued, McGee would be held until a hearing can be scheduled.

Once McGee appears, prosecutors have 30 days to present the case to the grand jury for indictment.

McGee is lucky to have the Rev. George King in his corner.

The guy shows up with a cashier's check for $50,000 -- all that money to get poor persecuted McGee out of jail.

Too bad for McGee that it wasn't enough to free him. Those federal charges can be a real pain. Boo hoo.

So King, supposedly an unimpeachable source, is "very concerned about what is going on."

I'm concerned about what's going on, too.

It bothers me that McGee, an elected community leader, faces federal charges of "soliciting and taking bribes from business owners in his district."

I'm concerned that a state court has charged McGee "with lying to investigators, violating election law, paying for votes, breaking a court secrecy order and threatening to beat a man."

It troubles me that "he faces 12 counts, including seven felonies, in state court."

Given the sort of man McGee is, given how solid and damning the evidence against McGee seems to be, given how stupid McGee is, I wonder about his allies.

Is it possible to be an upstanding citizen and support McGee?

I'd like McGee's lawyer Givens to define "upstanding citizen."

We must be operating under different definitions.

In my opinion, a free Michael McGee is a dangerous McGee.

Who knows?

King may be an "unimpeachable source."

That doesn't change the fact that McGee is very impeachable.

Free Michael McGee

FREE McGEE!

That's the rallying cry.

Go to the courthouse, get out your "Free Ald. McGee 4 Me" t-shirt and raise your fist in the air as the disgraced, handcuffed alderman is led to his seat in the courtroom.

More charges against McGee were revealed yesterday.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

The extent of state-level criminal allegations against Ald. Michael McGee became clear Friday, with Circuit Judge Dennis P. Moroney lifting the veil on 12 counts, including seven felonies, filed against the embattled politician.

District Attorney John T. Chisholm said in court McGee's alleged criminal acts amount to "a serious, serious attack on the foundation of our representative system," and in a court filing contends that McGee aimed to "subvert the election process" to hang on to his aldermanic seat in the face of a recall election.

The 12 charges against McGee include newly revealed allegations that he lied to officials during an inquiry about the recall election, misused and did not report campaign donations, bribed voters with $5 payments in the recall election, then repeatedly violated a confidentiality order to tell others about what happened during a John Doe court proceeding. He now faces 12 counts, including those filed shortly after his arrest on Memorial Day on allegations he arranged with two men to have a suspected burglar beaten.

...The new counts in the criminal complaint, which was distributed by Chisholm in the wake of Moroney's ruling, focus on four situations, largely revolving around the unsuccessful attempt to recall him from office this spring:

• The recall petition against McGee. The complaint accuses McGee of lying to election officials in December about why he signed it. McGee told the officials he was duped into signing it under the ruse it was a petition to keep Malcolm X Academy open. Two people at the scene said, however, McGee told them he was signing the petition deliberately. Additionally, McGee is charged with handing out political material at a polling place during the Feb. 20 primary, weeks before his recall would go to voters. Lying to election officials is a felony; electioneering is a misdemeanor.

• Mishandling campaign donations, a situation which bears similarities to those faced in the past in federal court by then-Aldermen Paul Henningsen and Jeff Pawlinski. Henningsen was found guilty at trial of misusing campaign funds, while Pawlinski pleaded guilty. Both served time in federal prison. McGee is charged with a misdemeanor count of theft by bailee for cashing checks, intended as political donations, written to him in March, that were never put into his campaign coffers. He also is charged with a felony for omitting one of the checks from a campaign finance report, while another was written after the reporting deadline.

• A $5-per-vote scheme during his recall election. McGee is charged with three felonies relating to this plan: one as a party to the crime of election bribery for getting money to another man who paid two undercover police officers to vote and drove them to City Hall, and two direct counts of election bribery based on wiretapped conversations with two co-conspirators identified only as "Precious" and "Reesey" in the complaint.

• Contempt of a court order of secrecy during a John Doe investigation, which ran from December to April. Investigators listening on wiretaps heard McGee talk freely to friends on the telephone about the content of the investigation, including mocking the terms of secrecy and calling the judge, Circuit Judge Jean W. DiMotto, a "bitch." The three counts of criminal contempt of court are not classified as misdemeanors or felonies.

