Violence at Wisconsin State Fair

🚨#BREAKING: Absolute CHAOS broke out at the Wisconsin State Fair as "teens" began BEATING ANYONE IN SIGHT.

MULTIPLE police officers were badly beaten, as families with kids were seen RUNNING FOR THEIR LIVES as teens began brawling.

WE DON'T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS!!! pic.twitter.com/gBbE73ph3f

— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) August 17, 2026

Terrible.

We hadn't seen anything like this at the Wisconsin State Fair for years. It's awful that thugs running wild brought national attention to the last night of the fair.

There is a policy requiring juveniles to be accompanied by an adult during the evening hours to prevent this sort of chaos. It appears that broke down or those involved in the violence were adults.

The Wisconsin State Fair is such a wonderful event. This year, the fair was celebrating 175 years of annual summer fun. What a horrible way for it to close!

As of right now, JSOnline, Fox 6, Channel 12 and Channel 4 all have nothing on their websites on the violence last night at the State Fair. This is a media blackout and it is deliberate https://t.co/lJxNhBwbZf

— Mark Belling (@MarkBellingShow) August 17, 2026

I saw this story on X late last night, that multiple fights broke out at the State Fair. I checked local Milwaukee media sites for more information and found nothing.

Accoring to Mark Belling, as of 10:30 this morning, there was still no coverage. This is a major story. It shouldn't take until the afternoon for local outlets to offer reports. For more than twelve hours, it was ignored. That is unacceptable.

Mark Belling Ends WISN-AM Radio Program

From TALKERS:

I Am Leaving My Daily Radio

Show While On Top

to Transition to Podcasts

October 31, 2024

By Mark Belling
Talk Show Host, WISN-AM, Milwaukee

I have decided, with the full support of WISN-AM and its parent iHeartMedia, to transition my program to podcast only effective at the end of this year.

There are two main reasons for this.

I set an incredibly ambitious goal when I began my Milwaukee show on WISN-AM in March of 1989.  I said I wanted it to be the best local radio talk show in America.   I feel I have achieved that goal by every possible measurement.   The most recent Nielsen ratings give my program the highest listenership share of any local talk show in the United States (top 48 markets, also known as “metered” markets).  In addition, my show has the highest ratings of any radio program in Wisconsin and WISN-AM is the most listened-to radio station in the state.   WISN-AM has the highest audience share in its market of any station in the top 48 markets in America and I am the highest rated show on the station.

Mission accomplished.

Secondly, the future of spoken word programming on our planet is podcasting.   We live in an on-demand world.   Driving people to listen to or watch content at specific times is a thing of the past.  Podcasting allows total flexibility and gives hosts far more freedom.   The staggering success of shows like Joe Rogan, Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson, all distributed exclusively on the web in a podcast-like format, makes clear what the present and especially the future are.

I am NOT retiring.   I will be a podcast-only host and expect my already high listenership and profile to grow.   This is my new challenge.   I believe I have accomplished as much as any on-air radio personality in Wisconsin history and now want to make my mark in the revolutionary world of podcasting.

My current radio program is turned into a podcast platform and is usually ranked in the top 100 on the iHeart platform.   A specifically dedicated podcast that can be accessed only on podcast platforms has the potential to be much bigger.

I will continue to do the podcast from Milwaukee and the WISN-AM studios.  Like my radio show, the content will be a combination of local and national topics and my intent is for it to be even more freewheeling than my current anything-goes approach.  I have signed a contract with iHeartMedia to stay with the company in this transitioned role.

The podcast will be released three times per week with the flexibility for special additional shows if events warrant.   It will begin May 1 and be available on iHeart and other traditional podcast platforms.

The last “Mark Belling Late Afternoon Show” will air December 30.    There will be no farewell shows nor any going-away programming or events.   I’m not going anywhere.   My show, in its new incarnation, will be bigger and better than ever.

Mark Belling is currently ranked #51 on the TALKERS Heavy Hundred list of the 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America. 

 

 

 

Belling Reports: Evers to Issue Shelter in Place Order

This was the disturbing report from Mark Belling, read on the air by Jerry Bott on The Friday Afternoon Show, 1130 WISN:

EXCLUSIVE: Evers About To Order Wisconsinites To Stay In Homes; Most Businesses Will Be Ordered To Close
By Mark Belling, WISN-AM


According to state government sources, Governor Tony Evers is within hours of issuing an order for Wisconsinites to shelter in place by staying in their homes. The order will shutter virtually all Wisconsin businesses. It could be in effect for a long time.


State government sources tell me people will be allowed to leave their homes only for groceries, pharmacies, exercise, dog walking and travel to employment deemed essential.


The Wisconsin National Guard has been deployed and is basing at State Fair Park to enforce the order. A similar order was issued in Illinois this afternoon.


The order could cause a major disruption in the ongoing spring election and disenfranchise those who live in communities that refuse to start absentee voting this week. Evers' order is coming after Milwaukee and Madison residents were both given a full week to vote in person.


There has been so far no attempt by anybody to try to stop the unprecedented assault on personal freedom.


Mark Belling
March 20

This "exclusive" was also shared on Twitter, @MarkBellingShow. However, the tweet declaring impending martial law in Wisconsin "disappeared" without a trace, like a Chinese doctor or journalist trying to tell the world what was happening in Wuhan, China.

Friday afternoon, shortly after Belling broke the story, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers claimed he's not planning to issue a Shelter in Place order.

From WPR, Friday, March 20, 2020, 3:35pm:

As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to steadily increase in Wisconsin, Gov. Tony Evers says he doesn't plan on issuing a shelter-in-place order, similar to those put forth in Illinois and California.

During a statewide call with media Friday afternoon, Evers said as long as people continue practicing good hygiene and social distancing, he believes current procedures can remain intact.

"We believe that what we have in place now works, and will continue to work," Evers said.

What about the National Guard basing at State Fair Park?

From WISN 12 News:

The Wisconsin National Guard says it is mobilizing and "ready to respond to potential requests for assistance from other state agencies or communities," if necessary.

Capt. Joe Travato told WISN 12 News in a release that 300 troops have been mobilized to state active duty and are ready for further support, if needed.

“We are working hand-in-hand with our partners across state government to ensure our forces are postured and ready to respond to anticipated requests for assistance,” Col. Eric Leckel, the director of domestic operations for the Wisconsin National Guard added in the release. “Serving our state during times of emergency is one of our core missions in the National Guard, and we stand ready to assist the state with whatever it may ask of us.”

The Wisconsin National Guard said it has also brought on additional planners, logisticians, and command and control elements to "manage and execute any future missions," which could include assisting state agencies with logistics and planning, specimen collection, providing a source of medical professionals and more.

