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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
"City of Racine and Mayor named in Federal Lawsuit"
From RacineUncovered:
"Updated-The City of Racine Deputy City Attorney has issued a press release this morning at 10:26 a.m. The City of Racine has been informed that a civil Complaint has been filed today in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin naming the City and several of its officials and employees. As of this time, the City has not been served with the Complaint. The City of Racine denies that it illegally discriminated against any person or business. The City of Racine has no further comment at this time.
SCOTT R. LETTENEY,
Deputy City Attorney
"Original- Eight people who once owned bars in Racine have filed a civil lawsuit accusing the mayor and other city officials of discriminating against them and forcing their businesses to close along with allegations of bribery, illegal campaign donations and fraud against current Mayor John Dickert."
Read more: http://racineuncovered.org/2014/02/city-of-racine-and-mayor-named-in-federal-lawsuit/
Related: http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/minority-bar-owners-say-racine-conspired-to-put-them-out-of-business-b99214057z1-247254231.html
http://racineexposed.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/meet-the-defendants/
http://racinecommunitymedia.tumblr.com/post/77911657224/massive-federal-lawsuit-alleging-illegal-campaign
http://www.jrn.com/tmj4/news/Former-Racine-business-owners-sue-city-officials-247258401.html
http://www.wisn.com/news/south-east-wisconsin/racine-kenosha/city-of-racine-sued-by-black-tavern-owners/24681198
http://journaltimes.com/news/local/former-bar-owners-sue-city-claiming-discrimination-conspiracy-officials-deny/article_c46dd4e6-9ef7-11e3-90e6-001a4bcf887a.html
http://fox6now.com/2014/02/26/minority-business-owners-file-federal-lawsuit-against-racine/
http://www.cbs58.com/news/local-news/Federal-lawsuit-filed-in-Racine-claiming-racism-247353161.html
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Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof. The allegations in the complaint are extraordinary. Do the Plaintiffs have the proof to prevail?
41. Members of the Tavern League, including Defendants LeGath and Nicholson, were instrumental in raising money for Dickert’s campaign. Several Tavern League members, including LeGath and Nicholson, contributed large amounts of money to the campaign. The money was collected from the Tavern League members by Dickert’s campaign staff and volunteers, including Defendants Osterman and Bach. The cash amounts routinely exceeded the cash limits for individuals, as well as the total contribution limits for individuals. With the full knowledge and consent of Dickert, the Tavern League money was fraudulently reported in campaign finance reports by Dickert’s campaign staff, including his treasurer, Defendant Jerger. The fraudulent reporting was known to the core members of the campaign, including Defendants Osterman and Bach. The bribe monies were deposited in the bank account of Dickert’s campaign organization, “The Friends of Dickert.” In exchange for their financial support, Dickert appointed many of the Tavern League contributors to powerful positions within the municipal government and awarded other contributors with City-funded business.
42. Dickert also received housands of dollars in personal loans that were deposited into his personal bank account. The personal loans, which came from sources including a family member living outside the State of Wisconsin and a member of Dickert’s campaign staff, were elicited for the purpose of circumventing the maximum allowable campaign contributions. Dickert then used the proceeds to write checks to his campaign under the guise that they were coming from a personal loan Dickert made to his own campaign fund. With the full knowledge and consent of Dickert, the loans were then fraudulently reported by Dickert’s campaign staff on campaign finance reports, as the true identities of the donors were never revealed. The fraudulent loan monies were deposited in the bank account of Dickert’s campaign organization, “The Friends of Dickert.”
43. After becoming Mayor in 2009, Dickert, and other Defendants on his behalf, continued to accept bribes from Tavern League members and other businesses in Racine.
Dickert and other Defendants continued to fraudulently report the monies on campaign finance reports and then deposit the monies into the campaign’s bank account. These practices continued up to and after the 2011 re-election campaign for Dickert, and likely continue to date.
44. In return for the Tavern League’s legal and illegal financial contributions, Dickert conspired with Alderpersons, Police Department officials, the Downtown Racine Corporation, BID #1 Board members, and business and property owners to prevent minority bar owners from obtaining and/or maintaining their liquor licenses and to ensure white Tavern League members kept their respective liquor licenses. Once these licenses were revoked or surrendered by the minority bar owners, the licenses became available to the white members of the Tavern League. This quid pro quo relationship between Dickert and the Tavern League benefited Dickert in that it furthered his campaign promise of “revitalizing” and “cleaning up” the downtown area and secured him financial support. Meanwhile, the white Tavern League members were not only protected from Police Department and Licensing Committee scrutiny, but also gained access to the limited number of liquor licenses available in Racine. The Defendant Aldermen, in turn, claimed a “tough on crime” stance with their respective constituents, and the white-owned business and property owners represented by the Downtown Racine Corporation financially benefited by maintaining control of what businesses could or could not operate in downtown Racine.