Let's not look at McGee's alleged crimes.

Let's look at his supporters.

They enabled McGee. They gave his style of "leadership" their blessing.

They did it when they voted to keep him in office, allowing him to survive a recall election with a whopping 64% of the vote.

They do it when they show up in court and don "Free Ald. McGee 4 Me" shirts.

McGee couldn't have done with he did and be the sort of alderman he is without the support of his constituents.

That's the most disturbing part of all of this.

It's not McGee sporting jailhouse orange and handcuffs.

It's the people wearing "Free Ald. McGee 4 Me" shirts.

Thugs Target Milwaukee School Bus

The notion that the sort of lawlessness that occurred after Wednesday's Juneteenth Day celebration is an aberration is complete rubbish.

The Thug Culture rears its ugly head every day in some way in Milwaukee.

It's not even safe for someone to drive a school bus on some of the city's streets.

MILWAUKEE -- School bus driver Paul Bourgeois says his bus was attacked around the 16th and Locust area on Thursday while driving his bus. He says a group of teens forced the bus to stop and that some of the teens opened the emergency exit to his bus and jumped on board. Meanwhile, he says other teens hung on to the windows of the bus and prevented him from driving.

"It was nerve rattling, believe me. When I drove off from there, I had to kind of collect myself and make sure that I knew what I was doing before I proceeded on," Bourgeois said. "They seemed to be getting a real kick out of the fact that they were trying to instill fear."

Bourgeois got up from his driver's seat and chased the teens away. "They tried to break the window," he said. "They tried to slam the door when they got off and as they began to run away, they began to throw rocks at the bus."

Of course the driver, the white driver, was scared.

(Note: We don't know the race of the teens involved in the attack. That wasn't mentioned in the report, though I'm sure Bourgeois could tell us.)

Only a day earlier, Pat Kasthurirangaian was pulled from his car and beaten by a group of Milwaukee's thugs. Naturally, Bourgeois might think that he was about to be physically assaulted.

Bourgeois says he regularly has people throw rocks and bricks and his bus - which often leads to broken bus windows. That is a problem because innocent students can be hurt by broken glass.

Lamers Bus Lines says violence against school buses is more common than people think. "We fear that something serious can happen out there," said General Manager Dean Brown. "It's not something that's isolated once or twice a year - it's more once or twice a week that we have incidents and this past year it was really bad," he said.

The most common problem for Lamers is people throwing rocks and bricks through bus windows -- even while students are on board.

I had no idea that thugs regularly throw rocks and bricks at school buses.

What a violent, senseless, dangerous thing to do!

Where would someone come up with the idea to ambush a vehicle?

Could Ald. Michael McGee have inspired the thugs?

Remember the alderman's plan to control speeders, the one he talked about on WNOV-AM?

I really want to organize some of these young guys in the community. When they see people speeding recklessly and swerving down the hood man, just start brickin’ em, for real… And start bricking these cars, man, gorilla style… And they are going to learn that you can’t drive down certain blocks and feel that they can be reckless.

Of course, I doubt that Bourgeois was speeding.

Nonetheless, McGee must be so proud of the teens that attacked that bus!

The bus involved in Thursday's incident was on a charter run and the driver had just dropped-off the passengers.

Thankfully, the driver wasn't hurt and no passengers were terrorized or injured by the attack.

Eventually though, someone will be injured.

As General Manager for Lamers Bus Lines Dean Brown says, this isn't an isolated thing that happens once or twice a year. It happens once or twice a week!

It's actually quite miraculous that no passenger has been hurt during one of these common incidents.

No bus driver should have to fear for his own safety or that of his passengers simply because he's driving down a Milwaukee street.

Those darn rock and brick throwing "knuckleheads!"

Michael McGee, William Jefferson, and the NAACP

The allegations against Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee, Jr. just keep on coming.

The latest:

Ald. Michael McGee used his anti-crime Rapid Response Team as a way to solicit bribes from business owners in his district, a federal search warrant released today alleges.

The warrant says that McGee extorted money by saying giving money to the team would improve the area where the owners operated their businesses, the warrant says. Those who didn't contribute would be punished by having their licenses withheld, the warrant said.

In one case, McGee extorted $20,000 from a business as a "commitment" to the team, the warrant said.

