By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
March 2, 2018
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, a candidate for the Milwaukee County Supervisor 12th District filed an amended supplement complaint with the Milwaukee County Ethics Board alleging that Supervisor Peggy West, who is the Chairperson of the Finance Committee and running for re-election accepted a campaign donation from a County contractor in violation of Milwaukee County Ethics Code 9.05(2) (k) & (l). The Milwaukee County Election Commission reported that Supervisor West representing the 12th District in the Southside received $500 from Sally Sprenger who operates ANEW Health Care Services, which has a contract with Milwaukee County to provide services to County residents. The donation that West reported in her finance report for the January 18, 2018 period is in direct violation of Milwaukee County Ethics Code. The Ethic Codes were enacted to prevent corruption and favoring certain contractors who donate campaign donations to County public officials.
On Wednesday, Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, candidate for the Milwaukee County Supervisor 12th District filed multiple affidavits with the Milwaukee County Ethics Board in a complaint alleging that Supervisor West actually didn't circulate multiple nomination papers to get on the April 3rd Spring Election Ballot. The Milwaukee County Ethics Board will send a copy of the filed complaint to the Wisconsin Ethics Commission in Madison and the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office for review to investigate whether Supervisor West fraudulently filed some nomination papers in question that she certified as circulating the papers and collected each signature, which multiple signers in affidavits have claimed she did not.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office (MCDAO) has at least 10 days to notify Ortiz-Velez, if the MCDAO will review the complaint or have another County district attorney's office review the complaint. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm has endorsed West.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office (MCDAO) has at least 10 days to notify Ortiz-Velez, if the MCDAO will review the complaint or have another County district attorney's office review the complaint. Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm has endorsed West.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice would be the last option to investigate the complaint filed by Ortiz-Velez, if the MCDAO and other county district attorney offices won't review the complaint due to any conflict of interest.
According to the filed complaint, in January, Ortiz-Velez, who is challenging West in the Spring Election noticed discrepancies in West's certified nomination papers and sent an email to Stephanie L. Hunnicutt, Personnel Review Board and Ethics Board Administrator and the Milwaukee County Election Commission detailing the discrepancies and requesting an investigation. Ortiz-Velez at the time couldn't verify the alleged discrepencies, but later was able to get multiple signed and notarized affidavits from West's nomination paper signers indicating Supervisor West didn't circulate the papers, but other unidentified persons did and didn't sign the nomination papers as the person circulating them as required by state law.
According to the filed complaint, in January, Ortiz-Velez, who is challenging West in the Spring Election noticed discrepancies in West's certified nomination papers and sent an email to Stephanie L. Hunnicutt, Personnel Review Board and Ethics Board Administrator and the Milwaukee County Election Commission detailing the discrepancies and requesting an investigation. Ortiz-Velez at the time couldn't verify the alleged discrepencies, but later was able to get multiple signed and notarized affidavits from West's nomination paper signers indicating Supervisor West didn't circulate the papers, but other unidentified persons did and didn't sign the nomination papers as the person circulating them as required by state law.
The discrepancies happened at several locations in the 12th Milwaukee County Supervisor District including at the 1800 block of W. Becher Street and at the 500 block of S. Layton Blvd., according to the Ortiz-Velez complaint.
One of the signers in an affidavit confirmed that the person that circulated West's nomination paper was an "African woman who was thin and young accompanied by a male." Other signers (OS) confirmed the person circulating West's nomination papers "was thin and Caucasian" and OS described the person circulating papers having black hair and also spoked fleunt Spanish, but Supervisor West signed and certified that she collected each signature in the nomination papers in question.
Supervisor West posted the following statement on her Friends of Milw. County Supervisor Peggy West, District 12, "For the record specifically at the address 1800 W. Becher, I did pass nomination papers at that location in addition, at that location, I had NO one African American passing papers, I also had no one Caucasian passing papers. I can and did speak to several residents there in Spanish...1800 W. Becher St is a Senior and disabled apartment complex as were at least 3 other addresses I used to collect signatures. It is very possible that residents don't clearly remember who came to their door to get their signature..."
Supervisor West posted the following statement on her Friends of Milw. County Supervisor Peggy West, District 12, "For the record specifically at the address 1800 W. Becher, I did pass nomination papers at that location in addition, at that location, I had NO one African American passing papers, I also had no one Caucasian passing papers. I can and did speak to several residents there in Spanish...1800 W. Becher St is a Senior and disabled apartment complex as were at least 3 other addresses I used to collect signatures. It is very possible that residents don't clearly remember who came to their door to get their signature..."
