WisPolitics Courtwatch Blog

U.S. District Judge Charles Clevert today ruled that certain evidence from former Ald. Michael McGee's trial could be released to the public, including wiretap recordings played during the trial.

In allowing the release of wiretaps, Clevert would not release CDs and DVDs containing body-wire recordings or those that weren't entered into evidence. He also withheld bank records and other documents that could be used for identity theft purposes.

The defense had argued that all the records should be held at least until another federal hearing could be held after McGee's appearance in state court next week, arguing that the immediate release of recordings could taint a potential state jury pool. Prosecutors argued that the state case is irrelevant to the federal case and said the public had a right to access the information.

A lawyer for the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel also appeared before the court and argued that the guilty verdict was already the most prejudicial information that a potential jury could hear and said the public should have access to the underlying evidence that was the basis for that verdict.

Prosecutors made a CD of audio recordings available today. Other documents are expected to be released after Clevert's staff reviews them.

Download a .zip file of the audio recordings (21 MB)

Labels: Michael_McGee

By David A. Wise

MILWAUKEE -- A federal jury in Milwaukee has found former Ald. Michael McGee Jr. guilty on nine federal charges, including five counts of bribery, three counts of extortion and one count of attempting to avoid reporting requirements for a $15,000 wire transfer. The verdict was announced shortly before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday night, after roughly six hours of deliberation.

McGee, who looked straight ahead as the verdict was read, faces up to 30 years in prison. He will remain in custody until his sentencing, which is set for Oct. 24.

U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic said afterwards that he was pleased with the verdict and said it was the result of excellent law enforcement work.

McGee's younger brother, Jonathan McGee, expressed disappointment in the verdict but said it was not unexpected. He also said he believes Michael McGee was targeted because of his family's controversial nature.

"He's a McGee," Jonathan McGee said. "Y'all haven't forgotten [Michael McGee] Senior," he said, addressing a group of reporters.

In closing arguments earlier today, federal prosecutor Joseph Wall laid out each of the nine counts facing McGee. Wall said the informant in the case, Jack Adel, came forward because he was "tired of being used and exploited" by McGee, who Wall said had "almost complete power" over whether Adel could continue to keep his liquor license for his grocery store.

Wall recounted witness testimony about McGee demanding money from numerous business owners for support on license and zoning decisions and pointed to various recordings of McGee himself asking for money.

He recounted a tape in which McGee said "I'm the gatekeeper" on licensing decisions and suggested McGee's power was such that when it came to decisions for the district, "it starts and stops with Mike McGee."

Meanwhile McGee's attorney, Calvin Malone, painted McGee as the target of plot by Adel to remove him from office because he opposed Adel's sale of his store to a man who did not live in the district.

Malone tried to raise doubts about tapes the prosecution did not play and cases in which taped evidence or paperwork did not exist, suggesting there was evidence there that Adel plotted to remove McGee.

He attempted to portray Adel as deceitful for secretly recording conversations he had with others while serving as an informant. He also pointed to Adel taking money from others in his own unsuccessful bid for McGee's Common Council seat even though he said he did not intend to win the seat as further evidence of Adel's deceitful nature.

Given that, Malone said that any evidence linked to Adel is insufficient to convict McGee.

"The deception and manipulation and ambition is in the evidence," Malone said.

To those who believe such a deceptive plot cannot exist, Malone pointed to the case of the Tuskegee syphilis experiment in which African-American males were told they were receiving treatment for the disease, although none had been given.

In his rebuttal, Wall reiterated that Adel was motivated out of being tired of being forced to pay McGee money and provide him free food and cell phone minutes. He noted that during his defense Malone did not choose to play the tapes that he suggested showed McGee was the victim of a conspiracy.

Wall said he did not play complete tapes because they would be gibberish and irrelevant

As for Adel's credibility, Wall said he did not just put Adel on the stand alone, but called up 25 witnesses, 65 wiretapped phone calls, 16 body wire recordings and numerous documents.

To close his rebuttal, Wall played a six-minute slide show of McGee's alleged victims with audio of McGee allegedly demanding money and planning and discussing extortion activities with others.

