Sheboygan Press Calls for Ethics Probe

An editorial in the Sheboygan Press declares that it's time for an ethics probe.

Are you thinking it's an ethics probe into Mayor Juan Perez's harassment of Jeni Reisinger, his attempts to intimidate and silence a critic?

It's not, but it is related to the matter.

Sheboygan Ald. Jim Gischia is right to call for an ethics investigation into alleged threats made by Ald. Vicky Meyer against fellow Ald. Bob Ryan, and the full Common Council should OK the probe and immediately conduct a thorough investigation.

It's never a pleasant task to judge the conduct of a fellow elected official, but the public expects its representatives to conduct public business in an honest, open and ethical manner.

While Gischia is making the call for the investigation, the comments Ald. Ryan says Meyer made to him before a council meeting Nov. 9 are the heart of the issue. Ryan said Meyer, while talking to him about his comments critical of Mayor Juan Perez, implied that Ryan better watch what he says because she has heard rumors about Ryan's private life that would be embarrassing if they became public.

While Meyer has maintained that there was nothing threatening about her telling Ryan about rumors, we find that hard to believe. A thorough investigation may be able to pin down what motivations, if any, were behind Meyer's comments.

Meyer has every right to tell another council member that she disagrees with him or her — privately or publicly. She also has every right to tell a fellow council member that she's heard "rumors" about him or her — privately.

But when criticism and personal issues are linked in a conversation — as Meyer apparently did — the words intimidation and blackmail are just around the corner. Meyer's comments could easily be interpreted as a warning to "keep quiet, or else … "

I agree that an ethics probe is in order.

Sheboygan government is an absolute mess.

What about an ethics probe into the activities and alleged abuses of Mayor Juan Perez?

No comment?

The Editorial Board concludes:

[T]hreats and intimidation have no place in city government, nor do blackmail and bullying. The council needs to deal with this latest blowup and then everyone needs to move on.

I agree. Threats and intimidation and bullying are wrong.

They have no place in city government.

That's why there should be an ethics probe investigating Perez.

I think it will be hard to move on until that happens.