59. Many of the calls to the Police Department reporting incidents in or around minority-owned bars were made by “anonymous” callers and/or by tenants, business owners, and property owners in the areas around the minority-owned bars. Many of these callers were motivated by rent reductions, financial gain, and/or racism. Many of these callers were working directly with the Downtown Racine Corporation, BID #1 Board members, Aldermen, and City officials to flood the Police Department with calls concerning the minority-owned bars and their minority patrons. These often “bogus” calls provided a convenient excuse for the Police Department to respond to the minority-owned bars and to provide a paper trail for subsequent
referrals, complaints, and proceedings before the Licensing Committee. The Police Department often used the “bogus” calls to inflate and exaggerate reports of its calls for service to minorityowned bars. These reports were routinely provided to the Licensing Committee for its use in
proceedings against the minority-owned bars. Conversely, in many instances the Police Department calls for service to white-owned bars for the same or similar complaints were downplayed, never reported, or never referred to the Licensing Committee.
60. The Downtown Racine Corporation would also provide reports to the Licensing Committee concerning incidents in the downtown area. Many of the reports came through Metro Security, a company under contract with the Downtown Racine Corporation to supplement security for businesses in the downtown area. The Downtown Racine Corporation would review the Metro Security reports and selectively send those that could be used against a minorityowned
bar to the Licensing Committee.
61. Further, the Downtown Racine Corporation purchased surveillance cameras to be installed downtown in what the Downtown Racine Corporation, Police Department, Licensing Committee, and City officials considered to be “problem” areas. These fixed cameras were installed in the 500 Block of 6th Street so as to point directly at the areas in front of and adjacent to minority-owned bars. None were installed to view the white-owned bars on 6th Street. The installed cameras were linked directly to City Hall for easy access and viewing by City officials and the Licensing Committee.
69. On October 5, 2006, the Police Department responded to a complaint at the City Hall Lounge, located at 835 Washington Avenue. Twenty-one people were arrested for underage drinking. Three guns were confiscated and seven other criminal arrests were made. The owner of the bar is white and his patrons were predominately white. The owner was subsequently called before the Licensing Committee. He blamed the incident on security guards who let the minors into the tavern. When asked for their names, the owner could not provide the information. The matter was not sent to a due process hearing. Instead, negotiations with the
City Attorney ensued. The matter was received and filed by the Licensing Committee and no further action was taken.
74. On January 9, 2010, a fight inside Joey’s On Lathrop located at 2054 Lathrop Avenue spilled outside. The owner of Joey’s, Defendant LeGath, is white and member of the Tavern League. The bar was, and still is, predominantly frequented by white patrons. Multiple gun shots were fired. A nearby McDonald’s Restaurant, an office building, and Family Video were hit with bullets. The bar was never called before the Licensing Committee for the incident.
75. On July 10, 2010, as a patron left Pepi’s Bar located at 618 6th Street, two gun shots were fired in the front of the bar. A patron of Pepi’s was hit by the gun shots in an arm and stomach. The Police Department called the shooting an accident and the incident was not reflected on the bar’s history report. The owner of Pepi’s is white and a member of the Tavern League. The patrons of the bar were, and still are, predominantly white. Pepi’s was not called to appear before the Licensing Committee.
76. On February 25, 2011, Metro Security responded to crowd incidents and an assault at Ivanhoe’s Pub & Eatery. The owner of Ivanhoe’s, Defendant Nicholson is white and a member of the Tavern League. The bar was, and still is, predominantly frequented by white patrons. Ivanhoe’s was never brought to the Licensing Committee for the incident.
79. On April 19, 2012, at 1:05 a.m., Metro Security reported that the Police Department was called to Envi at 316 Main St. for a fight involving five to six people. The owner of Envi, Defendant Nicholson, is white and member of the Tavern League. The bar was, and still is, predominantly frequented by white patrons. Five police squads reported to the area to look for a suspect. After ten to fifteen minutes, the police left the area. Metro officers heard a police officer advise dispatch that the location of the call should be referred to generically as the “300 block of Main Street” as to avoid having it linked directly to Envi. The matter was never brought before the Licensing Committee.
