Milwaukee, WI
Judge Hannah Dugan’s clerk reprimanded for calling ICE agent a ‘fascist’
Dugan’s clerk on his testimony and calling an ICE agent a ‘fascist’
After his testimony, Alan Freed, Judge Hannah Dugan’s clerk, voices his opinion about calling an ICE agent a “fascist” and what he thinks of Trump administration.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan’s clerk, who called a federal immigration agent “a fascist” outside a courtroom, was reprimanded for the comment.
Alan Freed testified at Dugan’s federal obstruction trial that he told Dugan the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were in the hallway outside her courtroom on April 18.
Freed testified he went into the public hallway and called one of the agents a “fascist.”
The agents were in the hallway outside of Dugan’s courtroom to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was wanted for illegally re-entering the U.S. after being previously deported.
In a split verdict, a jury found Dugan guilty of felony obstruction of agents, but not guilty of trying to hide the suspect, a misdemeanor.
Dugan’s defense team is seeking to overturn the jury verdict and will file motions by late January with U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman.
Milwaukee County Clerk of Courts Anna Hodges said she couldn’t provide specifics about the situation with Freed because it is a personnel matter. But she added it is impermissible, under state Supreme Court rules, for court staff like Freed to express personal opinions on the job.
Clerks are key employee for judges, calling cases, determining available dates for next hearings and answering questions when the judge is not on the bench.
“People have their own personal opinions, but we need to be professional and appropriate in the courtroom setting,” she said. “Our job is to be impartial.”
Radio host Mark Belling first reported on Hodge’s concern about Freed’s conduct.
Hodges said her staff, including Freed, are well aware of the state Supreme Court rules on decorum because of required trainings.
In an interview, Freed said he is retiring Jan. 2, but said it was planned and unrelated to his reprimand. He is 70.
Freed said he received the “lowest level of write-up” for what he said on April 18. He said he didn’t back down when it was delivered, and added that it was his first reprimand in seven years as a clerk.
“I said, ‘I stand by my comments, and it’s political speech, and that’s that,’” Freed said.
Freed said the reprimand came before he testified. He said his supervisor approached him again after his testimony, but didn’t give him an additional write-up, because it was for the same thing, he said.
Freed said he was told by his supervisor that “language like that isn’t appropriate, especially in the public hallway, as you’re an employee of the county, and it doesn’t show good judgment.”
“I said, ‘It was on the spur of the moment, and a lot of us were outraged at what was going on. And I stand by my words.’”
Freed said he wasn’t aware of rules around decorum for court clerks.
“I’m not aware of that, but maybe (Hodges) has got some document but she hasn’t shared it with me,” said Freed, who was a disability rights lawyer before he became a court clerk.
Asked if he would have done anything differently on April 18, Freed said he may have tried to convince Dugan not to take Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out of an employee-only door into a private hallway.
At trial, Freed testified he had never seen a defendant use that door in thousands of cases. Dugan guiding the pair into that private hallway was a key part of the case.
“I might have spoken out and encouraged the judge not to do what she did, but you know, that’s her call,” Freed said. “It’s ultimately her courtroom.”
WISCONSIN – Severe storms moved through southeastern Wisconsin on Thursday night, June 11, leaving damage behind in Kenosha and the Town of Burlington.
Tornado touchdown?
What we know:
In Kenosha County, a DOT camera captured a tornado-warned storm moving quickly east over I-94. Traffic appeared to slow as the storm crossed over the freeway.
The National Weather Service reported an observed tornado touchdown in the area. The agency is expected to confirm storm damage in the following days.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
In the Town of Paris, County Highway 142 was blocked near 136th Avenue because of downed power lines. The road was also blocked farther west near County Highway MB South, also known as 152nd Avenue.
Scattered damage
What they’re saying:
Homeowners in the area described intense winds and scattered damage. Trees were ripped up from the roots, aluminum flagpoles were bent close to the ground and a trailer near the Uline facility appeared to have been tipped over.
“The wind picked up real, pretty strong, and it only lasted like 30 seconds,” resident Mark Wisnefski said. “You know, whew, it went through and it was gone. But I see there’s a trailer tipped over in the lot.”
COMPLETE COVERAGE: Live blog tracks severe weather through southeast Wisconsin
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office said County Highway 142 was expected to remain closed for some time because of extensive damage and downed power lines.
Burlington severe weather
Dig deeper:
Storm damage was also reported in Burlington, where a large tree blocked a road and knocked down power lines. About four homes were impacted, according to Burlington Fire Chief Bill Vrchota.
No injuries were reported.
The fire chief said crews responded to several downed trees.
“Rough estimates initially are anywhere from about a half a dozen to a dozen,” Vrchota said. “I did talk to our DPW head and we wanted to make sure that we addressed all the road closures we need to and that’s the number that he had given me and what I have talked to the Sheriff’s Department about.”
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Officials reminded people to stay away from downed power lines because they could still be energized.
Racine during the storm, courtesy of Loki Lott
Burlington neighbors described hearing a loud boom as the storm moved through. One person compared the sound to a car bomb and described the rain coming in as a wall of water.
Crews were working Thursday night to clear damage and restore power.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: Live blog tracks severe weather through southeast Wisconsin
The Source: FOX6 News had crews on the scene of severe weather throughout south-east Wisconsin.