The tape ended with McGee telling an associate that he could be called Michael, Mike, or "thug Mike."

Labels: Michael_McGee

The lawyer for Michael McGee Jr. called just three witnesses in his federal corruption case trial Monday before resting, a decision the former alderman initially took issue with when questioned by the judge overseeing the trial.

Asked whether he agreed with the decision not to call more witnesses, McGee replied, "No, your honor, not really."

Following those remarks, a conference was called to discuss how to proceed with the case. U.S. District Judge Charles Clevert again asked McGee if he agreed with the decision not to call any more witnesses, and he said he did.

Both sides will work on jury instructions before Tuesday morning, when the jury will be called back for closing arguments.

McGee attorney Calvin Malone spent last week trying to chip away at the government's case while the prosecution presented its witnesses, focusing on the credibility and memory of informant Jack Adel. Malone called only former acting Mayor Marvin Pratt, FBI agent George Strong and Bill Arnold, who works in the Milwaukee Common Council's media office, to the stand.

Pratt, who served on the Common Council before becoming acting mayor, testified that he was allowed to receive payment for assisting business owners with license issues as a lobbyist but would not have been allowed to accept such compensation while on the council.

Strong testified about a phone call from Adel about whether he should help a gas station attendant translate for a media interview regarding McGee's arrest. Malone questioned Adel about a recording of the phone call last week, and Adel could not remember which George was on the tape.

Arnold testified about a press release from McGee's office about a reward that was offered for tips in a rape case. Adel's money was used to put up the reward, though he was not mentioned in the press release. Malone questioned Adel about the reward last week.

Labels: Michael_McGee

The prosecution's key witness in the federal corruption case of Michael McGee Jr. spent Thursday testifying about numerous incidents in which he supplied McGee with money and goods and helped arrange meetings with other business owners and McGee.

Jack Adel's testimony was punctuated by prosecutors playing dozens of recorded phone calls, body wire recordings and several video tapes in which McGee either demanded money or other goods from Adel, or of Adel helping arrange payments from business owners who needed support for license renewals or transfers.

Adel, who served as an FBI informant in the case and owned Mother's Foods, told jurors that McGee began demanding money and goods from him starting in 2004. Adel said McGee demanded free cell phone minutes for pre-paid cell phones for him, his wife and his associates, food, money and sponsorship of fundraisers.

Adel said McGee’s demands increased over time, and Adel estimated McGee siphoned as much as $30,000 worth of money and goods from his store.

"Always his need was increasing," Adel said. "It came to the point where I got sick going in to the store."

"For what? What am I working for?" Adel said. "It is not profitable to me."

He discussed one case in which he said McGee called him before the store even opened to have more minutes put on his cell phone.

"I didn't even have my lights turned on yet and already I have expenses," Adel said.

But Adel said he kept paying McGee in order to keep his beer and liquor licenses, which he said brought in sales of over $200,000 per year.

"He was my alderman. The alderman has the power over my license," Adel said. "What can I say, no?"

Labels: Michael_McGee

Jurors heard wiretap recording of former Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee Jr. allegedly soliciting money for the approval of a liquor license as his federal corruption trial continued today.

Mohammed Abdul Rahim, a businessman from McGee's district, took the stand Wednesday afternoon and recounted a meeting with McGee at a Sam's Club to discuss a beer license for the store he manages, Family Super Saver. During the encounter, Rahim said that McGee told him, "You owe me for it." The amount he said he and McGee agreed upon was $5,000.

Several days later Rahim gave an associate of McGee's, identified by prosecutors as Dennis Walton, the money. The beer license was green-lighted during the next common council meeting.

Prosecutors played recordings that included McGee and Rahim discussing an additional $5,000 that the Rahim had agreed to pay.

Labels: Michael_McGee

Former Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee was the target of a campaign to remove him from office by a local businessman-turned informant, his defense attorney argued during opening statements in his federal trial today.

McGee faces nine counts alleging bribery, extortion and attempting to evade reporting requirements for a $15,000 cash transaction.

