Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele Decided Not Seek Re-election In 2020

Abele is no longer seeking re-election as Milwaukee County Executive in 2020.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 16, 2019

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Wednesday, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced that he has decided not to seek re-election in April 2020. Abele stated, "...After nine years in a job I love, I have decided not to run for re-election..."

Abele on June 24 held his re-election bid to run for another term. 

Today, Milwaukee County is facing a dilemma on how to continue to function with the depleting taxpayers budget funds, which the County gets less than 9% of its fair shared revenues from the State.

According to Abele, the state gets $.5B more revenue from Milwaukee County per year then the last seven years and gets back less in shared revenue, which he has been forced to cut at least $25M per year from the County budget. 

According to a graph by an economist from the Wisconsin Department of Revenue dated from 2010 to 2014, Milwaukee County paid the State of Wisconsin nearly $2.5B in revenue per year in 2014. During the same time Milwaukee County received a flat shared revenue from the state of $ .250B in 2014.

Today, Milwaukee County pays at least $3B of revenue to the State per year and the County receives nearly $ .300B from the State in shared revenue, the inequity of shared revenue.

The current Milwaukee County budget is about $1.1B per year, which public safety (Sheriff's Department) and the County courts operation and the District Attorney's Office combined total cost to operate including health social services are the majority service budget costs. 

In the last nine years, about $260M have been cut (averaging budget cut between $25M to $28M per year) from the budget to make ends meet, according to Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele. When Abele was first elected, the annual Milwaukee County Budget was at $1.5B.

Article link: Shocking: State of Wisconsin Scamming Milwaukee County By More Than $3B In Revenue And The County Gets Less Than 9% Of That Shared Revenue https://bit.ly/2yQJcU8

Walworth County Board Executive Committee Voted 4-1 To Take No Action And File The Republican Anti-immigrant Nonbinding Immigration Enforcement Referendum

The Republican Party of Walworth County anti-immigrant nonbinding referendum for the April 2020 election to require state and local officials who take the oath of office to enforce federal immigration laws failed to pass in the Walworth County Executive Board Committee.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 14, 2019

Elkhorn, Wisconsin - On Monday, the Walworth County Executive Board Committee voted 4-1 to take no action and file a Memorandum dated October 4, 2019 from Christopher R. Goebel, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Walworth County (RPWC) that was sent to the Walworth County Board of Supervisors/Executive Committee for review and approval of a nonbinding referendum for the April 2020 election to require state and local officials who take the oath of office to enforce federal immigration laws. The Executive Committee hearing on Monday was packed and most including local Democrats who spoke during the hearing were against the anti-immigrant referendum.  

The Republican Party of Walworth County Face account posted the following comment concerning the outcome of their proposed anti-immigrant referendum, "...The 5 person Executive Committee voted 4-1 to "file" the request on a motion from Dan Kilkenny.  In other words put it in a file and forget about it and take no action. Very disappointing."

According to Goebel, the RPWC members had unanimously approved the referendum and it read, "Under our Constitution system, the federal government is charged with establishing immigration requirements and laws that apply in all states and municipalities. Should Wisconsin's state and local officials who take the oath to uphold the Constitution and faithfully carry out the laws of the United States, Wisconsin and their locality, stand by their oath of office and uphold federal Immigration laws?"

The referendum submitted by the RPWC was nonbinding and was also considered unconstitutional. The U.S. Congress is the sole legislative branch that can legislate federal laws and enforcement of immigration laws and not state governments.

