36 Milwaukee groups ask if local officers participated in assault on nation’s Capitol

Dear Members of the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission;

City of Milwaukee Public Safety and Health Committee;

Sheriff Earnell Lucas;

City of Milwaukee Interim Police Chief Jeffrey Norman;

Police Chiefs of Milwaukee County;

Did our local officers participate in the assault on the Capitol?

We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the involvement of law enforcement agents in the events on Washington, D.C. on January 6th. Every day, media reports(1)  add to the tally of police officers who are being investigated for their potential participation in the violent assault on Capitol Hill. Despite the heroic actions of a few individual law enforcement agents protecting the Capitol building, the inadequacy of the police response has been a keenly felt takeaway of the event. The inability to prevent terror, the destruction of property, and loss of human life has inspired fear. For many members of the public, the lack of effective response also suggests the potential of collusion between those agents of the law and the invaders. 

To allay public concerns, we call upon local Fire and Police Commissions, the Milwaukee Common Council Committee on Public Safety and Health, and the various police agencies and Sheriff’s administration to investigate the extent of participation of local law enforcement agents in Milwaukee County. Police agencies across the country(2) have begun such investigations, and it is time for a similar care to be taken here in Milwaukee. As individuals from Wisconsin(3) have been identified as participants in the assault, the public must be assured that officers of the law did not travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in these illegal activities. Fleeting social media posts by law enforcement in Milwaukee since January 6th have demonstrated approval and support for the law breakers in Washington, D.C. As our Milwaukee County community struggles to heal from the violence in Washington, D.C., and to minimize the potential of future attacks locally and nationally, we must collectively be assured that our sworn officers of the law did not participate in these anti-democratic activities. 

We urge you to investigate whether local law enforcement participated in the unlawful insurrection that took place at our nation’s Capital and report back to the public with your findings. 

Sincerely,

The National Lawyers Guild of Milwaukee

African American Roundtable

American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin 

Ayuda Mutua of Milwaukee

Black and Pink

Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin

BLOC – Black Leaders Organizing Communities

Brown Berets – Milwaukee

The Community 

Community Task force – Milwaukee

ExPO – Ex-Incarcerated People Organizing

Forward Latino

Jewish Voices For Peace – Milwaukee

League of Progressive Seniors

Metcalfe Park Community Bridges

Milwaukee Action Intersection

Milwaukee County Human Rights Commission

Milwaukee Freedom Fund

Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) 

Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coaltion

Milwaukee Turners

NAACP – Milwaukee

National Lawyers Guild, Milwaukee Chapter 

Overpass Light Brigade

Pastors United

Peace Action of Wisconsin

People’s Revolution – Milwaukee

Progressive Baptist Church

Rid Racism – Milwaukee

Riverwest Outdoor Educational Adventures, Inc.

Sikh Temple of Milwaukee

Souls to the Polls

SURJ MKE

Veterans for Peace, Chapter 102

Wisconsin Justice Initiative

Wisconsin Muslim Civic Alliance

1.     “US Capitol riot: police have long history of aiding neo-Nazis and extremists,” Sam Levin, The Guardian, January 16, 2021

2.     “Police departments across the U.S. open probes into whether their own members took part in the Capitol riot,” Kim Bellware, The Washington Post, January 9, 2021

3.     “West Allis man charged with entering U.S. Capitol during riot says he saw police shoot woman,” Sophie Carson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 15, 2021

TRUMP’S MAGA INFLUENCE ON POLICE THREATENS MULTIRACIAL DEMOCRACY IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN

by Dr Jody Melamed, associate professor of English and Africana Studies at Marquette University and member of the Milwaukee Chapter of the NLG.

We invite you to read this excellent article, recently published at MilwaukeeIndependent.com.