That report was last updated Thursday 7:05 PM CDT Mar 19, 2020.

Other media outlets also ran stories on the National Guard being prepared to assist with the outbreak, but none reported about basing at State Fair Park to enforce a Shelter in Place order.

Obviously, no Shelter in Place order was issued "within hours" of 3:00 PM Friday.

Clearly, Belling's sources were wrong.

The dissemination of that false story likely caused a great deal of concern if not outright panic among those unfortunate enough to have heard it.

Travis Sarandos - Hateful, Deranged MPS Teacher

The story of crazed Leftist, unbridled hater, and Milwaukee Public School teacher Travis Sarandos is being circulated nationally. It's another proud moment for MPS and Leftists.

Sarandos teaches at Milwaukee High School of the Arts, in the English Department.

Mark Belling broke the story on Tuesday.

Belling writes:

A Milwaukee Public Schools teacher has tweeted on his personal account that “Rush Limbaugh absolutely should have to suffer from cancer.” He goes on to say “it’s awesome that he’s dying” and hopes the death will be “painful.”

... Sarandos has tweeted in the past that he “hates” the Catholic Church and believes Christian conservatives should be “exterminated.” He has tweeted about “poisoning the communion wine.”

If not for Mark Belling, Sarandos would still be in the classroom. After he brought the story to light, Sarandos was placed on leave while MPS investigates.

Alternative media are so important. They play a crucial role in our society. They provide information that the Leftist outlets don't touch at all or ignore until it's shared by someone like Belling.

Expecting Sarandos to start deleting tweets or lock his Twitter account altogether, Belling offers screenshots of the teacher's truly sick tweet about Rush Limbaugh and the one about "a mass extinction of chrisrian [sic] conservative voters."





Travis Sarandos doesn't seem like someone I'd want to teach kids.

Apparently, he likes to wish death on others. He directs his hate at individuals, like Limbaugh, as well as entire groups, like Christian conservatives.

I wonder what he tells his students. It's hard to believe he quarantines his vile spewings to Twitter.



Belling also links to an article Sarandos wrote about Josh Hader and the tweets he wrote while a high school student. The article is posted on BrewCrewBall, SBNation.

"Josh Hader must earn forgiveness, and he’s off to a bad start

Hader’s racist, sexist and homophopic remarks will leave an indelible black mark on his career"

That is priceless.

Mark Belling - 30th Anniversary

Google is celebrating the "30th Anniversary of the World Wide Web" today.

On Monday, talk radio listeners in Milwaukee also marked a 30th anniversary. Mark Belling has been doing his radio program on WISN for 30 years.

He pioneered conservative talk radio in Milwaukee, and is still standing up for Milwaukee 30 years later.

Belling suffered a stroke in February and has been easing back into his work schedule. He sounds great, as if nothing had happened. It's really quite remarkable.

Yesterday, he did the full three hours of his show for the first time, actually going 15 minutes past 6:00. After a month, it was great to hear his signature sign-off, "Happy Trails," again.

Happy 30th, Mark Belling!

Scott Walker - Mark Belling Guest Host

Looking forward to this:

We're excited to announce former @GovWalker will be guest hosting The @MarkBellingShow this coming Monday and Tuesday 3-6pm. Tune in here > https://t.co/lq9QFJsaeM pic.twitter.com/hrr4LEYFvs

— News/Talk 1130 WISN (@newstalk1130) February 22, 2019

Worse Than Watergate

On his Tuesday radio program, Mark Belling highlighted this piece by Charles Hurt, "What Obama and his political Choom Gang did is far worse than Watergate."

It's very powerful.

At the end of all the scandal and drama, all of the breathlessly reported lies and false accusations, at the end of all the money wasted on some zany kabuki swamp dance choreographed to the thrumming of giant bullfrogs and yipping of excited coyotes — at the end of all of this — it comes down to precisely what we said it was a year and a half ago.

The Obama administration — with or without the knowledge and direction of President Obama himself — perverted one of the most powerful, clandestine spying operations in the world and used it at the very height of a presidential campaign to spy on political opponents, punish them and, ultimately, silence them through extortion.

If this was orchestrated without the express knowledge of Mr. Obama, then it reveals just how blatantly he instructed by example the weaponizing of the entire federal government to carry out his low, dishonest and unjust ideology. By any means necessary, one might say. Only instead of being driving by visions of justice, these people were driven by visions of undying power.

If this conspiracy was carried out at the express direction of Mr. Obama or other high officials in his administration, then they belong in jail. From unmasking of political opponents, to leaking their names to the press, to killing legitimate investigations, to launching politically motivated witch hunts, a racket of this scale could not have been carried out without some major juice and cover at the top levels of the Department of Justice, FBI and the White House.

The rogue henchmen carrying out the dirty work, as always, presented as perfect, decent and most honest little Boy Scouts like former FBI Director James B. Comey.

What the Obama administration did to infiltrate the Trump campaign, spy on political opponents and then launch a wicked vendetta against them is worse than anything J. Edgar Hoover ever did — at least that we know about.

It is worse than any of the domestic abuses by the CIA during the Cold War.

It is worse even than what the federal government did to undermine civil rights activists like Martin Luther King Jr.

As bad and corrupt as it is to harass innocent citizens under any circumstances, it is so much worse to weaponize the government to pursue and punish and eliminate domestic political opponents. That is the sort of thing that destroys a Republic.

And yes, it is even much worse than Watergate. At the end of the day, Watergate was a bungled break-in by low-level political hacks. And then it was about the political cover-up and how high it went.

What happened under Mr. Obama is the stuff of Third-World dictators.

When Donald Trump was running for president, establishment Republicans and Democrats alike ran around thumping their chests feigning outrage that Mr. Trump would not be capable of respecting the Constitution.

At that time, the Obama administration was spying on Mr. Trump and his campaign and carrying out the most extensive and brazen undercover espionage-war campaign against political opponents that we have ever seen.

All the while nary a peep from these same smarmy swamp creatures as Mr. Obama rolled the constitution into joints so he and his political Choom Gang could smoke bales of weed.

At some point, the Democrats and Never Trumpers are going to have to acknowledge the truth. They are going to have to admit the abuse of power that occurred while Obama was president and the abuse of power that has occurred since Trump's election.

I expect the Democrats to pretend this scandal didn't happen. I expect them to spin and lie.

However, it's the reaction of the Never Trumpers that really astounds me. They are ignoring what is arguably the biggest political scandal in our nation's history.

Reince Priebus Endorses Leah Vukmir

.@Reince knows exactly what it takes to win in Wisconsin, and I am honored to have his support for my U.S. Senate campaign. 🇺🇸#wisen #wiright #maga pic.twitter.com/ghHM22CHtc

— Senator Leah Vukmir (@LeahVukmir) January 22, 2018

Reince Priebus knows Wisconsin politics.