Milwaukee Police Violated Their Due Process Protocol When They Handed Over Undocumented Immigrant, Jose Alejandro De la Cruz-Espinoza To U.S. ICE Agents In September

In the latest press release by the Milwaukee Police Department on allegations of collaborating with U.S. ICE agents fails to address which Milwaukee police officer or supervisor at the scene decided to turn over the undocumented immigrant to U.S. ICE in September without a judicial warrant.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 12, 2019

Milwaukee, Wisconsin- On October 8, the Milwaukee Police Department released a press release concerning allegations that police do collaborate with U.S. ICE agents, even when there are no active warrants to arrest a suspected undocumented immigrant who is on probation for a Conceal Weapons conviction, despite the person on probation following his probation restrictions. In this case, Jose Alejandro de la Cruz-Espinosa who is undocumented and was on probation had his freedom revoked at the scene where rogue U.S. ICE agents attempted to take him into custody without a judicial warrant. A Milwaukee police officer who was driving by the scene was flagged down by an ICE agent to help them take De la Cruz-Espinosa into custody while he sat in the rear of a truck with his family (two daughters and wife) inside. Additional police arrived at the scene including a police K-9 Unit, who realized that no one at the time had a valid warrant to take De la Cruz-Espinosa into custody.

So what happened, police at the scene contacted his Wisconsin Department of Corrections (WIDOC) probation officer to revoke his probation in order to take him into custody. The WIDOC Probation Officer Minerva Santiago-Gomez revoked his probation and issued a warrant without following protocol and informing her immediate supervisor for his approval before issuing the warrant.

Then after Santiago-Gomez issued a questionable warrant, police took De la Cruz-Espinosa into custody for a frivolous probation violation. If that wasn't enough to realize that De la Cruz-Espinoza's rights were being violated, police arrested him on a state probation violation and then at the scene just turned him over to rogue U.S. ICE agents who also didn't have a valid warrant for his arrest.

The question that hasn't been addressed by Milwaukee Police Chief Alfonso Morales, whose contract is coming up and the Milwaukee Police Captain Paul Lough from Milwaukee 2nd Police District Station is who decided to turn over De la Cruz-Espinosa to U.S. ICE agents without due process for his probation violation? De la Cruz-Espinosa should have never been released to ICE agents without being processed for the violation.

The Milwaukee Police Department press release dated October 8, 2019 indicates that De la Cruz-Espinosa has a criminal history record for fire arms possession, delivery of controlled substances, battery, receiving stolen property, disorderly conduct and obstructing, according to MPD, which De la Cruz-Espinosa's wife disputes.

No doubt, the Milwaukee police officers and supervisors from MPD District 2 at the scene who arrested De la Cruz-Espinoza showed that they violated his due process for the state probation violation and turned him into ICE custody. 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) reviewed online court records of De la Cruz-Espinosa convictions, but only the Conceal Carry conviction is posted and the judge on the case never specified that, if De la Cruz-Espinosa violated his conditions of his probation, he would immediately be turned over to ICE for deportation. There are due process procedures in place to protect everyone from abuse by those who take the law into their own hands, and in this case the police officers at the scene violated De la Cruz-Espinosa's rights to due process and Chief Morales should definitely fire all the officers connected to the decision to turn De la Cruz-Espinoza to U.S. ICE agents on September 23.

Also, if the ICE agents involved lied to police to get custody of De la Cruz-Espinosa should all be charged for making false reports to show accountability and to regain the public trust, especially from the undocumented community who are taxpayers and also pay their salaries.

Wisconsin DOJ Confirmed Humberto Suarez, 28, Died In Kewaunee County Due To Environmental Hypothermia And Had Superficial Stabbing And Cutting Wounds To The Neck Including Bruises On Parts Of His Body

The Wisconsin Department of Justice says that Suarez died of environmental hypothermia and had superficial stab and cutting wounds on his neck and bruises in parts of his body, which the Kewaunee County coroner later ruled the manner of death as accidental.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 9, 2019

Madison, WI – On Wednesday, the Wisconsin Department of Justice (WIDOJ) released several documents to Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) by Mark J. Witeck, M.D., the WIDOJ State Forensic Pathologist dated May 16, 2019 and Rory Groessl, the Kewaunee County Coroner, which Witeck found that Humberto Suarez, 28, of Milwaukee had died from "environmental hypothermia". Suarez body was found seven days after his abandoned vehicle was found in Kewaunee County by a sheriff deputy who had the vehicle towed. Milwaukee police notified the Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department (KCSD) that Suarez had been reported missing, when a deputy went back to the scene and expanded his search of the area where the vehicle was found, he discovered Suarez's body. In Witeck's forensic report, he also noticed multiple superficial stabbing and cutting wounds including bruises in Suarez's right side of his neck and legs.