The NLG of Milwaukee Condemns Deceitful and False Allegations of Voter Fraud in Wisconsin

January 11, 2021— The National Lawyers Guild of Milwaukee condemns the false allegations of State Representatives alleging intentional voter misconduct and fraud during the recent presidential election. Recently, Texas U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R) made the following statement while objecting to Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes: “Democrat leaders in Milwaukee illegally and unconstitutionally created more than 200 illegal polling places, thousands of votes were changed. We object.” (1) Gohmert, along with Wisconsin Representatives Tom Tiffany and Scott Fitzgerald, and 57 of their colleagues betrayed their oaths of office by intentionally sowing mistrust in the American electoral system to further their own political agendas. They knowingly implied that there was fraud and “voting irregularities” in our state and others in an effort to deceive the public and overturn our votes so that they could try to supplant their own candidates instead of those elected. We feel this deception, especially as amplified by President Donald Trump not only erodes faith in our democracy but is in part responsible for the violence and destruction that took place in the nation’s Capitol recently that resulted in five deaths including that of a uniformed police officer.

“This is a disgusting and irresponsible lie. As many NLG members and others who participated with Republican election workers in processing and protecting the ballots in Milwaukee can attest: votes were NOT changed,” stated Atty. Arthur Heitzer. He teamed with a GOP co-worker who agreed on all ballots they processed, and they were pictured together in the New York Times while jointly processing some of the 169,000 early votes that were released in Milwaukee after midnight of Election Day. Those votes could not be processed prior to November 3rd because of a mandate from the Wisconsin legislature.

1. https://www.tmj4.com/news/election-2020/texas-republicans-objection-to-wisconsins-electoral-votes-for-biden-fall-flat

The National Lawyers Guild of Milwaukee Condemns Anti-Semitic and Racist Actions of Rioters at the US Capitol– No Comparison with Black Lives Matter or Act 10 Demonstrators

January 11, 2021— The National Lawyers Guild of Milwaukee condemns the violent actions and display of racist and anti-Semitic signs, flags, images and props such as nooses, confederate flags, Nazi symbols and “Camp Auschwitz Staff” shirts at the recent US Capitol demonstrations. We also unequivocally refute any comparison between the Black Lives Matter and Act 10 demonstrations of the past several years with the riot that erupted at the United States Capitol. Social media posts by local law enforcement in
Milwaukee supporting the violent actions at the U.S. Capitol call into question the ability of said officers to uphold the law, and we call for officers to be held accountable for their support of the criminal activity at the U.S. Capitol.

“The people who attacked the United States Capitol did so in an effort to overthrow or capture members or the United States government and destroy the results of our nation’s recent presidential election. In contrast, the other demonstrations were demanding an end to institutionalized racism and state violence, or to support collective bargaining and workers’ rights.” stated Emilio De Torre, of the
Milwaukee NLG Steering Committee.

The stark comparison of security at this riot compared to the disproportionate police threats and violence at recent Black Lives Matter demonstrations indicates that law enforcement is significantly influenced by political and racial bias. This lack of reasonable preparedness and an apparent common agenda with the violent crowd sadly resulted in the bludgeoning death of a uniformed DC Capitol police officer at the
hands of pro-Trump rioters who were trying to undermine the presidential election results.

These actions are further seen in video of attacks where white demonstrators can be seen and heard chanting “stupid n——–,“ (1) at uniformed Black police officers and assaulting them. The recent actions at the United States Capitol come as no surprise to anyone who has been following the news for the past few years. In an election season that had major senatorial ad campaigns distorting the features of opponents to make them appear as stereotypes that are “more Jewish” (2) or “more Black” (3), it is no wonder that demonstrators felt emboldened to display anti-Semitic, anti-Black and racist imagery in an attempt to intimidate and threaten Americans while they attempted to violently destroy the mandate of millions of U.S. voters.————
(1) https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2745025309159411&id=100009559061716
(2) https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/27/us/politics/jon-ossoff-david-perdue-ad.html
(3) https://news.yahoo.com/kelly-loeffler-runs-facebook-ad-193628867.html

Letter to Wisconsin State Disaster Medical Advisory Committee

December 4, 2020

Dear Committee Members,

On behalf of the Steering Committee of the Milwaukee Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, we write to encourage you to collectively prioritize vaccination within Wisconsin’s prison communities. These communities are very vulnerable, and should be a public health priority. 

Outbreaks in prisons drain healthcare resources, mostly in Wisconsin’s already under-resourced rural health infrastructure. This will increase the delay of access for rural community members who must wait as local hospitals put healthcare on hold to focus solely on COVID19. In this case, protecting the rights of prisoners also aligns with our state’s public health.