He successfully orchestrated the Republican revolution in 2010, helping Scott Walker become governor and Ron Johnson unseat Russ Feingold.

Of course, as chairman of the RNC, he went on to play a vital role in the successes of Election 2016, delivering the House, the Senate, and the presidency to Republicans.

He served as President Trump's chief of staff.

Although Priebus has held high profile positions, I don't think he's received the recognition he deserves.

On Monday, Mark Belling interviewed Priebus. They discussed his endorsement of Leah Vukmir for U.S. Senate, a great endorsement for her.

During the very interesting and enlightening interview, Priebus said he continues to speak with President Trump on a regular basis.

REINCE PRIEBUS: As far as I'm concerned, I think the president is doing a great job. I still have a good relationship with the president. We meet, we talk on the phone, I support him, and I'm going to continue to do it. I'm never going to be one of these people who write books and spout my mouth off. It's just not who I am. It's not the legacy I want to be. And as you know me, I'll never become that. So, I look at the fundamentals. And if you look at the fundamentals, you look at the economy, you look at unemployment, you look at ISIS, you look at the courts, you look at the federal courts more than any president in one year in the history of our country -- he gets an A+.

...

I talk to him maybe every three or four or five days. We met for lunch a couple times. I think we both appreciate each other and like each other and consider each other friends. We talk sometimes about the issues of the day or something that's going on that's in the news and what maybe a good way around it is, and the same things we've always talked about. I don't want to get into too much of that, Mark, but it's a good relationship, and, you know, he deserves loyalty from people that he gave an opportunity to.

LISTEN: Mark's interview with former Chief of Staff @Reince: https://t.co/lAZf0233yu

— Mark Belling (@MarkBellingShow) January 22, 2018

The podcast of the show is here. The Priebus interview begins at 93:00.

I'm very happy that Priebus has endorsed Leah Vukmir, a solid Republican sure to serve the citizens of Wisconsin well.

Sensenbrenner: Ron Johnson 'Strutting Around Like a Peacock'

I heard Mark Belling interview Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner on his program Thursday afternoon.

His remarks about Senator Ron Johnson were priceless.

Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, On Mark’s Show, Accuses Senator @SenRonJohnson Of “Strutting Around Like A Peacock” In Obstructing Tax Cut Bill https://t.co/kjjFD8JuKf @JimPressOffice

— Mark Belling (@MarkBellingShow) November 17, 2017

Sheriff David Clarke Resigns

Mark Belling broke the story that Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke is resigning.

EXCLUSIVE: Sheriff Clarke is Resigning This Afternoon. Mark has details right now on AM-1130 WISN and on the iHeart app @Markbellingshow

— Mark Belling (@MarkBellingShow) August 31, 2017

Belling said Clarke will not be taking a job in government, but he will be in a position that allows him to be visible and share his opinions.

It sounds like he'll have a presence in media.

Melissa Marian Stops Carjacking

Mark Belling brought this story to my attention. It was from a FOX6 News report.

Melissa Marian posted on Facebook that she was gassing up her SUV on St. Paul Ave. on Tuesday, May 23rd around 2:00 p.m. That’s when the suspects, apparently in a stolen vehicle, tried to steal her SUV.

Marian jumped on the hood of the SUV to prevent her vehicle from being driven off. After a couple of seconds, the person inside the SUV jumped out — and left the SUV in gear.

Marian was then forced to jump into a moving vehicle — even as the suspects drove away.

Wow!

Don't mess with Melissa Marian!

She refused to be a victim of a carjacking near downtown Milwaukee at 2:00 in the afternoon, broad daylight.

Marian really took a risk when she thwarted the crime.

I would have been afraid of getting shot by the thugs. I'm sure I would have allowed myself to become a victim. However, if my child was in the car, I think I may have done something as wild as jumping on the hood to prevent the thug from getting away. Other than saving my child, I wouldn't have taken such a risk.

Watch the video here.







Incredible. It's hard to believe this is real.

This is going to go viral.

She really didn't want the thugs to get her car. They got her purse and phone. I would return them because clearly Marian is a total bad ass.

This is not good news for the city of Milwaukee. Everyone is going to be talking about this attempted carjacking.

Downtown Milwaukee is not safe in the middle of the day.

Milwaukee Muslim Woman Attacked - Police Say Not Hate Crime

UPDATE June 26, 2017: Police Report Contradicts ‘Hate Crime’ Narrative In Milwaukee Attack On Muslim Woman


______________________


About a month ago, this story made national news: “Beat me like an animal:” Muslim woman says attacker ripped off her hijab, cut her with knife

From FOX6 News:

A Muslim woman was attacked as she walked home from prayer. Milwaukee police tell FOX6 News they are investigating the crime that occurred near South 13th and Layton. The incident happened Monday morning, April 10th around 6:00 a.m. -- and the victim was just released from the hospital Tuesday afternoon. The details of the crime have some in the Islamic community saying it was a hate crime.

The woman said her attacker threw her to the sidewalk, and then stepped down on her head repeatedly. She described him taking out a knife to cut her jacket and her arm.

...

"Nothing was stolen. There was no robbery. Her valuables remain with her. The only motive we can think of -- because everything stayed with her and this individual went straight for her scarf is a hate crime," said [Munjed Ahmad with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee].

The victim somehow made it home. That's where she had a seizure and was taken to the hospital. She said during the beating, the attacker was calling her names and swearing at her.

CAIR, no surprise, got involved.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling for a hate crime investigation after a Muslim woman in Milwaukee said she was beaten. CAIR said the incidents are part of “almost daily” attacks on American Muslims and other minority groups nationwide in recent months.

Yesterday, Mark Belling reported that the police investigation of the incident did not reveal the attack to be a hate crime.

Last month, Belling had discovered in his discussions with police that the woman didn't report the incident to the police until many hours after she said it occurred, even though she was injured. Strange. She said the attack occurred at a very busy intersection. So, why weren't there many witnesses? Also, the police said the woman went to the hospital for a medical matter unrelated to the attack. That wasn't what FOX6 implied. Moreover, Milwaukee police did not take the woman's bloody hijab into evidence.

These odd aspects of the story prompted Belling to call for some aggressive reporting on the incident.

Belling said he contacted reporters that covered the story in April, Myra Sanchick from FOX6 and a reporter from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He suggested that they do follow-ups.

Belling himself checked with Milwaukee police and he said they're "being guarded" about what they're saying related to the incident. The statement he received from Sgt. Tim Gauerke, the public administration officer for the police department, said there have been no arrests in the case, and "based on the victim's statements, the police department does not believe that the victim's religion had anything to do with the incident."

