MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Milwaukee alderwoman and Wisconsin Secretary of State candidate JoCasta Zamarripa is filing a formal complaint after an exchange between herself and fellow Alderman Mark Chambers February 11 at City Hall.
Zamarripa claims in a statement sent out February 17 she was confronted in her office by Chambers, and was then “verbally berated, and physically intimidated in a way that made me feel trapped and unable to safely exit”. The alderwoman’s statement mentions that “multiple individuals” witnessed the incident.
“During the encounter, I was subjected to profane and degrading remarks, including being taunted to ‘start crying.’ The comments were gendered and demeaning,” said Zamarripa in the statement, who also noted “This is not the first time I have experienced hostility from this individual”.
In addition to a formal complaint, Zamarripa is also requesting a full investigation under the City’s ethics code, “including whether this conduct constituted misuse of office and violated the standards required of City officials”, according to the statement.
Both alders have been separated from serving on the same committee, as first reported by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel February 16. City records show Chambers is no longer serving on the City Licenses Committee, which Zamarripa chairs, nor as vice chair of the Judiciary & Legislation Committee. Similarly, Zamarripa is no longer on the Community & Economic Development Committee, which Chambers serves on.
Chambers shared his own thoughts on the encounter in a post on X February 16:
In a follow-up statement February 17, Chambers again disputed Zamarripa’s description of the exchange, which he says began when he was called into her office by Common Council President José Pérez to discuss an email he had sent regarding legislation that would limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement agents. At issue was the portion of the legislation regarding a ban on federal agents wearing face coverings, which Chambers said he and fellow Alderman Peter Burgelis had been working on before the I.C.E. Out Milwaukee legislation was drafted.
According to the email obtained by WTMJ, Chambers wanted his legislation included in the package instead of the new legislation that made the file.
“It had always been our intention to include a prohibition of these same coverings by law enforcement, but wanted to work further with both the Milwaukee Police Department and the Office of the City Attorney. I find it inconsiderate, then, that the “ICE OUT” package includes a prohibition of face coverings by law enforcement. This is not the collaborative process we need to make clear to ICE and the Border Patrol that the City of Milwaukee is united in its opposition to its excesses,” Chambers wrote in the email.
The exchange in Zamarripa’s office happened just before several Common Council members, including Zamarripa, unveiled the legislation at a press conference.
In his official statement, Chambers said he did not initiate this gathering, nor did he enter the office uninvited or with any intent to intimidate Zamarripa.
“I was not the aggressor in this interaction. At no point did I physically block, threaten, or prevent anyone from leaving, nor did I misuse my authority in any way,” wrote Chambers.
Chambers also indicated four other unidentified Common Council members were in the office at the time of the exchange.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson declined a request for comment.
A draft of a censure against Chambers has been made up, which would formally reprimand the alderman but would carry no legal consequences, but it is being withheld from filing pending the investigation by the Department of Employee Relations. It is a very rarely used mechanism of city government, last utilized in 1990 when then-Alderman Michael McGee made allegations a black political group had poisoned a batch of sausages. Then-Mayor John Norquist deemed the allegations a hoax, and McGee retained his seat on the council, according to nationwide news reports at the time.
This story has been updated to provide new information.
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