Federal defender Calvin Malone said the government's main witness, Jack Adel, had initially supported McGee by hosting fundraisers, contributing to programs McGee supported, and introducing him to local business owners. The two had developed "what one could describe as friendship," Malone said.

But that friendship dissolved when McGee opposed a plan by Adel to sell his liquor and grocery store to a person outside of the district, Malone said. It was then that Adel contacted former Ald. George Butler, who set Adel up with the FBI. Adel then waged a campaign of "manipulation" and "deception" to remove him by convincing federal prosecutors to charge him with bribery and extortion. Adel then ran for McGee's seat.

"This case is about the efforts of a local businessman who waged a campaign to remove his alderman," Malone said. "He was so pleased with that effort that he decided to wage another campaign once the alderman was arrested."

Federal prosecutor Joseph Wall, however, said Adel came forward because he "was tired of paying money to the defendant" and providing him with free food for fundraisers and "hundreds of thousands" of free cell phone minutes in exchange for McGee's support.

Wall said that he would play recordings gathered through body wires and phone taps of McGee, in his own words, planning and carrying out bribery and extortion activities. Wall said McGee extorted and accepted bribes from "vulnerable people who needed his support," and detailed eight cases in which he said McGee did so for those needing support on licensing matters.

Wall also detailed McGee's offense of trying to evade reporting requirements when he sent $15,000 to a concert promoter in New York, saying the prosecution would show there are "reasons why he did not want his name attached to that money."

Among the witnesses Wall said the defense would call is Ald. James Bohl, who chairs the licensing committee. Wall said his testimony would in part be a discussion of the practice of "aldermanic privilege," an unwritten rule in which the Council defers to the wishes of aldermen regarding licenses and permits within the district.

-- By David Wise

Labels: Michael_McGee

A Milwaukee County judge put Michael McGee's trial on hold Tuesday morning, ordering prosecutors to translate tapes of conversations that included Arabic between a federal undercover agent and an informant to determine whether entrapment was involved in the investigation against the former alderman.

Defense attorneys argued testimony from the informant Jack Adel, who goes by several aliases, is key to the entire prosecution and the tapes suggest he conspired with the federal agent to entrap McGee. Adel ran unsuccessfully against McGee this year.

McGee's attorney, Larry Jarrett, says he believes he has evidence that shows "Adel was conspiring to harm McGee at the behest of the federal government."

Assistant DA Bruce Landgraf admitted information in the translation presents a "powerful question" the defense could raise regarding entrapment.

Following the hearing, prosecutors said they didn't translate the Arabic portions of the tape because they did not believe it was relevant. The sections of the conversations in English had been transcribed for the trial, but translations of snippets of the Arabic portions were recently provided by federal prosecutors.

Judge Dennis Moroney, clearly annoyed over the late disclosure said he was "not happy" that only "snippets" were translated.

"Many times snippets aren't fair," Moroney said.

In all, there are tapes of conversations over a 16-month period that may need to be translated before the trial can proceed. Snippets of the conversations were provided to state prosecutors by the federal government, which has its own case against McGee pending.

Moroney ordered a July hearing for an update on the translations.

With this delay, the federal case, scheduled to begin June 16, could be completed before McGee faces the state charges.

Additionally, because Moroney is scheduled to rotate into civil court in August, another state judge will try the case.

Milwaukee County DA John Chisholm said he was disappointed in the delay, but that he intends to proceed once the issue is resolved. He also said he expected prosecutors will be able to put up a solid rebuttal to any claims entrapment from the defense.

Labels: Michael_McGee

A Milwaukee County judge Friday rejected former Ald. Michael McGee Jr.'s request to throw out wire taps prosecutors plan to use against him at trial.

McGee, who faces seven felonies and five misdemeanors, had challenged the wire taps, arguing prosecutors had overstepped their authority in obtaining them. McGee attorney Larry Jarrett argued some of the comments caught on tape were said in jest as well.

But Judge Dennis P. Moroney rejected the challenge and ruled the wire taps could be used at trial.

Both sides went through a series of motions at Friday's hearing in advance of McGee's May 19 trial. McGee stands accused of arranging for a beating as well as a number of election violations for allegedly bribing people to vote for him.