Milwaukee police do not believe this was a hate crime.

Since the story made national news, it certainly should be reported that this horrible hate crime that happened on Milwaukee's south side was not a hate crime. The original reporting sold a narrative that didn't match reality.

This should be big news. It should at least get as much attention as the story received initially.

Apparently, the hate crime was newsworthy, but it's not newsworthy to correct the report when police determine that a hate crime did not occur.

What is the point of journalism?

Is it to inform the public of the truth?

Was the truth in this case something the media preferred to ignore after it turned out to be other than a hate crime?

It's good news that a woman was not attacked on a Milwaukee street because of her religious attire. Mark Belling was the only one to report that.

Peter Feigin: Milwaukee 'Most Segregated, Racist Place' - Belling Interview

Milwaukee Bucks president Peter Feigin has a problem with Milwaukee.

Feigin, a New York City native, gave a stark assessment of Milwaukee last week while speaking to the Rotary Club of Madison, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

“Very bluntly, Milwaukee is the most segregated, racist place I’ve ever experienced in my life," Feigin was quoted as saying. "It just is a place that is antiquated. It is in desperate need of repair and has happened for a long, long time. One of our messages and one of our goals is to lead by example.”

Feigin also said the team was committed to help the city, especially in areas like wellness, education and workforce development.

Milwaukee is the most racist place Feigin has EVER experienced?

I assumed rich Feigin would have been a rather well-traveled individual with a wealth of experiences. Milwaukee stands as the most racist place?

That's odd.

But hey, take the tax dollars of the hard-working people of Milwaukee and then slam them.

Nice.

Feigin is a great ambassador for the city, isn't he?

Let's remember that DEMOCRAT Mayor Tom Barrett has been at the helm of the city since 2004. The city has been in the hands of Democrats and Socialists for more than 100 years.

But don't worry, Milwaukeeans. Barrett says he's "eager" to work with the Bucks on the city's problems.

Barrett said he had a "good conversation" with Peter Feigin Monday, and told him, "I'm happy that you're engaged in trying to improve our community."

The mayor added that work needs to be done to address racial issues in Milwaukee.

"I hope we can change his feelings, but to do that, we've got a lot of work to do," Barrett said. "And I know that, and he knows that."

...Barrett said he believes the Bucks' leaders are committed to working with him to address the city's racial disparities.

"I think anybody who lives here has to be concerned about that, has to be very concerned about that, and I am very concerned about that," Barrett said. "But I also know that in order to change that, you have to have partners. And he and the ownership team seem to be a willing partner."

Oh, my God.

It would have been appropriate for Barrett to defend his constituents and object to the characterization of Milwaukeeans as racist.

Instead, Barrett simply kisses Feigin's ass.

Clearly, Barrett has failed. The DEMOCRATS and SOCIALISTS have failed the city for more than one hundred years.

But Barrett can start to change things because now he has Feigin and the Bucks as partners?

This is pathetic.

Milwaukee is in need of change. It starts with new leadership.

____________________

UPDATE:

On his radio program Tuesday, Mark Belling interviewed Peter Feigin. Belling gave him an opportunity to explain himself, and gave him credit for actually agreeing to go on the air.

That's really the only credit I can give Feigin. He went on the air to address the matter.

He said he didn't mean to make a sweeping statement about the citizens of Milwaukee. OK. But he did. He called us racists and didn't back down.

Feigin said he's an ambassador for the city. Well. He sucks at that. The "antiquated" Milwaukee can do a lot better than Feigin to boost its image.

When Belling asked Feigin to give a specific example of how Milwaukee is racist, he couldn't. Feigin gave a wishy-washy answer, saying it's about "tonality." He also cited the use of racist language. That, of course, is a very individual sort of thing. Feigin didn't say everyone here engages in racist language. Had he said that, he would have been lying.

Sorry, but if that's the best he can do, if that's all he has to assert, "Very bluntly, Milwaukee is the most segregated, racist place I've ever experienced in my life," that's really messed up.

Bottom line: Milwaukee Bucks president Peter Feigin is a Lefty, with all that comes with it, including saying truly hurtful and truly idiotic things.

Fiction.

Christian Schneider and Mark Belling

Conservative columnist Christian Schneider: Time to kill the party of Trump and Priebus, start anew https://t.co/YdDT7s6eh2

— George Stanley (@geostanley) September 22, 2016

Mark Belling positively eviscerates Christian Schneider's most recent Never Trump piece in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Belling takes on Schneider's Never Trump points and dismantles them. No, he crushes them.

On his program yesterday, Belling read Schneider's column, the entire thing.

The opening paragraphs refer to the founding of the Republican Party in Ripon in 1854. Schneider moves from the old party to the new party.

In 2016, the Republican Party nominated a presidential candidate that stands for exactly none of these foundational principles. In fact, Donald Trump will gladly tell anyone with a microphone that his rise to prominence within the party is due to his antagonism towards noncitizen immigrants. In 1854, immigrants fought for their right to vote; in 2016, Trump wants to rip families apart by deporting them altogether. If you’re of the wrong religion, Trump wants to deny you entry altogether.

Further, small government Republicans have been duped into supporting a self-declared strongman who seeks to implement big government policy changes on the force of his personality alone.

Belling interjects, "Nobody's been duped. Everybody's eyes are open here."

I agree.

Schneider goes on and concludes:

For those conscious conservatives who reject both Trump’s government-aggrandizing plans and attempts to drag the party towards European-style white nationalism, there’s a special irony waiting around the corner. Last week, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus threatened Republicans that don’t bow before Trump, hinting that the RNC might penalize future GOP candidates that didn’t offer their endorsement in 2016.

So for those keeping score, the chairman of the party that seeks to prove top-down government doesn’t work is attempting to muscle future local and national candidates into conformity. In a sense, Priebus disproved his own efficacy, becoming a laughingstock among establishment Republicans. “The idea of a greater purpose beyond oneself may be alien to political party bosses like Reince Priebus,” wrote Ohio Gov. John Kasich adviser John Weaver in a statement, “but it is at the center of everything Governor Kasich does.” Kasich is a notable Trump holdout, refusing to even attend a national convention in his home state.

Sadly, the party can no longer tell people “you are as good as I,” as the Republican Party stands in direct opposition to the principles under which it was founded. The party was formed when Alvan Earl Bovay felt his party no longer spoke for him. Now, when the 2016 embarrassment stands adjourned, the party needs another Bovay to kill it and start anew. The new Republican Party is proving why the old Republican Party was so necessary.

Belling offers a succinct analysis.