Thank you for your consideration,

Art Heitzer, Steering Committee

Emilio de Torre, Steering Committee

Colleen Cullen, Steering Committee

Sameena Mulla, Steering Committee

Ramon Valdez, Steering Committee

letter-to-wsdmac-122042020Download

Help Get Out The Vote in Georgia!

Voter registration in Georgia closes on December 7th and the polls close on January 5th. How can you help ensure voter turnout?

1. Help others get familiar with the candidates and where they stand on the issues – while there are many nonpartisan sources of information, we recommend that you share this Nonpartisan Voter Information Guide put out by the Campus Election Engagement Project.

2. Donate to one or more of these People-of-Color-led groups that are doing the work: 

Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta

5680 Oakbrook Parkway, Ste. 148

Norcrosse, GA 30093

404-585-8446

Home Glahr

Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR)

7 Dunwoody Park, Ste. 110

Atlanta, GA 30338

770-457-5232

The New Georgia Project 

Home

830 Glenwood Ave., SE

Suite 510-221

Atlanta, GA 30316

404-996-6621

Transformative Justice Coalition

Transformative Justice Coalition

1816 12th Street, N.W. Suite 410

Washington, DC 20009

The Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda

National Coalition on Black Civic Participation

1666 K Street, NW, 4th Floor – Suite #440

Washington, DC 20006,

3. Search the internet for “phone banking in Georgia” opportunities. There are many nonpartisan groups that can help you with this.

4. Partner with the Transformative Justice Coalition and The Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda. Their goal is to send postcards to 1 million Georgia voters. Find out more and sign the nonpartisan agreement here.

Building Unity – This is a shared project that is pulling groups together to help Wisconsin build a well organized, united movement of movements for Peace, Justice, Sustainability, and Democracy.  Order postcards from Building Unity here.

A very special thanks to the co-sponsors: ALEGO, Transformative Justice Coalition, NAACP – Dane Co. Branch, FUS – Madison, WI Network for Peace & Justice, National Lawyers Guild, Milwaukee Chapter. End the Wars Coalition, SOULS,  Interfaith Peace Working Group, Pierce Co. Grass Roots Organizing, United As One, All Of Us Or None-WI, WI UU State

The Milwaukee Police and Fire Commission is Moving Ahead with Three Finalists for MPD Chief

You can see on our website a joint statement regarding criteria that the Milwaukee NLG joined in signing, at https://nlgmilw.wordpress.com/2020/11/13/our-criteria-for-mpds-next-police-chief/

The finalists are: Malik Aziz (major in Dallas Police Dept), Chris Davis (deputy chief with Portland Police), &  Hoyt Mahaley (FBI Agent). 

Image from Urban Milwaukee, photos provided by the Dallas Police Department, Portland Police Bureau and FBI

We encourage you to give input: Questions for the finalists are being collected and collated now through this web portal: https://city.milwaukee.gov/fpc/Outreach/Public-Comment-Form- 

The Milwaukee Police and Fire Commission allowed for the public to hear from the three finalists in response to questions on November 7 and  21, 2020. You can  watch the first hearing here, and the second hearing here.

The Fire and Police Commission has said its goal is to name a new chief by December 3. Thanks to Molly Collins of the ACLU-WI for some of this info!

We invite you to better understand the FPC by viewing this very informative talk which we organized with the ACLU of WI: “Accountable to Whom and for What? A Historical View of the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission” by public historian Will Tchakirides,” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxd_e25kT3c

OUR CRITERIA FOR MPD’S NEXT POLICE CHIEF

The “People’s Flag” of the City of Milwaukee

The City of Milwaukee is at an inflection point. Milwaukee is in the process of hiring a new police chief to lead a police department in desperate need of change for decades. If we care about our city, then we have to care about the future of the Milwaukee Police Department. The organizations listed below have come up with the following criteria to guide the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners as they select a qualified police chief.

