A longtime alderman and political opponent of Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett claims that the mayor ordered no charges be filed against a Milwaukee Bucks player after an arrest early Friday. The mayor has flatly denied the charge.
“We’re going to have to slap Alderman (Bob) Donovan with a technical foul,” said Mayor Barrett on WTMJ’s Steve Scaffidi Show.
Alderman Donovan, who has attempted to unseat Barrett in mayor elections, cites sources saying that Mayor Barrett began the process of “direct political interference” in the case.
“Sources tell me that Mayor Barrett – as early as Friday morning – asked to review the body camera footage of the incident, and then ordered that Mr. Brown not be charged,” said Donovan in a news release.
“I have never seen the video he claims I have seen. I have never pressure on the police at all regarding this or any other case in the 14 years I have been mayor, period,” said the mayor.
“I didn’t even come close to crossing that line. Did I gather information? You bet I did, because I knew for certain the media would ask me about it. I talked to (Bucks president) Peter Feigin …and I talked to the command staff that was there in the department on Friday.”
“For the mayor to engage himself and not place any kind of charge, I think, is just inappropriate,” Donovan further told WTMJ’s Steve Scaffidi on the same show.
“He should have stepped aside, not engaged in this whatsoever and let the system work.”
Chief Ed Flynn also chimed in about the case and Barrett’s alleged involvement and where he believes Donovan received his information.
“Although the Mayor was briefed in general terms about this incident, I never had a conversation with him or took direction from him about this case,” said Flynn.
“Although I appreciate Alderman Donovan’s knee jerk loyalty to the union’s position on everything, I would remind him that getting his information from the Milwaukee Police Association does not equate with actually knowing the facts.”
Listen to the full Donovan interview above in our podcast player. Mayor Barrett’s interview on WTMJ will be posted shortly.