He says, "This is a load of crap."

Yes, that's exactly what it is.

Belling accurately states, "Donald Trump is not the Republican Party." He explains that Trump is the most prominent Republican, being the presidential nominee, but the Republicans have over 30 governorships, the U.S. House, and the U.S. Senate.

To suggest that Trump is the only Republican that matters is an illogical statement.

Belling points out that "if Trump wins, he doesn't automatically get to do everything he wants." Republicans in the House and Senate can resist bad ideas they disagree with. Of course.

Belling shows how ridiculous it is for Schneider to "act as though that if Trump wins, all of these things will automatically happen and that they will become Republicanism." He correctly explains that there will likely be compromises. Trump's big government proposals, such as his childcare proposal, won't happen.

A further point Belling nails: "Here's the other problem with this illogical column. Oh, my goodness, the Republicans are now going to be a party of big government -- LIKE TRUMP'S THE FIRST ONE EVER TO DO THAT!"

Belling cites past instances of Republicans being responsible for growing the government, like George H.W. Bush's massive tax increase and George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind education program. Big government Republicans are nothing new. Eisenhower and Nixon expanded government. The Republicans have a long history of doing other than advocating and enacting limited government. Belling says it's "absurd" and "laughable" to suggest that Trump is the first to abandon the old GOP principles.

In sum, Trump won't be the end of conservatism if he wins. It's crazy to say that Trump, and Trump alone, has the power to lead the party astray.

Belling says putting a "serial liar" in the White House is not an alternative. A Hillary Clinton presidency and a federal judiciary packed with liberals and a Democrat Congress is not a "minor inconvenience that we can wade our way through."

He rails that Schneider's statements are illogical and based purely on emotion, that the Never Trump people's feelings are hurt because Trump won. They want their party back. They wish they had another candidate as the nominee. Belling yells, "SO DO I!"

The thing is Hillary is not an option. Belling argues that we can survive a Trump presidency but a Hillary Clinton presidency would ensure long-term damage to the country.

He says that Schneider's remark that Republicans planning to vote for Trump have been duped is "insulting and condescending."

It's illogical to enable Hillary to become president. If you're a conservative, a President Trump would be better for America than a President Hillary Clinton.

It's as simple as that.

Belling did a terrific job of illustrating the nonsense of the Never Trump stance. He absolutely nailed it.

David Clarke Interviews Trump - SCHOOL CHOICE

Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke was sitting in for Mark Belling on Thursday.

He talked with Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. They discussed a variety of topics including law enforcement, terrorism, immigration, and school choice.

Listen to the interview here.

Hey, Never Trump people!

Hillary is no school choice advocate. She's an opponent.

Can you admit that Trump is the better candidate when it comes to school choice?

DONALD TRUMP: It's one of the great things we can do for education. And frankly, you'll never see it on the other side, the Democrats. It's one of the great things we can do for our children for education, where you have choice. That means you have competition, and it's been proven to work so many different times. I am totally in favor of choice on education. Some of the greatest people in the world on education have studied it, written about it, and really, I mean closely. It's something that really works. So, I'm for choice.

DAVID CLARKE: Mr. Trump, your opponent, Mrs. Bill Clinton, opposes the voucher program; and that says a lot to me in terms of her character, that she won't allow struggling parents-- She got to send her kid to the best schools. Good for her. President Barack Obama, his two kids go to Sidwell Friends. Good for them. You've sent your kids to good schools. You're the only one though that says, 'Hey, you know what? Other people should be able to get their beak wet, too.' And helping them end this generational poverty. I think that says a lot about your character as well.

Never Trump means having Hillary as president, opponent of school choice.

So much for conservative principles, Never Trumpkins.

Scott Walker Mask and Halloween Express

Dan O'Donnell spotted something disturbing at one of the Halloween Express locations at State Fair Park.

A Scott Walker mask had a bloody knife through its head.



Read O'Donnell's story.

He writes:

A Scott Walker mask (which sells for $9.99) was hung up right behind the checkout counter, with a bloody knife headpiece sticking through it. I did a double-take, not quite believing that one of the region’s biggest Halloween retailers could possibly think that such a provocative, violent political statement would be appropriate to display so prominently in its store.

"It was completely inappropriate," said store owner Jon Majdoch, who added that the display was taken down as soon as it was brought to his attention. "I can pretty much tell you what happened. This is my speculation, but [I think] a customer came to the counter with one of the knives, didn't want to purchase it, and an employee thought it would be funny to put it on the head."

"I'm a very conservative person," Majdoch added. "I'm somebody that has taken 31 employees and made them into owners of businesses. I'm not going to fire somebody over this."

"I also don't think it's as big a deal as it's being made out to be," he said. "I mean, we carry masks in the store that are probably equally offensive to just about everybody if they want to be."

This mask, however, was one of if not the most prominently displayed in the store and, given the many death threats Governor Walker has received after proposing collective bargaining reforms in early 2011, I asked Majdoch whether he believed that his store's display was especially provocative, no matter the reason it was put up.

"I agree, it wasn't in good taste. But I also don't think that it's an end-of-the-world-type situation. I mean, it's in poor taste. People tell jokes that are in poor taste all the time, and people apologize for them. I'm apologizing for it."

It turns out that the knife on the Walker mask remained in place at the Halloween Express more than 30 hours after O'Donnell saw it.

Of course, if an Obama mask or a Hillary mask had a bloody knife headpiece on it then there would be national attention.

When conservatives are the targets, then it's all in good fun, no big deal.

Majdoch called Mark Belling's program yesterday to discuss the matter.

Although he admitted the anti-Walker display was inappropriate and apologized for it, he doesn't know, and doesn't care, which employee was responsible.

Majdoch, claiming to be a Walker supporter, said it was an indefensible display, yet he wasn't going to take any action regarding the matter.

OK.

______________________

Read: Wisconsin Democrats and their "High Speed Fail" bloody anti-Walker bumper sticker

The Rolling Stones - Summerfest 2015

Finally, it's official.

The story Mark Belling broke weeks ago has been confirmed.

The Rolling Stones will be playing in Milwaukee at the Marcus Amphitheater on June 23, 2015.

JUST ANNOUNCED! @RollingStones will kick-off Summerfest 2015 on Tuesday, June 23! Details: http://t.co/e0h6KlqYV2 http://t.co/gwtxDDDts8
— Summerfest (@Summerfest) March 31, 2015

From the Summerfest website:

There's only one way to kick off The World's Largest Music Festival...and that's with The World's Greatest Rock 'n Roll Band, THE ROLLING STONES! That's right, Summerfest welcomes THE ROLLING STONES on Tuesday, June 23rd in the Marcus Amphitheater, (the night before the festival gates open) for the ultimate Kick-Off to Summerfest. There's more! Rolling Stones ticket holders are invited to join in The Official Pre-Party presented by Fiduciary Management, Inc. inside of the South Gate, featuring 2 stages of live entertainment with food and beverages available for purchase, starting at 5:00pm until 7:30pm, before the concert.