FBI agents searched the organization's office on June 3.

Yeah, McGee is a real team player, isn't he?

The guy is an absolute disgrace.

Given that the apple doesn't fall far from the elder McGee's tree, McGee the younger was destined to be a sleazeball.

He has delivered on that in spades.

What I do not understand is how leaders in Milwaukee's African-American community have the nerve to align themselves with McGee by holding a rally, a "prayer vigil," to show their support for him.

MILWAUKEE -- Several dozen Alderman Michael McGee, Junior supporters held a protest Thursday afternoon on the front steps of the Milwaukee County Courthouse. They say McGee's 100 thousand dollar cash bail is too high. They want him released on a signature bond.

“This is about justice. And this isn’t justice right here, what’s happening to him, right now, to have his bail be so high, I would do this for anyone," said protester Stanley Richmond.

McGee supporters say that all of the other Milwaukee aldermen charged with crimes got out of jail on a signature bond and were allowed to stay at home until they were convicted. Many think McGee is being unfairly targeted because he stood for things many other people in city government opposed.

"We having a problem in our community right now where and we feel like our leadership is being targeted for the stance that they take in our community,” McGee supporter Lamonte Harris said.

The other aldermen charged with crimes weren't plotting to kill someone or "beat down" people.

McGee is being treated the way he is because of the way he is, because of his history -- having multiple identities, using two Social Security numbers, making threats of violence, lying in court, etc.

To suggest that McGee's bail is high as revenge and a means to punish him for where he stands on government issues is absurd.

The response from some of Milwaukee's African-American leadership is truly disturbing.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

"The purpose for the rally is to really highlight the injustice that is taking place," William Muhammad, minister of Muhammad's Mosque No. 3 said Wednesday.

"They are holding him like a political prisoner," said Muhammad, a McGee supporter.... "It is unfair, unjust and wicked. Anyone who cares about justice should come out and express it."

...Jerry Ann Hamilton, president of the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said the fact that McGee still remains in jail is "grossly unjustified."

"Bail is not meant to be punishment," Hamilton said. "Bail is intended to secure the defendant's appearance in court and prevent fleeing. Ald. McGee has many roots in this community. He is not a flight risk."

NAACP local president Hamilton apparently has confidence in McGee's character. She doesn't believe he's a flight risk. She's entitled to her opinion, but the decision on bail isn't hers to make.

And minister William Muhammad's remarks are really irresponsible.

McGee is no political prisoner. Good grief.

It's as though these people are doing everything they can to compound tensions.

The support McGee is getting in Milwaukee reminds of Democrat Congressman William Jefferson's supporters in New Orleans.

There, too, ministers and the president of the local NAACP chapter have come to Jefferson's defense. They are also playing the race card and painting the criminal as the victim.

Read more.

In both the case of McGee and the case of Jefferson, the NAACP continues to lose credibility.

Simply put, the group has lost nearly all semblance of integrity. This once great civil rights organization too often is now little more than a front group of hacks and extremists, promoting people and policies that actually run counter to its professed mission.

Free McGee

I saw this one coming.

On May 29, I asked:

Has anyone spotted a "Free McGee" t-shirt yet?

Well, they're here.

The best dressed Milwaukee thugs and their supporters and apologists will be wearing these.


All the available "Free McGee" products are white.

I think it would be nice to make up a shirt in an orange jail jumpsuit style.

Yes, that would be very nice.

Kane STILL an Apologist for McGee

Eugene Kane is still serving as an apologist for Ald. Michael McGee.

I wonder if he really supports McGee or if he just enjoys tweaking those that aren't in McGee's corner. They would be the ones that aren't willing to excuse bribery and extortion and voter fraud.

Actually, I think Kane is a fraud.

He writes:

As strange as it may seem, some people in town have no idea why Ald. Mike McGee is in jail.

To be more accurate, they don't know why McGee is still in jail.

Most savvy folks know McGee has been charged with serious crimes, including bribery and political extortion. But this is Milwaukee, where three aldermen were charged with political shenanigans that included financial irregularities and public corruption. It's also Wisconsin, where a caucus scandal in Madison involving some of the state's most powerful leaders - including a Senate majority leader, Assembly speaker and others - yielded a slew of felony charges. As I recall, none of them had to sit in jail more than a few hours.