Moroney ruled that two juries will hear the case. The first jury will hear the first two counts in the alleged beating plot. The second jury will hear the 10 counts that pertain to the election.

McGee will be able to wear street clothes at this trial, but his feet will remain shackled. Moroney said that having McGee unrestrained during the trial would be a liability for the state.

Labels: Michael_McGee

Milwaukee Alderman Michael McGee Jr. faces a trial date on federal charges of April 7, a little after he goes before the voters for re-election to his City Council seat on April 1.

Federal prosecutors said they expect the trial to last 10-12 days.

During a hearing today, McGee's attorney, Calvin Malone, said he wanted the trial concluded before the May 19 state trial.

McGee faces federal charges of bribery, extortion and attempting to skirt reporting requirements for a large cash transaction. He faces state charges that allege his involvement in a beating conspiracy and election law violations.

Labels: Michael_McGee

A Milwaukee Circuit Court judge granted indicted Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee Jr.'s request for a new defense team and set a new trial date today in his state case.

The attorney of record for McGee's defense will be Larraine McNamara-McGraw, a former Milwaukee alderwoman and 2006 candidate for district attorney. She is joined by Texas lawyer and former federal prosecutor Larry Jarrett, who appeared to be taking the lead in the defense during today's hearing.

McGee faces a mix of felony and misdemeanor state charges for an alleged beating conspiracy and election violations. He also faces federal charges of bribery and extortion.

Because of the change in defense counsel, Judge Dennis P. Moroney set a new trial date for May 19. The original date was March 3.

McGee and attorney Glenn Givens had attempted twice before to sever their relationship. Givens said he was "pleased" and "very relieved" to be off of the case.

Givens said he only wanted to assist McGee in the beginning until he could find new counsel and that it was never his intention to be the attorney of record on the case. He described the McGee case as time consuming and said he intends to concentrate on rebuilding his practice.

With McGee's original trial date set between the Feb. 19 primary and the April 1 general election, there was the possibility he could have made it through the primary only to become ineligible for the general if he was found guilty of a felony.

After the hearing Jarrett refused to answer questions by reporters asking if the change in counsel was intended as a stall tactic.

"We will try the case. We will do it effectively. We will give McGee his day in court," Jarrett said.

McNamara-McGraw would not comment.

Labels: Michael_McGee

A Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge has ruled that federal wiretap evidence can be used in prosecuting the state case against Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee Jr.

McGee's lawyer, Glenn Givens, argued today that an affidavit prosecutors used to persuade a federal judge to issue an order permitting a wiretap contained information the FBI agent who submitted it knew, or should have known, was false.

Givens raised questions about the agent not knowing the real name of a key informant and incorrect information listed about officers in a community organization that prosecutors allege McGee threatened to "trash" its headquarters.

But Milwaukee County D.A. John Chisholm said that even if there was false information in the affidavit, it wasn't intentionally placed there by the agent and that the undisputed information in the affidavit was enough to establish probable cause. Chisholm also said that the agent getting names wrong is immaterial.

Judge Dennis P. Moroney said that while Givens may have some valid points, they are ones that should be dealt with at trial in order to question the credibility of the information, not the admissibility of the information itself.

Labels: Michael_McGee

The federal government has handed over documents regarding Ald. Michael McGee Jr.'s state case to a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge during a closed hearing.

Judge Dennis P. Moroney chastised Milwaukee County DA John Chisholm at a hearing Monday for failing to produce the documents he had requested a month ago. The documents were withheld because the feds considered them administrative records. Chisholm attended the hearing, along with U.S. Attorney Steve Biskupic and McGee attorney Glenn Givens.

Moroney is set to review the documents and determine whether they are relevant to the state case. If he decides they are, attorneys will be able to see them and hash out whether they will become part of the public record.

Labels: Michael_McGee

A co-defendant in the state case against Ald. Michael McGee Jr. pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit substantial battery this morning and has agreed to cooperate with investigators and provide testimony in court.

The defendant, Dimitrius L. Jackson, faces up to 3.5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine when he is sentenced Dec. 10.