Some festivals have opening bands...Summerfest has THE ROLLING STONES! Don't miss Summerfest's Kick-Off Concert with the ROLLING STONES, June 23rd at the Marcus Amphitheater!

This is huge.

From OnMilwaukee.com:

"Signing perhaps the most iconic rock 'n roll band of all time, The Rolling Stones, to kick-off Summerfest a night early is unprecedented and a monumental way to begin Summerfest 2015," stated Don Smiley, President and CEO of Summerfest.

"We jumped at the chance to host The Rolling Stones and feature them in true Milwaukee fashion. There were a variety of key factors to consider, including the multiple day lead time needed to set up the show, which worked seamlessly with our preparations to open The Big Gig. Needless to say, June 23 will be a historic night for Summerfest, music fans and Milwaukee, and we could not be more thrilled!"

The show is part of a 15-city North American tour by legendary British band, that kicks off in May at Petco Park in San Diego and includes stops in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Minneapolis and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, among others. No shows have been announced for Chicago.

With a capacity of around 25,000, the Marcus Amphitheater is by far the smallest venue on the tour.

The group has vowed to perform 1971's landmark "Sticky Fingers" LP in its entirety at each concert.

This is really a small venue for a band like The Stones.

Tickets for the show will go on sale Monday, April 13 at 10 a.m. For more ticket information, visit the Stones' website.

EVERYONE is going to want tickets for this.

The resale value will be astronomical.

If I manage to get tickets, I'll be at the concert.

Let's be honest, this really isn't a Summerfest date. But given that the concert will be only hours before the gates actually open, it's certainly fair to call it the kick-off to the 2015 festival, and the biggest band to ever perform at Summerfest.

Julia Fello, Mark Belling, Janet Hundley, and 'Bimbo'

How do the Leftists in the Milwaukee media respond when legitimate criticism is directed at one of them?

They attack the critic, attempting to divert attention from the significant error made by the journalist, twisting the matter entirely.

It's so ridiculous. It's almost funny.

First, let's examine what Dan Bice, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, has to say about TMJ4 reporter Julia Fello's COMPLETELY INACCURATE claim regarding right-to-work legislation, "If passed, the bill would make Wisconsin the 25th state to ban employees from joining a union or pay union dues."

Bice writes:

Conservative talk show host Mark Belling was upset with a WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) story that bungled its description of "right to work" legislation.

"If passed, the bill would make Wisconsin the 25th state to ban employees from joining a union or pay union dues," reporter Julia Fello wrote on the station's website.

Actually, the bill would do no such thing. Right-to-work laws bar private businesses and unions from reaching labor deals that require workers to pay union fees.

Belling had a ready explanation for Fello's flub.

"She completely mis-described the bill," Belling bellowed during his Thursday show (starting at 14 minutes). "This is a woman who's reporting on the story."

“Do you wonder why people are so mixed up when the bimbos the TV stations send out don’t even know what the bill does?" Belling continued. "It doesn't ban somebody from joining a union. Is that what she thought?"

OK, "bimbo" is a little dated. Still, should Belling be using that term to deride female TV journalists? What's his term du jour for their incompetent male counterparts?

Oh, good grief.

So instead of focusing on the reporter's major error, her inexcusably sloppy reporting and the publishing of flat-out falsehoods on the official website of a major news outlet in southeastern Wisconsin, something that was clearly misleading the public, we're supposed to focus on Mark Belling's critique.

REALLY?

Fello wrote, "If passed, the bill would make Wisconsin the 25th state to ban employees from joining a union or pay union dues."

That is NOT TRUE. This is black and white, totally wrong, not a mtter of interpretation.

That's the story.

Of course, Bice isn't concerned about this stunning falsehood, what he calls a "flub."

FLUB?

What Fello wrote completely mischaracterized the legislation. That's reality. It's bad for her and bad for TMJ4.

Bice goes further than whining about Belling's use of the term "bimbo." But let's talk a little bit about "bimbo" before going there. Some perspective is in order.

At some point, I may have been called a bimbo. I don't recall. But I know I've been called worse. Cyberbully Mike Dawson of Michigan harassed me for YEARS, sending me thousands of comments and emails, calling me things dramatically more disturbing than "bimbo."

For instance, in emails to me, relentless cyberbully Mike Dawson wrote:

"Face it - you're a racist prick/bitch/pig through and through."

"You are evil."

"[Y]es - you really are a pathetic bitch/witch, prick/pig."

Another example, in comments he submitted to this blog, Mike Dawson wrote:

"You're a spineless evil witch/pig/prick."

"Being the racist punk that you are (which is really a combination of attributes associated with pricks and bitches) there is no way you could avoid the smoldering fragrance. You're evil. One does not have the volume and consistency of negative thought as you do and NOT have a problem with 'smell'. Get professional help."

Oh, wait...

Mike Dawson wrote this in an email to me, January 5, 2013:

"You sound like one of the bimbos from Fox News."

I guess I sort of have been called a bimbo.

I have thousands of these creepy messages from Mike Dawson, literally thousands. Granted, this cyberbully, who fully identified himself using a business email address tied to his "wild bird and nature store" in Grand Blanc, didn't make his comments on a popular radio program.

Of course, what Belling says is heard by a huge audience. Accordingly, his words do have greater weight. Still, Belling's "bimbo" is not that offensive. In terms of deriding a female, which seems to be Bice's point, his comment is nothing like Dawson's brutal and twisted words, nothing like his deranged years of bullying and threats and abuse.

In sum, I honestly don't feel "bimbo" is worthy of the coverage Bice provides. I agree it was not a nice comment, but it's something that Fello and her allies should be able to endure without this overwrought reaction.

Sarah Palin didn't crumble in the face of withering attacks, did she?  The Leftists never backed off their "bimbo" narrative.

Back to Bice's article--

He includes other remarks by Belling, digging up past on-air transgressions.

In 2013, Belling apologized for using the term "bitch" when referring to Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic and was suspended nearly a decade earlier for using the ethnic slur "wetback" to refer to illegal Mexican immigrants voting in Wisconsin.

So, it seems Bice is attempting to establish a pattern meant to discredit Belling. It appears he's painting Belling as being disrespectful to women.

Yeah, if that's what Bice is doing, that falls flat.

"Bimbo," while not nice, is not some terrible slur. The attempt to make it so is silly.

