Milwaukee Black community supports jailed alderman

More than 100 supporters of Black city Alderman Michael McGee Jr. packed the Coffee Makes You Black coffee shop for a weekday morning news conference on July 17.

Michael McGee Jr.

The event showed that many in the Black community see the targeting of McGee, who has been in jail since May 28, as payback for his steadfast support of economic and social justice for poor and working people, particularly with regard to Black youth, fighting police brutality and opposing gentrification.

McGee had also spoken out on national and international issues. He supports Mumia Abu-Jamal, demanding this political prisoner’s freedom on his “Word Warriors” radio show on WNOV only days before his own May arrest. And, during his first term as alderman, McGee sent a letter to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez inquiring about heating oil assistance for poor people in Milwaukee.

“We are here to express our outrage for the unjust treatment he has received, the excessive and unreasonable bail on the local level and then a denial of bail on the federal level. This has convinced us that Michael McGee Jr. is a victim of character and political assassination,” said Minister William Muhammad of the Nation of Islam Mosque No. 3 and the Millions More Movement.

Muhammad was joined by a wide range of Milwaukee’s Black community to announce a new coalition of broad-based legal, religious and community organizations that will be engaging in McGee support actions throughout both the state and federal trials.

On May 28 McGee Jr. was arrested and charged with various state offenses, including seven felony counts and five misdemeanors related to elections, bribery, conspiracy and contempt. His state bail on the day of arrest was $250,000. But eventually, due to protests, it was dropped to $50,000. As soon as McGee’s $50,000 bail was posted, however, he was immediately taken from the Milwaukee County jail into federal custody and moved to Dodge County, dozens of miles from Milwaukee.

At the time he was placed into federal custody McGee was charged with nine federal felony crimes including extortion, five bribery counts and one charge related to a financial transaction. McGee is charged with pressuring businesses in his district for money to get licenses OKed through the City Council.

Federal Magistrate Judge Patricia Gorence set bail for McGee at $10,000 on the federal charges and issued a series of “orders” regarding his release on bail, including no direct contact with constituents and only a minimal amount of visitation with his family and attorneys. Under Gorence’s orders, McGee would have been able to go to City Hall, but only for votes, and to attend medical appointments and church services. But when federal prosecutors appealed, U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa overturned Gorence’s ruling allowing bail, sparking outrage in the Black community.

McGee has pleaded not guilty to all charges. A trial has been set for Oct. 1 on the federal charges. No date for a trial on the state charges has been set. McGee faces up to 30 years on the state charges and 115 years on the federal charges.

Besides protesting the state and federal legal attacks on McGee, many at the press conference protested the media’s racist treatment of McGee and the double standard applied to how he is treated compared with how other elected officials tried on various charges in recent history were treated.

Almost all other elected officials in Milwaukee and Wisconsin who have been charged and indicted in recent history were released on their own recognizance or a small signature bond. And, unlike serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, McGee has been denied the right to wear clothing of his choice to court. Instead, he’s been brought to court chained and in jail clothes.

“Momentum is building. We call on all just people to step forward and deal with this situation,” said press conference chair Brother Earl, standing before dozens of McGee supporters, many wearing “Free Michael McGee” buttons and “Free Ald McGee 4 Me” T-shirts in the African-diaspora themed coffee shop.

Pastor Mose Fuller of Saint Timothy Baptist Church said, “Not only Black people, every righteous person, every person in this community, north side, south side, west side, east side, whatever side you live on, you should stand up and note the overt racism and injustice that has taken place against this alderman. ... I think the people should respond by any means necessary to get done what needs to be done in order to bring about justice.”

McGee’s colleague, Black city Alderman Ashanti Hamilton, also spoke up on his behalf, as did Milwaukee County Supervisor James White, who gave a historical overview of the attacks on Black self-determination and the prevalence of “white supremacy” and racial double standards in Milwaukee.

White closed by noting that having McGee in jail during the Frank Jude Jr. federal trial—which was taking place the week of the July 17 news conference—was more than an interesting coincidence. McGee helped lead protests against the treatment of Jude and in particular led a 4,000-strong protest march after three white cops were acquitted by an all-white jury in the Jude state trial in 2006.

Henry Hamilton III, a member of the legal redress committee for the local branch of the NAACP and a National Lawyers Guild member, and Joseph Battiste of the Rapid Response Team also spoke. Battiste called for an investigation of all local, state and federal agencies involved in arresting, charging, incarcerating and prosecuting McGee.

Wanda Montgomery, McGee’s sister-in-law, spoke on behalf of the family.

“The first thing that happened was he was detained. The second thing that’s happened he’s been defamed. The third thing that they’re trying to do is destroy him. ... We want to see due process. We want to see him free.”