Michael McGee won't be trading his jailhouse orange jumpsuit in for civilian clothes anytime soon.
That's as it should be.
It has nothing to do with his race.
It has everything to do with his actions.
From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
A federal grand jury issued a nine-count indictment Tuesday against Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee, who a judge ruled must remain behind bars until a trial on allegations that he shook down business owners in his district.
The court actions were a double blow to McGee, who 24 hours earlier was on the verge of being released on bail. But prosecutors quickly moved to block the release, and Chief Judge Rudolph T. Randa ruled that McGee would remain in federal custody.
Randa cited concerns that if allowed home, even under severe restrictions, McGee would attempt to intimidate witnesses and sway their testimony on both state and federal charges.
With a small group of supporters in the courtroom, McGee slowly shook his head after the ruling but made no comments. One woman said: "There is no justice."
What planet is that woman living on?
McGee is not a victim.
...Calvin Malone, McGee's court-appointed federal attorney, left the detention hearing without commenting. Asked if an appeal was possible, he replied: "There are always options."
Malone has not said much publicly about the overall case against McGee. Glenn Givens, the private attorney representing McGee on state charges, has said McGee is
the victim of an unfair, racially biased prosecution.
What's with the court-appointed federal attorney?
McGee can afford an attorney. If he fears the legal bills would get too high for him to handle, he always has supporters like the Rev. George King. If King could write a check for $50,000 for McGee's bail, I'm sure he could help with the cost of an attorney.
Is McGee just trying to screw the taxpayers?
The numerous state and federal charges against McGee are really stunning.
McGee should write a book: Corruption and Rigging Elections for Dummies.
As if things weren't bad enough for McGee, he's pounded additional nails in his own coffin.
[McGee] also is accused of repeatedly ignoring court orders to not discuss the contents of the secret John Doe probe with others.
In one case, he allegedly left a John Doe hearing and almost immediately called Garrett Huff, who would later be charged in the vote-buying scheme, to alert him to the investigation.
Those calls, in turn, were cited this week by federal prosecutors as they successfully argued that McGee is prone to violating court orders and should remain behind bars until trial.
They say while in the Milwaukee County Jail, McGee used three-party calling - in which one person calls another and connects that person with McGee - to encourage witnesses to "lay low" and to suggest that others be encouraged to recant statements.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Haanstad said it was clear McGee knew this was not allowed. He said in one call, McGee's wife, LaSonia McGee, said something to the effect of: "Those of you who are listening, it's I, the wife, making the three-way call, not Mr. McGee."
On Monday, federal Magistrate Judge Patricia Gorence acknowledged prosecution concerns about witness intimidation, but set bail at $10,000. She also added a series of restrictions, including that McGee largely be confined to his home, except for City Hall votes and other limited instances.
After the ruling, McGee supporters gathered the $10,000. It was submitted as bail Tuesday by William Butler, who appears to be associated with McGee's legal defense fund.
Earlier, several community members paid $50,000 in bail on the state charges. But before McGee was released in the state case, he was taken into federal custody.
The guy doesn't quit.
He's behind bars and he's still attempting to intimidate people.
Nonetheless, some people adore him.
Local news crews interviewed some angry McGee supporters after the hearing on Tuesday. For instance, on TMJ4, an irate Jean Williams had this to say:
I'm hurt because as people in the United States, and citizens of this city, we believe, try to believe in justice. There ain't no justice. It's just us.
Milwaukee or shall I say Mili-ssippi, Witch-consin is where we live and what we have to endure. Not Milwaukee. Mili-ssippi. We as close to Mississippi and living on this concrete plantation as we can be.
WISN 12 News spoke with another upset McGee supporter, John Townsend:
Going through what we're going through now with our alderman, with our leader, of Milwaukee is ludicrous.
Milwaukee, I mean "Mili-ssippi," is not a concrete plantation as Williams states.
And for Townsend to refer to McGee as "our leader," is really nauseating.
It takes some awfully messed up followers to choose McGee as their leader.
McGee could never have done what he's charged with doing if he didn't have a band of backers condoning his actions and giving him free rein to abuse constituents.
Former Milwaukee County district attorney E. Michael McCann, in all his incompetence cluelessness, and/or laziness, also gave McGee the opportunity to ignore the law.
McGee had all the enablers he needed to assist him in royally screwing up his life.
I question the stability of McGee's supporters. I understand people reaching out to him now and showing compassion and forgiveness, praying for his lost soul. I don't get the ones willing to give victim status to McGee, the victimizer.
As McGee supporter Williams said:
I'm hurt because as people in the United States, and citizens of this city, we believe, try to believe in justice. There ain't no justice. It's just us.
She shouldn't be troubled.
The fact that McGee is behind bars should show her that there most definitely is justice and she can believe in it.
The citizens of McGee's district should be celebrating because justice is being done.
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