Savvy folks know that those officials didn't pose a physical danger to the community.

McGee does.

It's ridiculous for Kane to fail to note that difference.

Equally ridiculous is Kane's lame attempt to explain away McGee's language.

He writes:

Authorities claim to have tapes on which McGee is talking about violence, but the contents have remained sealed under a state court ruling that limits release of wiretap information. That secrecy is a big part of the confusion about the case in some parts of the city.

For example, there's already speculation about interpretation of the language McGee uses on some recordings. According to reports, McGee talks about "peeling back" an intended victim's "wig" and "sewing his cap," which Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm took to represent an explicit threat of violence.

McGee's attorney argued it was a case of street language being misconstrued. In fact, the phrases were taken from a rap song.

Oh, I get it.

McGee wasn't really threatening to commit violence. He was merely quoting a rap song. He's an Ice-T fan.

How "white" of Chisholm to misunderstand!

This is about context.

Who cares if McGee is using the same term used in Ice-T's "Peel their Caps Back"?

The intercepted conversation wasn't harmless banter about rap music.

McGee's words have been misunderstood by clueless listeners before. He was accused of being anti-Semitic when radio talk host Charlie Sykes mistakenly thought he said "Jew cops" when he actually said "Jude cops," as in Frank Jude Jr. When McGee suggested a political opponent should be "hung," many unfamiliar with McGee's typical hyperbole thought he was advocating an actual lynching.

Because of his status as a polarizing figure, it's important for all Milwaukeeans to learn more about the charges against McGee in their totality. Many people might know exactly where they stand on McGee, but they can't really be certain of his guilt or innocence in this case until they learn more.

So the fault lies with "clueless listeners," those not versed in rap.

It's positively idiotic for Kane to excuse McGee's words as a simple misunderstanding.

You know he is intending to stir up a hornet's nest when he bashes a local talk radio personality.

Whether it's Charlie Sykes or Mark Belling, Kane knows that he's guaranteed some reaction when he lashes out at them. It's as if he wants attention.

Instead of staying on topic, the investigation into McGee's behavior, he mocks people for supposedly not understanding McGee-speak.

If that's the best defense for McGee that apologist Kane can come up with, then McGee is in trouble.

Of course McGee is entitled to his day in court, but this isn't about a few words. It's about what McGee did, the extortion and bribery.

Talk about clueless.

Corrupt Democrat William Jefferson

The Culture of Corruption rears its ugly head.

Democrat William Jefferson's abuse of power has come back to bite him.

WASHINGTON -- An indictment charging Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., in a long-running bribery investigation is being announced Monday, federal officials said.

The indictment is being handed up in U.S. District Court in Alexandria. A press conference was being organized for late Monday in Washington to discuss the case.

A Justice Department official familiar with the case said the indictment outlining the evidence against Jefferson is more than an inch thick and charges the congressman with crimes that could keep him in prison for up to 200 years. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the case.

Almost two years ago, in August 2005, investigators raided Jefferson's home in Louisiana and found $90,000 in cash stuffed into a box in his freezer.

Jefferson, 63, whose Louisiana district includes New Orleans, has said little about the case publicly but has maintained his innocence. He was re-elected last year despite the looming investigation.

I think it's amazing that Jefferson's constituents re-elected him. It smacks of the recall victory of Milwaukee thug Alderman Michael McGee.

Why do these voters allow these crooks and liars to remain in office?

I don't get it. The way I see it their supporters become complicit in the crimes and the corruption that make its way into government. The voters bear some responsibility when they knowingly choose criminals to be their representatives.

Bottom line--

William Jefferson's story should be a lesson to all public officials: Don't accept bribes and don't stuff $90,000 in cash in your freezer. Not a good idea.

CAN YOU BE BOUGHT FOR $5?

Garrett L. Huff

This man has been criminally charged for paying people $5 to vote for Michael McGee.

I wonder if Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett regrets saying that voter fraud in the city was just a figment of conservatives' imaginations.

Each day it seems that Barrett has more and more to regret.


From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

A secret John Doe investigation into irregularities during the recall campaign of Ald. Michael McGee yielded its first criminal charges Thursday, against a McGee campaign worker accused of paying people to vote.