A new chief must commit to:

Reforms to MPD’s Traffic and Pedestrian Stop and Frisk Practices

• Commit to adopting the reforms mandated by the ACLU’s 2018 Settlement Agreement with the City of Milwaukee, as well as by the recommendations noted in a U.S.
• Department of Justice report related to MPD’s discriminatory stop and frisk policies.
• Publicly acknowledge that MPD has not prioritized compliance with the 2018 Settlement Agreement and develop a collaborative relationship with the Independent Monitoring Team to ensure MPD is in compliance with the Agreement

Transparency and Accountability

• Embrace meaningful civilian oversight of MPD.
• Demonstrate experience leading institutional law enforcement reform efforts that did not result in an increased police department budget.
• Issue strong policies that develop law enforcement training, create meaningful mechanisms of oversight, and hold officers accountable.
• Promote transparency and the public’s right to know.
• Lead organizational culture change efforts.

21st Century Policing Tactics

• Demilitarize MPD—including a commitment not to use weapons such as tear gas, which has been banned in warfare.
• Protect the right of free speech and protest.
• Follow 21st century best practices, including de-escalation tactics and diversion programs.
• Advocate for reduced incarceration, improved conditions of confinement, and rehabilitation.
• Address mental health crises with mental health professionals, not law enforcement.

Addressing Biased Policing

• Work collaboratively with diverse communities to hold officers accountable for biased policing.
• Work with immigrant communities and not use local police resources for federal immigration enforcement.

Signed,

ACLU of Wisconsin

Black Leaders Organizing for Communities (BLOC)

Black Lives Matter to Wisconsin Unitarian Universalists

Coalition for Justice

Dontre Hamilton’s mother, Maria Hamilton

Friendship Missionary Baptist Church

The League of Women Voters of Milwaukee County

MICAH (Milwaukee Innercity Congregations Allied for Hope)

Milwaukee Turners

NAACP Milwaukee Branch

National Lawyers Guild, Milwaukee Chapter

Pastor Walter Lanier

Progressive Baptist Church

Reverend Joseph H. Jackson, Jr.

Sr. Rose Stietz, OP

Wisconsin Justice Initiative

National Lawyers Guild Condemns Wauwatosa Police Department’s Escalation of Violence Against Protestors and Use of Selective Policing

October 14, 2020 — The Milwaukee Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild condemns the Wauwatosa Police Department’s selective and excessive measures to disburse and punish peaceful protestors. Local residents from both Milwaukee and Wauwatosa have gathered nightly since Milwaukee District Attorney John Chisholm’s announcement that no charges would be brought against Officer Joseph Mensah of the Wauwatosa Police Department. The WPD and other law enforcement agencies operating under their guidance have used military surplus vehicles, tear gas, pepper spray, and rubber bullets against protestors and commuters, in addition to unfairly detaining and citing them for curfew violations. 

It is clear that Wauwatosa sought to limit constitutional rights by instituting a selectively enforced curfew. This 7:00 pm curfew carried an excessive penalty of up to $1000. Ironically, police have targeted protestors protesting violent police behavior, while allowing others who were accosting demonstrators to freely move through Wauwatosa in defiance of the order. Once the curfew was lifted Wauwatosa Police continued to behave unprofessionally and violently toward demonstrators and commuters. 

The NLG calls for rigorous investigation into the presence of armed provocateurs who have been harassing protestors, legal observers, and area residents; and also demands an equitable application of the law. The NLG demands that Wauwatosa Police Department and their subordinates (including law enforcement from West Allis, Eau Claire, Whitefish Bay, Menomonee Falls, Ozaukee County, Waukesha, Racine, Lacrosse, Winnebago, Oak Creek, Kenosha and Brookfield) cease implicitly approving the actions of potentially armed counter demonstrators. 

Given recent events in which outside provocateurs and armed groups have murdered protestors in Kenosha, openly traveled there to “loot” and potentially “take out” protestors, and plotted to kidnap Governor Megan Whitmer of Michigan, the Wauwatosa Police Department needs to investigate the presence of armed provocateurs instead of appearing to give them free range in and adjoining the Wauwatosa community. Additionally, the WPD needs to begin using de-escalation tactics when working with demonstrators who are gathered to protest the WPD’s history of fatal force. 