Should Belling have dared to utter "bimbo" in relation to Fello and her claim, "If passed, the bill would make Wisconsin the 25th state to ban employees from joining a union or pay union dues"?

It would have been better if he didn't, but let's not turn "bimbo" into something it's not.

Bice concludes his article with this:

On Tuesday, Belling explained that he tried to get an explanation from Fello about her reporting snafu.

"The reporter did not respond to repeated inquiries about why such a story was posted," Belling said. "It is indeed no wonder the public is confused about right to work when TV station airheads don’t understand the bill and mis-report it. I am open to input on what term should be applied to such clueless 'journalists.'"

There you have it. Belling started with "bimbos" and is now opting for "airheads."

But if you have a better term or phrase for "clueless journalists" -- apparently male or female -- Belling is all ears. Send your suggestions to markbelling@clearchannel.com. Make sure you copy me at dbice@jrn.com.

That's a lame stunt. Feuds between media figures are popular I guess. Whatever.

Remember, the real story here should be Fello's report and the fact that the TMJ4 website contained totally misleading, false information.

Now, let's look at an internal email from Janet Hundley, news director at TMJ4, discussing the Fello matter.

Belling obtained the following email, posting it online:

From: Janet Hundley
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Subject: Right-to-Work Reporting by TODAY'S TMJ4
To: Everyone - WTMJ-TV , Everyone -
WTMJ-AM , Everyone - LAKE FM


A radio personality spewed misinformation and called Julia Fello vile derogatory names on-air and this morning a Journal columnist decided to write about it. They are both flat out wrong. Julia Fello did nothing wrong. We do not respond to radio personalities or columnists, but I did want the staff at TODAY'S TMJ4 to understand what really happened.

Julia was in Madison covering the Right-to-Work protests. She wrote a draft script on her iPad in the field for her 3pm live shot and emailed it to the station. That email was posted to our website before it was vetted by a producer or a manager. That should never have happened. Julia has a thorough understanding of the Right-to-Work bill. In her haste to write the script Julia inadvertently left out three word, "ban 'EMPLOYERS FROM REQUIRING' workers to join a union."

We never made an on-air mistake. As soon as we realized there was a mistake online we corrected the story. Julia's on-air reporting was CORRECT every single time she appeared on-air. Every subsequent story was correct on-air and online.

It is disappointing that some people choose to make a career out of making fun of others. I always find it interesting that they can spew anything as fact, right or wrong, while hiding behind a mic or computer screen and people are so willing to believe them. We all work hard every day to earn our viewers trust and we will continue to do that every waking moment.


--
Janet Hundley
News Director
TODAY'S TMJ4
720 East Capitol Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53212
414-967-5319

I'm afraid Hundley doesn't know what a "vile derogatory name" is if she thinks "bimbo" qualifies.

Hundley claims Fello did nothing wrong.

Clearly, that's wrong. Hundley's statement is laughable.

Fello wrote, "If passed, the bill would make Wisconsin the 25th state to ban employees from joining a union or pay union dues."

It is absolutely undeniable that is wrong.

Fello is a big girl. And she's smart, certainly not a bimbo. She's responsible for her alleged omission of the words that would have made the statement that appeared on the TMJ4 website accurate. According to Hundley, Fello wrote in haste. Writing in haste is Fello's fault.

Because her report sent via email was posted online before its proper vetting by a producer or manager, Fello's report contained major inaccuracies. Hundley states that Fello's bizarre missing three words are, therefore, not her fault.

Well, if you say so, Ms. Hundley. But, the fact remains that TMJ4 had "misinformation" on its website.

I find it odd that Hundley makes such a big a deal about the on-air reporting while dismissing TMJ4's online content.  Is the website to be considered unreliable?

Note to Ms. Hundley: The information on your website counts, too.  It counts a lot.

Good for Fello that her reports were "CORRECT every single time she appeared on-air."

Newspapers and TV news outlets have a long history of issuing retractions and corrections. People make mistakes. It happens. There's nothing wrong with acknowledging that.

Why not just admit something very, very wrong was on the TMJ4 website, something that was extremely misleading to the uninformed about the right-to-work bill?

Why not take responsibility for that mistake?

Why not apologize to consumers and give them reason to consider TMJ4 a trustworthy source for news?

That would be the honorable thing to do.  It would be the smart thing to do in terms of maintaining credibility.

Instead, what we get from Bice and Hundley is an effort to shift the emphasis of the story to Mark Belling's "bimbo" remarks. That reveals a disturbing lack of integrity and misplaced accountability.

The real story is TMJ4 had the following falsehood posted as news on its website:

"If passed, the bill would make Wisconsin the 25th state to ban employees from joining a union or pay union dues."

Julia Fello, TMJ4, Right-To-Work

Julia Fello, TMJ4 reporter, doesn't understand the most basic fact about right-to-work legislation. She doesn't know what it is.

I'm sure she has been enlightened by now, but it's disturbing to know that a reporter covering the story was misleading the public.

I don't know the woman. I give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she wasn't intentionally trying to mislead. Unfortunately, that means she was utterly ignorant on right-to-work.

A screen grab, via Mark Belling:



Fello wrote:

MADISON-- Thousands of union supporters are gathering at the state Capitol for the second day in a row to try and put a stop to the right-to-work legislation.

The measure is being considerd by the senate during an extraoridanry session. If passed, the bill would make Wisconsin the 25th state to ban employees from joining a union or pay union dues.

NO!

That's not true at all.

No employees would be banned from joining a union! That is not what the bill does. It's just not.

Employees will simply have the freedom to choose whether or not they want to join a union. They won't be required to be a member.

That's a great thing.

The legislation is very straightforward and easy to understand.

Years ago, as a county employee, I was forced to be a member of AFSCME. I didn't have a choice.

(I STILL will get mailings from the union, as if I'm an active member. It's amazing.)

Julia Fello did a terrible job as a journalist. She's certainly not Brian Williams bad, but she made a big, BIG mistake.

Her credibility and that of TMJ4 News have been damaged. Not good.

Here's a lesson for Fello and anyone she confused, from the MacGiver Institute:

With the legislative debate around right-to-work entering its second week in Wisconsin, the MacIver Institute decided to sit down with experts from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and the Heritage Foundation to discuss the impact of the law. Both explained that the main reason for right-to-work is to guarantee workers the freedom to choose whether or not they want to join a union. But, right-to-work states also see economic benefits of the law like faster jobs growth and higher income.

_____________

UPDATE, March 5, 2015: Julia Fello, Mark Belling, TMJ4 News Director Janet Hundley, and "Bimbo"

Michael Hobbs and the Cut Throat Mob

Michael Hobbs is 18 years old, and charged with second-degree reckless homicide, hit-and-run resulting in death, and operating a vehicle without the owner's consent.


