I-Witness Milwaukee’s Number One Community Column "Droppin' It Like It's Hot!"

by B. White

You can touch I-Witness at IwitnessMCJ@aol.com, Milwaukee Community Journal, 3612 North Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53212, (414) 265-5300, (414) 463-8590-fax, www.communityjournal.net. Election 2008: I-Witness picks Holla!

April Fool’s Day is my mother’s birthday as well as Election day. Of course, I know all of you are smart enough to know who you want to vote for and I-Witness has a great deal of respect for you as voters. But, just to provide you with a bit more information to work with, I want to share a few things with you about some of my favorite candidates.

Judge Louis Butler

Supreme Court Judge Louis Butler is in a real battle in retaining his seat, Judge Michael Gableman, Butler’s challenger, is running really negative ads against Judge Butler. Gableman’s ads use the typical "he’s a Black man scare tactics."

We need the strong passionate voice of Judge Butler who knows the law and applies it, whether its popular or not, to ensure that every one, regardless of color or crime, gets a fair shake by the courts as all citizens are entitled to.

Supervisor James White

Many of the voters in Supervisor White’s district are upset that he did not make it on the ballot and they are now waging a write-in campaign. If you want to vote in that district, you must either write your candidate’s name in or place the sticker of your candidates name on the ballot.

It’s unfortunate that Supervisor James White did not go out and meet the voters to obtain his signatures placing him on the ballot, which is only done every four years. I don’t know how this happened. White has an opponent named Lipcombs who has been waging a major write–in campaign against him. Even former Alderwoman Rosa Cameron was trying to launch a write-in campaign against him, to raise the issue of felons having their voting rights restored after they have served their time. This one is hard to call.

Jeffrey Norman

Jeffrey Norman has been working hard to win us over. What I like about him is he is so personable. He’s from this community and does many good things in his community. I-Witness thinks he would make an excellent judge bringing new ideas to the table.

Henry Hamilton

Attorney and Civil Rights Rights activist Henry Hamilton is running for alderman of the 9th aldermanic district. He has been pounding the pavement knocking on doors seeking your vote.

I chose Hamilton over present alderman Robert Puente because I am a 30-year resident of the northwest side. I see things have gotten progressively worse in terms of the small things like having businesses clean their lots, street repair etc.

I-Witness knows that Hamilton knows how to get things done. Besides he would be a powerful voice on the common council that many times remains silent on major issues concerning our community. Hamilton has proven himself over the years by his activism on many issues

Mayor Barrett

Okay, y’all I guess Mayor Barrett is all we got. I like that his opponent has some good business creation ideas and I appreciate that he has an opponent because I-Witness thinks that every elected official should be challenged in every election so the voters of said districts will let them know how good of a job they are doing. Besides it keeps citizens participating in democracy.

    

Scott Walker/Lena Taylor

I love the commercial of Senator Lena Taylor with her son. I-Witness also likes the commercial Walker is running that reflects the diversity of the city. But as we know commercials are not enough to make a choice on who will be county executive of Milwaukee County.

Both candidates have worked really hard trying to get our support. If you are the person who cares about taxes, then Scott Walker is your man. If you want the person who wants to provide more needed services then Lena Taylor is your woman.

Personally, while I don’t want older people taxed out of their homes and agree with Walker on holding the line on taxes, I-Witness is on the streets every week and see the cut in services and what it has done to our community. But more importantly, I-Witness sees the need for more human services and here is where I agree with Taylor.

I’m looking for the candidate that truly knows how to lead, be a good manager, has a vision for the future as well the present and is fiscally prudent as well as bringing more people into the tax base so we can continue having the good services that we have become accustom to, not only for our social needs but our recreational and cultural needs as well.

Whether you agree with either of the two candidates or not, one can appreciate them both campaigning for our vote. It’s politics at its best.

Mike McGee

The Legal Defense Fund for Alderman Mike McGee held a Fish Fry Fundraiser at Gray’s Childcare Development Center. Alderman McGee is currently in a Waukesha jail awaiting trial on alleged charges of voter fraud and extortion. The jailed Alderman successfully won his primary bid finishing first out of a field of eight other candidates.

Lucille Berrien, McGee’s 86-year-old campaign manager is delighted at the recent results of McGee advancing to the general election. Lamont Harris a friend and activist who has campaigned hard to help McGee retain his seat, stated we will continue our work into the general. Mike is being held in jail for crimes we know he didn’t commit and we are going to stand with him to the end.

The Defense Fund is excited about the new lawyers handling McGee’s case now. Earl Butler spokesperson for the defense fund states, "new motions are being filed on behalf of Mike showing that he is innocent of the cropped up charges that have been leveled against him. We are feeling confident that soon the public will see what we have been telling them all along." The lawyers have filed motions to dismiss the wiretaps because they only covered five phone numbers and the district attorney took liberty to tap over 600 numbers. In those wire taps Gary Huff who was recently found guilty of voter fraud is heard telling the undercover cops not to say anything to Alderman McGee because he doesn’t know anything about me giving you this $5. As well as a host of other things.

The Legal Defense Fund has been diligent in their efforts to free the Alderman who they say has been denied due process and who is being held as a political prisoner. The Defense fund has held many fundraisers and educational forums to pay attorneys and to keep McGee’s name out there. Earl states we will not let this rest because any of us could be next.

At this point, McGee is still the Alderman of the 6th district, he has not been convicted of anything nor has he had his day in court. The people in the 6th district spoke overwhelmingly that they want to retain Mike McGee as their alderman, enough said...