The criminal complaint says that Garrett L. Huff, believed to be McGee's uncle, was "acting in concert" with McGee when he paid people $5 to vote absentee in the recall.

Huff is "believed to be McGee's uncle."

Given McGee's multiple identities and Social Security numbers, I suppose it is difficult to determine his relatives.

The charges come just days after McGee's Memorial Day arrest on state and federal criminal counts. Federal authorities say he took bribes and extorted money from people who wanted favorable treatment for liquor licenses and other matters. State prosecutors charge that McGee conspired to "beat down" a teenager suspected of burglarizing McGee's godfather's home.

As the complaint against Huff was being filed at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, Common Council President Willie Hines Jr. was calling for city administrators to review all license applications and other city business under way in McGee's district.

"It is vital that the integrity of the city and the city services not be compromised in any way. . . . Someone needs to look out for the 6th Aldermanic District," Hines said.

McGee, 37, remained in the Milwaukee County Jail on Thursday on $100,000 bail. Huff, 58, of Milwaukee, worked as a driver for the McGee campaign, according to a criminal complaint. His job was to drive people to City Hall if they wanted to vote early by absentee ballot in the April 3 recall election - which McGee easily won.

McGee campaign fliers promised free food and drink to people who showed up at certain locations with an "I Voted" sticker, the complaint says. Instead of food, the voters got cash, the complaint says.

Three undercover police officers were paid to vote as part of the scheme, the complaint says, and a fourth, who claimed he couldn't vote because he was on parole, was given $5 for bringing one of the others.

On March 15, the first officer went to Mother's Foods, 2879 N. 16th St., and approached a campaign worker, the complaint says. He told her he heard people could get $5 for voting.

The woman "then began to speak in a whisper and stated that an 'incentive' was available and it might be more than five dollars," the complaint says. "The campaign person then stated in a hushed voice that the incentive was illegal."

Huff drove the officer to City Hall to cast an absentee ballot. When the officer got back in the car, Huff gave him $5, the complaint says. Later that day, another undercover officer who needed a ride was told to call McGee's cell phone to arrange it, the complaint says.

If convicted, Huff faces a maximum penalty of 3 1/2 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

I wonder if Huff will be treated with as much mercy as U.S. Representative Gwen Moore's son Sowande Omokunde received when he was convicted in connection with vandalism intended to disenfranchise Republican voters.

I don't know. Maybe the Milwaukee libs are beginning to get a little embarrassed by the bad name that McGee and his army of crooks and thugs are giving city Democrats.

Maybe not. Some people have no shame.

I'll make this short and sweet--

McGee is a disgrace.

Huff is a disgrace.

All the Milwaukee leaders who insisted that the city's elections are clean should be ashamed for trying to sell the citizens on that lie.

Even more than these losers, and they are LOSERS, I am thoroughly disgusted with the people who accepted five bucks to cast a vote for McGee.

Think of the Americans who struggled, fought, and died for our freedom and our right to vote and to determine the makeup of our government.

The people who sold their votes make me sick.

They sold their voices for $5.

PATHETIC.

If Michael McGee Would Disappear

The more details that come out about Ald. Michael McGee's activities, the worse it gets.

I had so little respect for McGee to begin with, but this is just amazing. It's incredible that a community leader would be such a thug.

McGee wasn't just talk either. In addition to ugly words, physical violence was one of his tactics to intimidate and get what he wanted.

The story in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is jaw-dropping.

Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee and two other men plotted to kill a man whom they suspected of burglarizing a home before deciding that he instead should be beaten, District Attorney John Chisholm said Wednesday.

In the original murder plot, $3,000 was to change hands for killing the intended victim, Chisholm said. McGee and the others later agreed on a "beat down" of the intended victim for $1,000, the district attorney said, adding that the trio referred to "peeling back" the intended target's "wig" and "sewing his cap together."

"An argument could be made that this was a conspiracy to commit homicide," Chisholm said in court.

McGee's attorney, Glenn Givens, said Milwaukee police and prosecutors are confused about street language and, at worst, McGee was part of a plan to commit misdemeanor battery.

"You have to look at who is using language and what community they come from before you make any determinations," Givens said.

Unbelievable!

No wonder McGee was a believer in the "stop snitchin' " philosophy.

He obviously had reason to promote the idea of people keeping their mouths shut.

If asked, don't tell.