The City of Milwaukee announced June 10 that police and the District Attorney’s Office achieved an 84% conviction rate actively litigated first-offense reckless driving charges in 2025, up from 15% in 2023.
Milwaukee City Attorney Evan Goyke said the city’s coordinated reckless driving enforcement policies announced in October 2024 have drastically improved prosecution outcomes for first-offense reckless driving cases in Milwaukee Municipal Court.
In addition, the rate at which reckless driving charges were reduced or amended dropped from 65% in 2023 to zero in 2025.
Goyke said he made a commitment when he took office in April 2024 to make the City Attorney’s Office a more effective prosecutor of reckless driving.
“These numbers are the proof,” Goyke said in the news release. “We stopped plea bargaining reckless driving charges. We are taking cases to trial. We are achieving convictions, and now repeat reckless drivers in Milwaukee know that a second offense can mean criminal prosecution. That is a real consequence, and it is working.”
The city pointed to a decline in traffic fatalities, which fell from 74 in 2023 to 55 in 2025.
Before the new policy was put in place, 65% of actively litigated reckless driving cases in Milwaukee Municipal Court ended in a reduced or amended charge in 2023. Only 15% resulted in a conviction on the original reckless driving charge.
Repeat offenders faced limited consequences because penalty enhancements required prior convictions rather than citations. In 2023, the Wisconsin Legislature amended state statutes to create criminal penalties for second and subsequent reckless driving violations. These penalties include fines of up to $1,000 and up to one year in county jail.
In October 2024, the City Attorney’s Office formalized a coordinated enforcement agreement with the Milwaukee Police Department and the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. Under the agreement, MPD issues citations for all provable reckless driving behavior, the City Attorney’s Office does not reduce or dismiss charges in provable cases, and the District Attorney’s Office takes on second and subsequent offenses as criminal matters under the amended statute.
The City Attorney’s Office also invested in training and worked with MPD officers on the evidentiary standards required to make reckless driving cases provable in court. According to Goyke, the approach ensures every reckless driving case receives enhanced review before prosecution.
Goyke said the progress would not be possible without the partnership of prosecutors, police officers and staff working in Milwaukee Municipal Court every day to hold those cited for reckless driving violations accountable.
“Reckless driving is a complex problem. Road design matters. Education matters. Community investment matters. But enforcement and prosecution are the piece of this puzzle that belongs to us, and we are committed to doing that piece at the highest level.”
Adrienne Davis is a south suburban reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Got any tips or stories to share? Contact Adrienne at amdavis@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @AdriReportss.
Every week, the Milwaukee Music Premiere sponsored by Density Studios connects the city’s artists with our listening audience. If you’re an artist with a track you’d like us to debut exclusively on Radio Milwaukee, head over to our Music Submission page to learn how.
Today’s premiere provides a great lesson for bands looking to grab someone’s attention about a new track before they even get a chance to listen. In short, it never hurts to include a line like the one supplied to us by Wisconsin Space Program:
“This song was inspired by Austin Powers cutscenes.”
Brilliant.
Befitting the International Man of Mystery, Wisconsin Space Program provided no further explanation or context, leaving us listeners to make our own connection while enjoying “Time Machine” as it debuts here.
The title of the track jives nicely with a band that jumps around the musical timeline, from sunny to psych to stoner. This particular song leans a little heavier, both in the bold guitar riffs and the major frustration bursting from the lyrics:
I don’t wanna hear any of that noise
That cookie-cutter dopamine
I don’t wanna see your pretty face
I need a break from the fake routine
And I don’t wanna think about anything
I just want my time machine
I don’t wanna stare at a little screen
I just want my time machine
The group’s bassist/vocalist Sean Anderson explained further:
“I feel like, growing up, we were fed the idea that the future would be this utopia where technology would be fun and exciting and improve our lives. Now, we’re living in the future, and it sucks. We were promised hoverboards and jet packs when we were kids, and instead we have AI data centers and the ‘doom scroll.’ I just want my time machine. I want to drift silently through the cosmos and block out the noise — maybe go back and ride a dinosaur.’
The song “Time Machine” is a bit of a time machine in and of itself, in that the track was originally supposed to land on Wisconsin Space Program’s debut album, Sun in Your Hands, last June. But the physical limitations of vinyl forced the group to back-pocket it until right now.
Enjoy the delayed gratification by hitting the “Listen” button at the top of the page, or you can catch “Time Machine” playing on 88Nine throughout today (6:30 and 10:30 am.; 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.). Wisconsin Space Program will also be live and in person at Humboldt Park’s Chill on the Hill on June 23.
-
Los Angeles, Ca1 hour agoFire breaks out under roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoMayor Sheffield absent from People Mover board during alleged wrongdoing
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoDay Around the Bay: All BART Stations In San Francisco Now Have Free Wi-Fi
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoReunion Tower debuts World Cup light show as Dallas welcomes fans
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoNew England restaurants adding gratuity to bills during World Cup
-
Denver, CO2 hours ago1 transported after e-bike crash on I-70 in Denver
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoWEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Street robbery reported north of Morgan Junction
-
San Diego, CA2 hours agoSan Diego Fire-Rescue Foundation prepared to step up support amid budget concerns