Jackson was charged with two felony counts for his role in an alleged beating plot. McGee and another co-defendant are also charged in the case. In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dropped the solicitation to commit substantial battery charge he faced and agreed to recommend against federal prosecution he could face for being a felon found in possession of a firearm.

See the state's offer

Labels: Michael_McGee

The state trial for Michael McGee has been moved back to March 3.

According to Milwaukee County ADA Bruce Landgraf, a motion filed by McGee's lawyer to challenge federal wiretap evidence could take days to argue and a hearing couldn't be scheduled before the original trial date of Dec. 10, which will now serve as the motion hearing date.

In addition to charges stemming from the beating plot allegation, McGee faces additional counts for alleged election law violations. Evidence for all of the charges will be presented during the March trial, but a separate jury will consider the election-related counts.

McGee is still being held without bail, but that hasn't stopped him from offering a budget amendment for consideration at the Council's budget amendment meeting Thursday.

McGee is asking for $500,000 to be diverted from the police department budget to support unarmed civilian patrols. In a statement, McGee points out that several alderman have organized citizen patrol groups and supported other initiatives that augment police with civilians.

See the release

Labels: Michael_McGee

Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee Jr. can be held until trial without bail, a federal appeals court has ruled.

McGee's federal defender, Calvin Malone, had petitioned the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals after Judge Rudolph Randa ruled in July that McGee could be held due to his alleged failure to follow court orders and for being a possible danger to the community.

Randa's decision had reversed an order by a magistrate judge that would have allowed McGee's release on $10,000 cash bond and other conditions.

McGee faces a nine-count federal indictment alleging extortion, bribery and attempting to avoid reporting requirements for a large cash transaction. He also faces 12 state charges, for which he had posted $50,000 bail.

Labels: Michael_McGee

Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee Jr. can be held until trial without bail, a federal appeals court has ruled.

McGee's federal defender, Calvin Malone, had petitioned the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals after Judge Rudolph Randa ruled in July that McGee could be held due to his alleged failure to follow court orders and for being a possible danger to the community.

Randa's decision had reversed an order by a magistrate judge that would have allowed McGee's release on $10,000 cash bond and other conditions. The appeals court issued its ruling yesterday.

McGee faces a nine-count federal indictment alleging extortion, bribery and attempting to avoid reporting requirements for a large cash transaction. He also faces 12 state charges, for which he had posted $50,000 bail.

Labels: Michael_McGee

Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Dennis Moroney today denied a motion to dismiss charges against Ald. Michael McGee Jr. and set a Dec. 10 trial date for McGee and two co-defendants on charges stemming from an alleged beating plot.

McGee's attorney, Glenn Givens, brought the motion on grounds of "vindictive and retaliatory prosecution" and argued that prosecutors had racist motivations for bringing charges against McGee.

A final pre-trial conference is set for Nov. 15.

Moroney also decided to hold a separate trial for McGee on 10 election-related counts. He scheduled a hearing for Oct. 9 to decide whether to link McGee's case with those of two others charged with similar violations during his recall election.

Labels: Michael_McGee

Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee Jr. pleaded not guilty Monday morning to all charges of a nine-count federal indictment that alleges he engaged in bribery and extortion and attempted to skirt reporting requirements for a large cash transaction. His case has been assigned to Judge Charles Clevert Jr.

A pretrial conference is set for Sept. 20, and trial is set for Oct. 1. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs estimated the trial would take about two weeks.

In addition, McGee pleaded not guilty Friday to 12 state counts. Judge Dennis Moroney scheduled a hearing for August 28 on a motion to dismiss McGee is to file and on other matters.

Labels: Michael_McGee

A federal judge has ordered Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee Jr. remain in custody pending trial.

The order reverses a Monday decision by a magistrate judge that he could be released on $10,000 bail.

Also yesterday, a grand jury issued a formal indictment against McGee, alleging five counts of bribery, three counts of extortion and one count of failure to report a large cash transaction.

He is due again in federal court Monday, and in state court on Friday.