Michael E. Hobbs

Just 18, Hobbs was already convicted for "taking a vehicle without consent," but got off with a stayed sentence.

He got away with his crimes, did it again, and killed a married couple on a Sunday afternoon.

From FOX6 News:

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office charged 18-year-old Michael Hobbs on Thursday, February 26th with multiple criminal counts in connection with a fatal crash that happened near 84th and Wilbur on Sunday, February 22nd.

Hobbs is charged with the following: two (2) counts of second-degree reckless homicide, two (2) counts of hit-and-run resulting in death and one (1) count of operating a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent.

Hobbs made his initial appearance in court on Thursday. He has pleaded not guilty.

According to the criminal complaint, Hobbs admitted to stealing an SUV from an alley near 33rd and National in Milwaukee. The vehicle had been reported stolen on February 19th.

On Sunday, February 22nd, Hobbs said he and a group of people “stopped at Walmart and smoked marijuana before proceeding to 89th and Wilbur to pick up a friend.” Hobbs indicated that Wilbur “looked like a speed spot and he started speeding for fun. When he approached 84th Street, one of the passengers noted that 84th Street was busy so he slowed down.”

After picking up a friend, the complaint says Hobbs drove the SUV back towards 84th Street and sped up again. Data from the vehicle’s airbag control module says the SUV reached a speed of 78 miles-per-hour before Hobbs went through the intersection of 84th and Wilbur without stopping — and slammed into another car. 74-year-old Bernard Hanson and 64-year-old Mary Hanson were inside that vehicle. They died at the scene of the crash.

Hobbs told police he remembers hitting a red car, and then climbing out the window. He then took off running, according to the complaint.

Horrific.

Is there any question that Hobbs is a danger to society?

No. None.

His criminal behavior resulted in the deaths of two people.



From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

An 18-year-old Milwaukee man — on probation for driving a stolen truck last summer — sped up to 80 mph in a stolen SUV before causing a hit-and-run crash that killed a husband and wife, according to a criminal complaint.

Michael E. Hobbs was charged Thursday with two counts of second-degree reckless homicide, two counts of hit-and-run causing death and operating a motor vehicle without owner's consent. His bail was set at $100,000.

The crash occurred at 2:15 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of S. 84th St. and W. Wilbur Ave. when a stolen Chevy Tahoe with several occupants sped past a stop sign and collided with a car on W. Wilbur Ave., according to Milwaukee police.

After the initial crash, the SUV and the car continued eastbound and collided with a third vehicle before coming to a stop. The driver and passenger of the car died in the crash. They were identified by police as Bernard A. Hanson, 74, and his wife, Mary C. Hanson, 64, both of Milwaukee. The couple was killed about a block away from their home.

The driver in the third vehicle, a 66-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries, and her 14-year-old grandson, who was a passenger, was not injured.

The dead victims were just a block away from their home, out driving on a Sunday afternoon.

These innocent people died because Hobbs, after smoking pot, was barreling through an intersection in a stolen Tahoe at nearly eighty miles an hour!

THE LIVES OF BERNARD AND MARY HANSON MATTER!

More from the Journal Sentinel:

Last August, Hobbs was accused of stealing a pickup truck in West Allis. The owner told police his ignition key was in the truck.

Hobbs pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct and operating a vehicle without an owner's consent. In January, Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Timothy Witkowiak sentenced him to nine months in jail, but then stayed the sentence and placed him on one year of probation instead.

Hobbs continued to catch the attention of police.

About two weeks ago, a man reported his teal Dodge Caravan was stolen from Milwaukee's south side. Later that same day, two Milwaukee police officers ran the license plate of a teal van at a gas station and confirmed it was the stolen vehicle.

Two men had already left the van and gone into the gas station's store, so officers approached a woman in the van. She told police she had asked for a ride from work to the mall and her friend, "Sammie," picked her up. She offered to pay for gas. When an officer went into the store, the clerk said the two men slipped out the door when officers were checking the van.

Another officer came to help review gas station surveillance footage. He recognized the two men who left the van as Hobbs and Victor S. Perez, both of whom the officer knew as members of the "Cut Throat Mob," described as a vehicle theft group in a criminal complaint.

Hobbs was charged Feb. 16 with operating a vehicle without the owner's consent, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Less than a week later, prosecutors say, Hobbs was behind the wheel of a stolen SUV and caused a crash that killed two people.

Hobbs, a convicted thug, was allowed by the judicial system and the police to continue to break the law, and kill two people.

MPD officers contacted Mark Belling, pointing out that they are not allowed to pursue stolen vehicles unless they've been involved in a "recent" crime, no chase.

Clearly, this Ed Flynn policy is disastrous.

The word is out. Thugs know they can steal cars with impunity. Thieves have no fear of police because they know they won't be chased by authorities.

A policy that permits this lawlessness and ties the hands of the police is utterly unacceptable.

How many more people will be killed before this policy is changed?

Mayor Tom Barrett should hold a high-profile news conference to express his outrage over the vehicle theft epidemic and its consequences -- the deaths of innocent citizens. (If he already did, I missed it.)

It's crazy to have a policy that promotes crime and emboldens the thugs.

Yes, that's crazy.

The police are being kept from protecting life and property in Milwaukee.

Crazy.
______________

UPDATE: Ed Flynn, with Tom Barrett at his side, addressed the car thefts.

Drivers urged not to leave cars running after fatal crash involving stolen SUV

Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn said Sunday that police would continue to focus on repeat auto theft offenders and which types of cars are most often stolen. But with thieves targeting cars with keys left in the ignitions, "the community has an important part to play, as well," he said.

"And one part is, do not make it so easy for criminal offenders to steal your car. The consequences, literally — as we saw here just last Sunday — can be deadly," Flynn told reporters at S. 84th St. and W. Wilbur Ave., where a husband and wife were killed a week earlier in a hit-and-run crash.

...One day last week, 22 cars were reported stolen to Milwaukee police and 20 had the keys left in them, Flynn said Sunday, joined by Mayor Tom Barrett.

Flynn also called for tough consequences for auto thieves, especially more lock-ups for repeat juvenile offenders.

"We can keep making the arrests. But this behavior is going to continue until there are sanctions, and there simply must be secure placement facilities for high-rate offenders," Flynn said.

The message:

1. Don't leave your car running and unattended.

2. There needs to be "sanctions" and "secure placement facilities for high-rate offenders."

According to this Journal Sentinel article, it appears the MPD policy of not pursuing stolen vehicles was not addressed in this meeting with reporters.

That's an important part of the story that must be addressed.