McGee's attorney's explanation for the "beat down" plot is loony.

Not surprisingly, Givens is already employing the race card. People don't understand the urban language. Poor McGee is being accused of something all because the meaning of his words are lost in translation.

Supposedly, police and prosecutors don't understand the language of the street.

That's so lame!

The street is the workplace of the police. I'm sure they're familiar with the vernacular. And prosecutors certainly have been exposed to street language in their dealings with people.

Furthermore, Givens attempts to argue that ALDERMAN McGee was only planning misdemeanor battery, nothing major.

That sounds awful.

How could McGee's supporters possibly give him a pass on that?

The murder plot downgraded to a "beat down" plan is so horrible that it makes his call for people to throw bricks at speeders seem rather quaint.

The loyalty of McGee's supporters borders on pathological.

That brings us to Eugene Kane and his column, also in today's Journal Sentinel.

To sum it up, it's a load.

Yes, Kane says that McGee's supporters deserved better for their loyalty.

But most of what Kane writes lashes out at McGee's opponents.

Like McGee's lawyer, Kane whips out that oh so convenient race card.

The accusation that McGee was shaking down constituents who wanted to do business in his district is troubling, particularly in light of his frequent pronouncements about fighting for people who are traditionally shut out of opportunity in city politics.

Also troubling is how many folks are willing to throw "innocent until proven guilty" out the window simply because McGee is a public figure they never liked and always wanted to see meet a bad end.

(Granted, "innocent until proven guilty" has never resonated as much with regular folks as "where there's smoke, there's fire.")

There's a legion of people willing to call McGee a criminal now that the federal government has supplied the ammunition. To be fair, most of these people called McGee the same thing before any charges were filed in this matter.

The details of a pretty damning case against McGee are incomplete but clearly suggest the federal government thinks it has more than enough evidence to prosecute him for the kind of corruption that sends politicians away for years.

That prospect is sure to get a rise out of McGee's constituents, many of whom have given him unequivocal support since he joined the Common Council in 2004.

It's fair to say no local politician in recent years has engendered so much diverse reaction, particularly across racial lines. I get the sense some people are convinced the majority of racial problems in Milwaukee would disappear if more black people rejected Mike McGee as a leader.

That's not true, but it's what some people believe.

"A pretty damning case against McGee"?

That's putting it mildly, very mildly. The case is damn damning.

What McGee is accused of doing has nothing to do with his race AT ALL.

If he's found guilty of the charges, he's a criminal. His skin color isn't a factor.

Kane's comment that people think many of Milwaukee's racial problems would disappear if more blacks rejected McGee as a leader is interesting.

I don't think the problems would disappear if more blacks rejected thug McGee, but they certainly would be lessened.

McGee is a horrible role model -- the worst. That thug should not be in a leadership role, unless the objective is to intentionally establish an area of the city, the 6th District, as a breeding ground for crime and violence -- a sort of terrorist training camp.

A positive first step in getting Milwaukee's racial problems to disappear would be to get the "gatekeeper" McGee to disappear.

He's not a part of the solution; he IS the problem.

Kane goes on:

It's a safe bet that many 6th District residents will continue to support McGee; the word entrapment already has been bandied about on black talk radio.

Kane italicizes "entrapment."

Why?

Does he give it emphasis because he thinks it's a real possibility?

How can one be entrapped when it comes to approaching business owners and shaking them down?

I don't see how that would work.

The people gloating over McGee's predicament should remember how quickly events can change and how slowly legal matters can move toward resolution. There's a chance McGee will remain in office for months to come.

What is that?

A threat?

"Nah, nah! McGee is still in power."

Who's doing the gloating? That Kane childish streak rears its ugly head once again.

As for the voters in the 6th District who were called dupes and worse for their decision to keep McGee in office, this latest development represents either an extreme betrayal of trust by the alderman or yet another unwanted episode in his calamitous career that must be endured. In any case, they deserved better in return for their loyalty to McGee and will likely learn from the experience.

Huh?

Bribery and extortion and threats of physical violence don't qualify as part of just another "unwanted episode," not by any respectable, reasonable standards.

When it comes to putting faith in politicians, some of us have had our hearts broken before.

McGee's misdeeds (crimes) shouldn't be heartbreaking for his supporters. I admit that I don't have too much sympathy for them.