See the indictment: http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/070711McGeeIndictment.pdf

Labels: Michael_McGee

Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee Jr. can be released on $10,000 cash bail, a federal magistrate judge has ruled.

The $10,000 would be on top of the $50,000 bail that has already been posted for McGee on state charges.

Magistrate Judge Patricia Gorence ordered McGee to remain at home under electronic monitoring, and only be allowed to leave for Common Council votes, medical treatment, meetings with his lawyer and religious services. McGee was also ordered to have no contact with constituents and must handle all communication with them through his staff.

Although she approved bail, Gorence told McGee the evidence provided shows "you don't take court orders seriously."

"You need to understand... this isn't a game," she added, warning him later she'd have him detained "in a New York minute" should he violate conditions of his release.

Labels: Michael_McGee

Prosecutors detailed 10 new charges against Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee Jr. in court today on top of the previous counts for an alleged shakedown and beating plots filed against him.

The new charges related to a John Doe investigation into the recall election he survived earlier this year include a felony charge of making a false statement to an election official, two felony counts of election bribery, one felony count of being party to the crime of election bribery, one felony count of filing a false campaign finance report, a misdemeanor count of electioneering, one misdemeanor count of theft by a bailee and three misdemeanor counts of criminal contempt.

Milwaukee County DA John Chisholm said all of the charges are interrelated and show "a deliberate pattern on Mr. McGee's part to subvert the electoral, and quite frankly, the judicial process in the course of his conduct."

McGee's attorney, Glenn Givens, argued this morning that the prosecution’s complaint failed to provide enough evidence to warrant charges. Judge Dennis P. Moroney disagreed, denying Givens' motion to dismiss on all counts.

The felony counts each carry a maximum of three years, six months in prison, two years of which can be served on probation, along with fines up to $10,000. The misdemeanor penalties vary and include fines of less than $10,000 and jail sentences of less than a year.

Because the charges are still under seal, details are scant. But according to statements by the defense and prosecution this morning:

- The false statement charge stems from McGee telling Milwaukee election commissioners during a hearing on the recall attempt against him that he was misled into signing his own recall petition. Chisholm said in court this morning that witnesses testified that McGee signed the petition as an "act of bravado."

- The election bribery charges stem from an alleged scheme to pay people to vote during the recall. Two others are facing similar charges.

- The electioneering count is due to McGee showing up to a polling place on election day with his own campaign literature. Givens said McGee was simply there to pick somebody up, and when he was asked by an election inspector to hand over the materials, he did. McGee was not on the ballot.

- The theft and campaign finance reporting charges relate to checks allegedly intended for the campaign being cashed at a grocery store and never recorded in finance reports.

- McGee is accused of contempt for allegedly revealing information about the substance of John Doe investigation following his testimony during that investigation. Givens said the conversations were just McGee "blowing off steam" and didn't reveal substantive details of the testimony.

"You can draw all the reasonable inferences you want," Givens said about the prosecution's account, "but you need some facts to draw those reasonable inferences from; and there are none."

Chisholm argued, however, that those conversations were substantive, and were made immediately following an interview with McGee in the investigation that clued McGee in that he was the focus of the investigation that he originally initiated by filing a complaint against his recall opponent, ViAnna Jordan.

See the charges: http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/070622McGeeComplaint.pdf

Labels: Michael_McGee

Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee and two others discussed killing a man over a burglary before settling on a beating instead, the Milwaukee County DA charged in court Wednesday.

But McGee attorney Glen Givens said prosecutors misunderstood street language the three men used, saying that language like "bust up and beat down" indicated at best a misdemeanor battery.

"You have to look at who's using the language, what community it comes from before you can draw conclusions about what it is that's being communicated," Givens said.

The details emerged in a court hearing over whether to unseal details of state felony charges of solicitation to commit substantial battery and conspiracy to commit substantial battery.

Milwaukee County DA John Chisholm, who would go along with unsealing the charges, said intercepted phone calls provide "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that McGee played a supervisory role in a conspiracy that intended to inflict at least substantial battery on the man, if not worse. Chisholm said he elected the lighter charge because a later conversation clarified that it was not to be a killing, but "a busting up, a beat down."