80. On August 11, 2012, at approximately 12:30 a.m., multiple gun shots were fired in the direction of Kenny’s. Multiple cars were hit by gunfire and one person was shot in the arm. Witnesses in the bar said they saw and heard “shots flying.” The shooting does not appear on police reports or on the bar’s history report. The incident was never referred to the Licensing Committee.
88. Once all of the minority-owned bars in downtown Racine lost their Class B liquor licenses and went out of business, minority patrons began frequenting white-owned bars in the downtown area. The City is now targeting those bars, such as Bar 525 and Blue Rock. On several recent occasions, Defendant Nicholson has gone into Bar 525 to tell the owners how to discourage minorities from coming to the bar. Bar 525 and Blue Rock are both within a block from the newly announced multi-million dollar Porter’s of Racine development.
*WOW* That is just some choice selections from the 50 page report.
In addition, the LeGaths, Nicholsons and Ostermans sit on Board and Committees. They are owners of chains of bars and businesses, and direct how taxpayer funds are spent, as well as being direct beneficiaries of the money.
There is also a LeGath on the Racine Police Department - are they related?
The allegations, if true, demand criminal investigations! However, it definitely needs to be at the Federal level. I believe that corruption begins at the County level.
It is also time to revisit the question of the gambling machines and strip card games that are allowed at Wisconsin Bars. Everybody knows these pay out - illegally. This money is not reported and it is also used to fund political campaigns. It is corrupting Politicians, Law Enforcement Personnel, and District Attorneys. It is influencing elections - and is WRONG!
It is time to clean up Racine from the County to the City and for the State of Wisconsin to end the practice of turning a blind eye to illegal gambling in bars.
Who is going to be sporting blaze orange soon? The Feds will be playing for keeps.
This is Civil - not Criminal - at least not yet.
I transcribed Thomas Holmes speech before Mayor John Dickert and the Common Council:
Jan 15, 2013, Thomas Holmes addresses The City of Racine Common Council.
Hello. My name is Thomas Holmes, the owner of Park 6. I’m here to request my license back. I want them back, because they were taken from me, where are my license? On October 10, 2012, The Wisconsin State Court of Appeals ruled that The City of Racine had no jurisdiction to proceed or start an action of due process against my license or business. They also said my rights were violated when you hired a prosecutor to represent then Chief of Police Kurt Whalen, by using taxpayer dollars. The Court even deemed Mr. Whalen to be “untrustworthy”. Why? Because as a citizen he had access to City and Police in house records. I want my license back because you are here today to vote on a recommendation by your License Committee to allow the most troublesome and nuisance bar in Racine to change its agent to regain a clean start, and that agent is the current Manager of this bar, called “All Sports”. I have here in my hand, Police and History reports on “All Sports” from 2011 to current. I advise everyone in TV land to go to City Hall and request “All Sports” history reports, Mine, and “The Place on Sixth”. There is no way that any Black or minority owned bar can have these many problems or complaints over this short a time , not to mention long period of time, and remain open. Not to mention the most current fight on January 7, whereby a man is currently in jail charged with attempted murder. Case still open, and pending. And your License Committee voted without pursing any side agreement or sanctions to allow “All Sports” to just change its name and agent and remain open? That’s a slap in the face. Remember this, because I will. I don’t take slaps too well. And neither should our Community. When you sent me a letter of complaint against my establishment you told me I couldn’t change agents or transfer my license. I smell double standard. Anyone who votes to uphold the License Committee recommendation is part of the problem and not the solution. This system is evil and corrupt. And we’re going to stand up against you. You’ll see. From the words of Dr. King, how befitting, it’s his Birthday, Going to stand up until Justice roll in like a mighty rush of wind. I want my license back. Thank you.
The party is over, Lying John. The fed's will kick *ss, take names.
Hopefully it's only the beginning
"Racketeering, due process violations alleged in lawsuit" - http://journaltimes.com/news/local/racketeering-due-process-violations-alleged-in-lawsuit/article_68afac04-9f62-11e3-8610-001a4bcf887a.html
Great job Mary Osterman!!! LMFAO Your such an honest person! LMFAO
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