It's not like they don't know what sort of person McGee is.

They just don't care.

I think what's heartbreaking is that people have stood by this thug. They embrace him.

McGee is a bad guy, a really bad guy.

I know this is harsh, but they were fools to put their faith in him.

Resign, "Gatekeeper" McGee

Michael McGee looks good in orange.

In "Time to Resign," The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board, in all its wisdom, has called for Ald. Michael McGee to resign immediately.

I agree that McGee must go, but hearing it from the JS Editorial Board is too little too late.

After McGee's victory in the recall election in April, the JS Editorial Board gave a pep talk to McGee.

Cynics will say the voters got what they deserve. That's not only a cheap shot but probably inaccurate. The majority of the people who voted for McGee probably did so because they honestly felt that, despite his many personal foibles and outrageous behavior, he was not only listening to them but had their interests at heart. Especially when they felt he was challenging the establishment.

Shaking down business owners can hardly be seen as having the interests of the people at heart.

Was it right for the JS Editorial Board to look the other way and gloss over McGee's "personal foibles and outrageous behavior"?

Don't standards of decency and integrity matter?

Was it acceptable for a leader to call police officers "faggots"? Was it OK for him to call the former Milwaukee D.A. a "dumb ass"? Was calling for the lynching of community leader Leon Todd just business as usual?

Apparently, none of that mattered because the people had spoken and the Board didn't want to second guess the people.

Now, it is second guessing itself in today's editorial.

Although details are still emerging, what is known about the case should be highly disturbing to all Milwaukee residents and in particular the 64% of voters in the 6th Aldermanic District who gave a resounding vote of confidence to McGee in an eight-way recall election April 3.

McGee is accused of using his position to solicit bribes from businesses in his district with the promise of using his influence in city licensing matters.

McGee must be presumed innocent until proved guilty, but this latest development does not occur in isolation. There has been a steady accumulation of embarrassments. The current charges are so grave that the alderman cannot continue to effectively serve his constituents. He should resign immediately.

...We supported the recall against McGee because we believed it was time for the district to move beyond the myriad problems of McGee's own making that kept him from being the alderman he should be.

...Last month, we agreed with one of the candidates McGee defeated that despite his personal foibles and outrageous behavior, McGee appeared to have the interests of his constituents at heart.

Perhaps we were wrong, but if McGee truly does care about his constituents, he should step down.

"PERHAPS we were wrong?"

No, no, no.

The Editorial Board WAS DEFINITELY WRONG.

WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.

There's no question about it.

Good public servants don't practice extortion.

Engaging in bribery and extortion aren't personal foibles. That's criminal.

It's good that the Board wants McGee to resign.

I just wish it would have taken responbility for being among McGee's enablers and admitted that, for its part, it failed the community by giving a thug the benefit of the doubt.

Details are still sketchy with the state case being sealed, but the criminal complaint in the federal case gives an idea of the extent of McGee's alleged abuses.

Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee solicited bribes from business owners in exchange for help in getting or keeping liquor licenses and other matters, according to federal charges filed Tuesday.

The complaint says that for at least the past year, McGee has traded his power for cash, extorting from $500 to $2,500 from each of several business owners.

Calling himself the "gatekeeper" for new businesses in his district, he told one owner his help would cost "a pretty penny" as he demanded a bigger bribe, the nine-page criminal complaint says.

The complaint also says McGee extorted business owners to donate to his recently successful campaign to beat back a recall. A liquor store owner said McGee pressured her to donate to his gun buy-back program.

In addition to federal charges, McGee faces state counts related to a suspected threat. And prosecutors said there could be more charges.

If convicted of the federal charges, McGee, 37, would face up to 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine, said U.S. Attorney Steven M. Biskupic.

"According to the evidence in the complaint, Mr. McGee corruptly solicited cash from business owners in exchange for favorable treatment on city licensing matters," Biskupic said.

...Mayor Tom Barrett called the charges "very serious."

"They go to the core of our democratic system. There is no place in city government for corruption," he said.

The charges are beyond "very serious." I would call them explosive.

McGee, the "gatekeeper," has imploded.