If in fact, Supervisor West didn't actually circulate the nomination papers that are in question, she wouldn't have had enough signatures to get on the ballot.
According to Wisconsin Statue 12.13 (13) (a), falsifying nomination papers by certification is considered a felony punishable up to 3 years and six months in prison with fines up to $10,000.
The Ethics Board only investigate violations that have not expired under statues of limitations when a complaint is filed, which certainly shows that West violated Ethics Codes by accepting campaign donations from a contractor and got away simply because it wasn't reported at the time, since the time limit to file a complaint expired.
According to Wisconsin Statue 12.13 (13) (a), falsifying nomination papers by certification is considered a felony punishable up to 3 years and six months in prison with fines up to $10,000.
Update:
The Milwaukee County Ethics Board hasn't determined, if Supervisor Peggy West recently violated any Ethics Codes by accepting campaign donations from a County contractor as alleged by an amended supplement complaint filed by Sylvia Ortiz-Velez who is challenging West in the April 3rd election.
Supervisor Peggy West posted the following statement on her personal Facebook (FB) page dated 3/12/2018 and says, the "Ethics Violation" allegation is false. West says, that the contractor in question, "is NOT and HAS not been a county contractor for more than 2 years because the department she allegedly has a contract with is no longer under Milwaukee County Government and has become its own entity."
The following is West's personal FB account posted statement:
This will be the last time that I justify accusations leveled at me however, as a candidate perhaps I am fair game for my name to be drug through the mud, however my supporters are not and should not be.
There is allegedly an ethics complaint which has been filed against me for accepting a campaign contribution from a County "contractor".
This "Ethics Violation" allegation is false.
1. This person is NOT and HAS not been a county contractor for more than 2 years because the department she allegedly has a contract with is no longer under Milwaukee County Government and has become its own entity.
2. It is NOT a violation of county ethics code to accept a donation from county contractors. This is written in our Ethics Code & very easy to check.
Ways this ALLEGATION could have been checked;):
1. On the county website under Ethics Code you can find a full write up of it.
2. Call the Ethics Committee to ask.
3. Call the Contractor in question and ask if they have contracts with Milwaukee County or check their website. (I did both).
The Milwaukee County Ethics Board did recently learn that Supervisor West did accept campaign donations by a contractor with the County as reported.
The Milwaukee County Ethics Board hasn't determined, if Supervisor Peggy West recently violated any Ethics Codes by accepting campaign donations from a County contractor as alleged by an amended supplement complaint filed by Sylvia Ortiz-Velez who is challenging West in the April 3rd election.
Supervisor Peggy West posted the following statement on her personal Facebook (FB) page dated 3/12/2018 and says, the "Ethics Violation" allegation is false. West says, that the contractor in question, "is NOT and HAS not been a county contractor for more than 2 years because the department she allegedly has a contract with is no longer under Milwaukee County Government and has become its own entity."
The following is West's personal FB account posted statement:
This will be the last time that I justify accusations leveled at me however, as a candidate perhaps I am fair game for my name to be drug through the mud, however my supporters are not and should not be.
There is allegedly an ethics complaint which has been filed against me for accepting a campaign contribution from a County "contractor".
This "Ethics Violation" allegation is false.
1. This person is NOT and HAS not been a county contractor for more than 2 years because the department she allegedly has a contract with is no longer under Milwaukee County Government and has become its own entity.
2. It is NOT a violation of county ethics code to accept a donation from county contractors. This is written in our Ethics Code & very easy to check.
Ways this ALLEGATION could have been checked;):
1. On the county website under Ethics Code you can find a full write up of it.
2. Call the Ethics Committee to ask.
3. Call the Contractor in question and ask if they have contracts with Milwaukee County or check their website. (I did both).
The Milwaukee County Ethics Board did recently learn that Supervisor West did accept campaign donations by a contractor with the County as reported.
Supervisor West is currently Chairwoman of the Finance & Audit Committee and is a member of the Judiciary, Safety & General Services Committee, according to the Milwaukee County Board website.
Supervisor West has received more than $2K since 2011 from Sally and Gary Sprenger who operate ANEW Health Care Services, according to Blogging Blue dot com. The Ethics Board only investigate violations that have not expired under statues of limitations when a complaint is filed, which certainly shows that West violated Ethics Codes by accepting campaign donations from a contractor and got away simply because it wasn't reported at the time, since the time limit to file a complaint expired.
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