Thug Mike

Former Ald. Michael McGee Jr. is no martyr. He betrayed his constituents. He abused his power.

He's a thug. He likes being a thug. Call him "Thug Mike."

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Calling himself "Thug Mike" at one point, former Milwaukee Ald. Michael McGee asked for cash and talked about the power he would have over liquor license holders, according to wire tap conversations played in federal court today.

In 19 taped calls, McGee was heard saying he needed money to pay rent of $1,500 a month. A club owner who got one call later put $1,000 in an account for McGee, according to the tapes.

"I need bread, man," McGee said.

McGee and others are heard talking about the power he would have after he was put on the Common Council's Licenses Committee. The appointment, from Common Council President Willie Hines, came shortly after McGee won a recall election in April 2007.

"They all got to give. If they don't, it's done straight up," McGee said, who also talked about forming a "kickass committee."

"That's the power piece," said Dennis Walton, a McGee associate who prosecutors say collected money on the alderman's behalf. "That's a gangster committee."

On other calls, McGee is heard asking his staff worker to get mailing labels for every liquor license holder in the city. In one call, someone asks McGee what name or title he preferred people to use when addressing him.

"Michael or Mike, or it could be Thug Mike," he said.

Good grief. The stuff gleaned from the wire taps is disastrous for McGee.

I guess Willie Hines didn't really know Thug Mike. I hope he didn't. Apparently, Hines trusted him. That was a poor judgment call.

Thug Mike isn't a public servant. He abused the public. He expected the public to serve him.

Now it looks like it's over for Thug Mike.

I think he'll have to think about organizing a "kickass committee" in prison.

I wonder if he'll be known as Thug Mike there.