Press contacts: Ramón Valdez brownbuffalolaw@gmail.com 414.643.7400 Emilio de Torre emilio.de.torre@gmail.com 414.305.8569 
                                                                               

For additional reading, see this article from Urban Milwaukee.

Press Release Regarding Kenosha Law Enforcement Actions

MILWAUKEE CHAPTER 633 W WISCONSIN AVE., SUITE 1410 MILWAUKEE, WI 53203 PHONE (414) 273-1040 x 12 EMAIL nlgmilwaukee@gmail.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Atty. Ramon Valdez, brownbuffalolaw@gmail.com,  414-643-7400

NLG Condemns Biased and Unprofessional Policing by Kenosha Police and Sheriff’s Departments

The National Lawyers Guild, Milwaukee Chapter, condemns the unprofessional actions of Kenosha law enforcement in the strongest possible terms. Their selective policing of recent demonstrations according to an obvious racial and political double standard – bringing extreme force to bear against majority Black demonstrators, while tolerating and even encouraging the law-breaking of white counter-protestors – constitutes a severe dereliction of duty. The result of Kenosha law enforcement’s dereliction of duty and lack of professionalism has been murder and mayhem. Kenosha County residents Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber lost their lives. Gaige Grosskreutz, a young paramedic from West Allis, lost the use of his arm.

Ample evidence has emerged in video footage, eyewitness reports and the news media that the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department practiced selective, dishonorable, and dangerous policing during the demonstrations occurring from August 23 to September 2 to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake in the back seven times. Kenosha law enforcement used excessive force against Black, brown, white, and Indigenous protestors during the demonstrations, including tear gas and rubber bullets. They issued at least 94 citations to individuals for violating what has been revealed as an illegal curfew.[1]

In contrast, Kenosha law enforcement was seen passing out water and giving verbal support to white vigilantes, including those organized by the so-called “Kenosha Guard.” In doing, so Kenosha law enforcement legitimized the felonious acts of these armed vigilantes, who, in violation of Wisconsin law, assumed “to act in an official capacity or to perform an official function, knowing that he or she is not the public officer…that he or she assumes to be.” (Wis. Stat. 946.69 (2) a ).  Not one white counter-protestor was charged or arrested for violating the alleged curfew. Not one was charged with using their weapons in a threatening fashion, nor for wielding these weapons within 1000 feet of school grounds, as they did several times during their actions. Kenosha law enforcement’s double standard of aggressive policing of majority Black protestors to the point of civil rights violations, while tacitly endorsing disorganized white gangs with firearms is both dangerous and disturbing.

In their most horrific dereliction of duty, Kenosha law enforcement allowed white, 17 year-old Kyle Rittenhouse to walk past them after he had just murdered two people and wounded a third. Even with his hands in the air, holding the murder weapon, and being verbally identified as the shooter, Rittenhouse was neither detained nor questioned. Throughout the entire evening of August 25, Kenosha law enforcement bolstered Rittenhouse’s delusion that he was a “citizen soldier” in league with police. The National Lawyers Guild calls for the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department to account for that culpability.

To the world, it is clear that the Kenosha law enforcement has become politicized. It has punished demonstrators for protesting the treatment of civilians at the hands of the police, while allowing white law breaking vigilantes with weapons the opportunity to roam with apparent encouragement during the aforementioned curfew. It has selectively policed violations of laws and ordinances to only enforce them against Black people and those protesting the unjust treatment of Black people. And in an era where the Trump Administration, for its political gain, seeks to turn law enforcement into a spectacle to appeal to white nationalist sentiments, KPD and KSD took their place upon that stage. This politicizing of the police rekindles the corrupt precedent of leveraging police for the gain of politicians associated with the Tammany Hall era of pre-professional policing.

The NLG calls for Kenosha Law enforcement to immediately cease its double standard of policing along racial and political lines.  The NLG also calls for an independent investigation by the Wisconsin and U.S. Departments of Justice of the apparently biased policing conducted by the Kenosha Police Department and the Kenosha Sheriff Department on August 25 that resulted in two homicides and the wounding of at least one additional person.   

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[1]http://www.aclu-wi.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/2020.09.08_letter_to_wisconsin_ag_re_kenosha_w-exhibits.pdf