For the sake of the 6th District and the city of Milwaukee as a whole, I hope McGee's reign is over.
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Here is an oldie but goodie from Eugene Kane (May 2006):

Despite the overheated rhetoric from media pundits who view McGee as some dangerous virus that needs to be excised from the body politic, I prefer to consider him a young, hot-headed black politician still finding his way.

Clearly, he needs to understand that living a public life can be embarrassing when you constantly put yourself in the spotlight.

McGee was rightfully criticized for using anti-gay rhetoric that demeans the homosexual community. But his frequent homophobia doesn't erase his standing as often the lone maverick vote at City Hall standing for or against policies that impact young black and Latino males. He voted against a discriminatory anti-loitering ordinance that would have put too much pressure on cops to pick and choose who they thought was a gang-banger and who was not.

He's also been in the forefront of community protests against the beating of Frank Jude Jr.

The reason McGee - with all his flaws - is necessary in this city is that he is the embodiment of representative government. He stands for a group of angry young black people everybody else ignores. These are young African-Americans who have chosen to participate in the system partly because of his presence.

Much of the front-page news about McGee in the past few weeks would be minor league stuff if he weren't an alderman named Mike McGee or Michael Imanu Jackson.

The more some voices denounce him, the more his support grows. In fact, I know some blacks who love McGee simply for the way he gets white folks so riled up.

The people who hold his future are voters in his district, and no one else.

No doubt, there will be more chances to write about McGee - his Wauwatosa municipal court trial for resisting arrest during an incident at Blockbuster is coming up - but hopefully it will be about his advocacy for his constituents instead of his personal conduct.

My sincere wish is that McGee's recent attempt to face up to his personal troubles allows him to follow the path of another angry young black politician I admired.

During my college days in Philadelphia, this former city councilman was known for his militant protest marches, fiery speeches and even a fistfight in City Council chambers. The firebrand black politician eventually learned from his mistakes to become a respected veteran in political circles.

Today, John Street is the mayor of Philadelphia. I'm not saying that's where McGee will end up, but at least one of the Mike McGees I know has some of the same stuff.

Amusing, isn't it?

Kane is an apologist for McGee -- "a young, hot-headed black politician still finding his way."

He's found his way right into an orange jumpsuit.

I think it's a safe bet to assume that McGee isn't going to be mayor.

When he's sitting in prison, McGee won't have an opportunity to be the sort of "firebrand black politician" that Kane admires so much.

McGee: Press Conference

No tape.

Yes, it's taped; but no live feed.

Good grief.
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On delay:

U.S. Federal Attorney Steven Biskupic said more about what he wouldn't be able to discuss than the information he actually revealed.

The criminal complaint was made public today.

The federal charges include extortion and bribery in connection with his duties as a Milwaukee alderman.

Business owners began making complaints a year ago in connection with Michael McGee's actions.

He solicited cash from multiple business owners on multiple occasions for favorable treatment on licensing matters and city services within his aldermanic district.

McGee could face 30 years in prison if convicted.

____________________

A few thoughts:

I don't understand the need to air the press conference on delay.

Does ten minutes matter?

What was the point of that?

It seems like this is the beginning of the end of Junior McGee's stint as alderman.

I knew McGee was a thug, but I didn't realize it was this bad. I gave him way too much credit.

Of course, McGee is presumed innocent, but it doesn't look good for him.

Will McGee's supporters abandon him?

I would hope so, but I doubt it.

Would McGee win a recall election with 64% of the vote today?

I think he would.

I think the city's thug culture is that pervasive. It's that dysfunctional.

I would like to hear McGee's constituents speak out against him.

I would like Mayor Tom Barrett to comment about the state of Milwaukee's government and corruption in the city.

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Read more.



This booking photo document provides some additional information.

Police said this morning that McGee was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Monday. A clerk at the jail today declined to release McGee's arrest and detention report for the booking saying that all information would be redacted from it.

A mug shot, however, shows that McGee was booked in on felony charges for:

* Substantial battery/intend bodily harm, party to a crime.

* Substantial battery-intend bodily harm.

* Conspiracy.

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On WNOV-AM this morning, Badger Blogger writes:

I don’t think it comes as a surprise that callers to the WNOV radio show he has been hosting, became… interesting. A lot of callers making some pretty outrageous statements, Milwaukee will burn, it is all racism, they set out to “get Jesus too” etc, etc….