Groessl after receiving Witeck's autopsy findings ruled on May 31, 2019 that Suarez's death was "accidental".

The WIDOJ didn't release the toxicology results in Suarez's death nor did they provided any indication, if Suarez was still alive when the Kewaunee County Sheriff deputy found his car on March 30, 2019 and sevens days later on April 5, 2019, Suarez's body was located by a deputy in a creek bed near where Suarez's vehicle was towed.

The WIDOJ also didn't indicate that Suarez's death is an open case or had been closed. No information was released by Witeck concerning how Suarez ended up with superficial stabbing and cutting wounds including, if a weapon was found at the scene.

According to the KCSD, Suarez's body was located following the discovery of an abandoned vehicle on Kadletz Road in Kewaunee, County.

The KCSO reported that on Sunday, March 30, 2019, a vehicle was found abandoned on Kadletz Road, approximately .5 miles from Highway 29. A search was conducted for the driver of the abandoned vehicle at the location and was not located.  The vehicle was towed to a Kewaunee tow lot at that time. 

Seven days later, on Friday, April 5, 2019, the Milwaukee Police Department contacted Kewaunee Sheriff's Office regarding the missing owner of the abandoned vehicle. Kewaunee County Sheriff deputies returned to the scene and located Suarez's body beyond the previously searched radius.

An autopsy was conducted by the Kewaunee County Coroner and the Sheboygan Medical Examiner.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and Wisconsin State Crime Lab Crime Scene Response Unit also assisted in the investigation at the request of Kewaunee County Sheriff's Office.

Suarez was last seen alive on March 29, 2019 and his family reported him missing.

Nonbinding Immigration Enforcement Referendum Submitted To The Walworth County Board By The Republican Party Of Walworth County

Members of the Republican Party of Walworth County submitted a nonbinding referendum with the Walworth County Board of Supervisors to approve for the April 2020 election to require state and local officials who take the oath of office to enforce federal immigration laws. 

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 9, 2019

Walworth County, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, the Walworth County Clerk received a Memorandum dated October 4, 2019 from Christopher R. Goebel, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Walworth County (RPWC) that was sent to the Walworth County Board of Supervisors/Executive Committee for review and approval of a nonbinding referendum for the April 2020 election to require state and local officials who take the oath of office to enforce federal immigration laws. According to Goebel, the RPWC members unanimously approved the referendum and reads, "Under our Constitution system, the federal government is charged with establishing immigration requirements and laws that apply in all states and municipalities. Should Wisconsin's state and local officials who take the oath to uphold the Constitution and faithfully carry out the laws of the United States, Wisconsin and their locality, stand by their oath of office and uphold federal Immigration laws?"

The referendum submitted by the RPWC is nonbinding and could very well be unconstitutional, if passed since, the U.S. Congress is the sole legislative branch that can legislate federal laws and enforcement of immigration laws and not state governments.

The Wisconsin Republican controlled legislature has attempted to pass similar bills deemed anti-immigrant that would penalized local governments, municipalities and county sheriff's for not enforcing immigration laws and requiring immigration status from residents to receive certain public services as taxpayers. Undocumented immigrants in Wisconsin contributed more than $90M of combined taxes to the state and additional millions of dollars to the economy in the state.

