Sheriff David Clarke and Crybabies

In Sunday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Daniel Bice writes about a spat between Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and Deputy David Hutchins.

Hutchins is taking the matter to court.

Hey, Sheriff David Clarke Jr., you've just been sued in federal court once more, this time for demoting a deputy after the two of you sparred on talk radio in mid-May.

Do you have anything you want to say about David Hutchins, the deputy in question?

"Let me say some things on the record here that will serve maybe as more ammunition, if you will, that if he wants to use, he can," said Clarke, who was unaware of the lawsuit.

"Deputy Hutchins is a crybaby. You know what crybabies do? They whine," Clarke continued. "I think he gives public servants a bad name. Most employees that I have in this organization come to work every day, and they give excellent effort - most of them do. David Hutchins is not in that category."

Guess he's not looking to settle anytime soon.

This latest legal squabble was sparked by an e-mail that the sheriff, a Democrat in name only, sent to conservative talk-show host Charlie Sykes on May 16.

The four-paragraph rant rips Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle for his supposed inconsistency on racial issues when talking about crime.

According to the sheriff, Doyle has vowed to devote more state resources to curb inner-city violence - which is caused primarily by black males, Clarke said - even as the governor complains that the state is sending too many black males to prison.

"Doyle panders to blacks about black incarceration rates," said Clarke, who is black, "and then tells the mainstream media he wants to stem the violence. This goes beyond contradicting himself. This is outright hypocrisy."

...A day later, talk show host Eric Von on WMCS-AM (1290), which targets a primarily black audience, took up the subject of the e-mail.

Before long, the show was flooded with calls. Among those who dialed up Von were Hutchins, Clarke's flack Kim Brooks, Deputy Sheriff's Association President Roy Felber and Clarke himself.

While on air, the suit said, the sheriff not only responded to Hutchins' remarks but also made mention of "confidential internal sheriff's office disciplinary information that would not be available to the public through open records."

Hutchins' lawyer Jonathan Cermele declined to discuss details of the suit last week.

But Clarke, now fighting six federal suits filed by deputies, is not apologizing for bringing up the disciplinary matter. The sheriff said Hutchins served a short suspension without pay for inappropriate, "sexual harassment-type" comments made by Hutchins to a female staffer.

Clarke said he brought this up because he thought listeners should know that Hutchins had an ax to grind. Hutchins, he said, was not simply voicing his opinion as a union trustee.

Bice seems to be going out of his way to create tabloid-type drama in this column.

Ooh. Clarke is a Democrat in name only.

Oooh. Clarke sent an email to a conservative talk radio host and pointed out Doyle's blatant hypocrisy.

OOOH. Clarke called a deputy a "crybaby."

Crime is exploding in Milwaukee's inner city. Innocent children are being shot and dying.

But what matters is that Clarke demoted a deputy???

All disputes between Clarke and the deputies and their union will be settled.

I think the more pressing issue is how to get thugs off the streets of Milwaukee so good, law-abiding people can live in peace and without fear.

What's being done about that?

I know what's not being done.

Doyle isn't offering the resources that he should to assist this city in crisis. He's not making good on his promises.

Attacking Clarke and discussing the deputies' lawsuits is a sideshow.
Hutchins is ticked off and so is Clarke.

Frankly, I don't care.

The focus should be on crime and violence and tackling the crisis.

How many people have been shot in the past month?
(Six were shot over the weekend.)

How many robberies and burglaries have their been?

How many sexual assaults?

How many aggravated assaults?

Bice doesn't want to talk about that. Instead, he wants to talk about a deputy suing the sheriff.

I don't.