He said McGee, Dimitrius Jackson and Little Stewart used language at one point like "peeling his wig back," and "sew his cap together," to describe what they wanted done to the man. Chisholm also said a wiretap recorded McGee saying at one point "that (n-word) needs some quicksand."

"I don't have a degree in Sopranos, but that's pretty direct evidence of escalating things to a pretty serious level," Chisholm said.

McGee is being held on $100,000 bail, which Judge Dennis P. Moroney reduced from $250,000 today.

McGee faces up to 3 years, six months in prison and a $10,000 fine on each of the state charges. He was charged yesterday with federal charges of bribery and extortion, for which he faces up to 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Moroney said the state's complaint and evidence will remain under seal until all parties agree to open them or testimony about them is provided in open court.

McGee and Jackson appeared in court today. Stewart was not present. The next hearing is scheduled for June 5, at 1:30 p.m.

At least 50 supporters of McGee packed the courtroom and hallway.

Listen to audio from today's proceedings:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/2007_05_30_McGee.mp3

In addition, a campaign worker for Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee has been charged with paying people $5 to vote in this spring's recall election.

Garrett Huff faces up to 3.5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

See the criminal complaint:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/070531HuffComplaint.pdf

Labels: Michael_McGee

Prosecutors today charged that a controversial African-American city councilman solicited a series of bribes from businesses in his Milwaukee district in exchange for promises of favorable treatment.

Among the evidence cited against Michael McGee: a man who paid $1,250 because he feared losing his liquor license and then helped the alderman shake down other businesses, according to a criminal complaint released today.

Authorities recorded "dozens" of incidents in which McGee allegedly sought bribes, according to the complaint detailing federal extortion and bribery charges against him.

McGee appeared in Milwaukee Court this afternoon wearing an orange jumpsuit on state charges accusing the alderman of solicitation to commit substantial battery and conspiracy to commit substantial battery. Several supporters stood outside the courtroom, one carrying a sign that read "free McGee."

McGee was arrested yesterday "based on what we determined to be public safety concerns," Milwaukee Co. DA John Chisholm said without elaborating.

The federal criminal complaint included details of several alleged bribes, including a March 8 incident in which an undercover officer, who had prior conversations with McGee about buying a business requiring a liquor license, gave the alderman $1,000 at a fundraiser. The officer handed McGee $900 of that in cash. McGee is reported to have said. "I got you," in response.

On March 26 and 27, 2007 McGee is said to have accepted a total of $2,000 he solicited from a gas station owner who wanted to operate 24 hours. In a recorded conversation, McGee allegedly balked when the gas station owner first offered him $500. "You have got to be kidding me," McGee is reported to have said.

McGee allegedly told him it would cost a "pretty penny" to win approval.

Read the complaint:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/20070529McGeeFedComplaint.pdf

McGee attorney Glen Givens declined to comment, saying he wanted to wait until after a hearing scheduled for tomorrow to determine whether to release details of state charges.

Also facing state charges in connection with the case are Little Stewart and Dimitrius Jackson. Neither Chisholm nor U.S. Attorney Steve Biskupic would reveal if any others are under investigation in the matter.

Chisholm said he was not opposed to releasing details of the state charges, which remained under seal this afternoon, but had to wait for a judge to give him clearance.

McGee faces up to 30 years and prison and a $500,000 fine if convicted of the federal charges.

Biskupic said no federal court date has been set for McGee and said that wouldn’t likely happe n while McGee remains in state custody.

According to Biskupic, the investigation began in May 2006 following complaints by business owners in the district about McGee's actions. Biskupic urged others to come forward if they felt they have been extorted by city officials.

"If business owners in this city believe they are having to pay money for their government services in violation of the law, by all means contact the FBI, the Milwaukee police or the District Attorney's office," Biskupic said.

In response to the charges, Common Council President Willie Hines announced that he's removing McGee from his committee assignments with the council. Hines said in a statement "until this matter is resolved, I will act decisively to protect the institution of the Common Council."

See the Hines press release:
http://www.wispolitics.com/1006/070529__hines_mcgee.pdf

Labels: Michael_McGee