In July 2019, State Senator Chris Larson (D), State Assembly Representative Jonathan Brostoff (D) and State Representative Marisabel Cabrera (D) who is the principal author of the proposed Sanctuary Bill announced that the Sanctuary Bill would prohibit or limit any collaboration between local law enforcement agencies including county sheriffs and ICE, and a second bill would prohibit private prisons in Wisconsin. According to one of the co-authors of the newly proposed Sanctuary Bill, it would also prohibit the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is the primary law enforcement agency and investigate arm for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department (WCSD) MOA with ICE expired in June 30 and the WCSD has renewed the MOA agreement with ICE, despite public outcry by Waukesha County residents against its renewal. The 287g allows trained county sheriff deputies or county sheriff's corrections staff to act like immigration enforcement agents when processing inmates.

To date, it is not clear how many Democrats in the state legislature have stepped up to support the Cabrera, Larson and Brostoff proposed Sanctuary Bill.

Protest By Black And Latino Members Of The LGBTQ Community Ignites Over Racist Comments Made By White Owner Of La Cage Nightclub

The White owner of La Cage Nightclub is accused of not wanting Black and Latinos in its LGBTQ Drag entertainment show venue because it draws an unwanted clientele, a former employee of La Cage exposed in his Facebook account.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 6, 2019

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Saturday, Black and Latino members of the LGBTQ community held a protest in front of La Cage Nightclub at the 800 block of S. 2nd Street in the Southside of Milwaukee over allegations of racism by the White owner, George Prentice who targeted Black and Latino Drag entertainers and the crowds of color that the venue attracted. Tommy Franecki, a former employee (manager and show director) of La Cage who was terminated on September 29, 2019 posted on his Facebook account that Prentice became upset after a Drag show at La Cage called "Shade" involved Black and Latino Drag entertainers and the show drew a mix Black and Brown clientele, which Prentice on a recorded conversation indicated, that it brought in clientele it didn't want to attract, "...starting to attract back the people that we got rid off for shows that we were doing with Jesse (Rivera), which had deteriorated to a poor clientele...", according to the recorded conversation by Franecki. Franecki says, some of the comments in a 26 minute recording of the conversation were racist.

Franecki also confirmed that Prentice wasn't to happy, that Shade drew Afro-Americans and Latinos to the show. Also, that Prentice had restricted the type of music venue that DJ's had to play at La Cage, which excluded more than two consecutive songs of hip hop, rap or Black music because it made people angry, according to Franecki who is bi-racial.

Saturday's peaceful protest at La Cage was led and organized by Montell Ross who apparently Prentice alleged brought in the unwanted clientele. Ross and the protesters chanted "George got to go." Ross says that they will continue to protest La Cage and wants people to stop patronizing the nightclub.

La Cage released the following statement, "It has been stated that ownership does not want "People Of Color" in their establishment.  This broad statement is wholly untrue.  What is true, for LaCage and for any business, especially entertainment venues, is there is no tolerance for anyone, regardless of skin tone or heritage, whose behavior is contrary to the best interest of the venue and it's patrons.  We will repeat that for emphasis: "there is no tolerance for anyone, regardless of skin tone or heritage, whose behavior is contrary to the best interest of the venue and it's patrons"."

Homeless Campers Under The I-794 Highway Bridges Get Eviction Notices

About 90 homeless campers under the I-794 Highway bridges get eviction notices from the WISDOT.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 5, 2019

Milwaukee, Wisconsin: On Friday, at least 90 homeless people camping at a known "tent city" under the I-794  state highway bridges since last Summer between W. Clybourn Street to W. St. Paul Ave. and between from S. 6th Street to S. 2nd Street in the City of Milwaukee were given evictions notices by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WISDOT) Secretary Graig Thompson's Office. The homeless people have until October 31, 2019 to remove their belongings from state highway property. The WISDOT Southeast Region eviction notice says that it's illegal to camp on state highways.

They were advised to take advantage of services provided by the homeless outreach teams that include non-profit organizations that offer a variety of services to the homeless in the area and also housing is being provided for those that would apply and qualify.