Milwaukee, WI
Trump refers to Milwaukee as 'horrible' just before the city hosts the Republican convention
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump used the word “horrible” in talking about Milwaukee — the city where he will accept the Republican nomination next month — during a closed-door meeting Thursday with GOP congressmen, according to several people in the room who spoke afterward.
The comment, first reported by Punchbowl News while the meeting was in progress, immediately drew disagreements from those there about what Trump meant.
Several congressmen who support Trump and attended the meeting argued he was referring to crime and voter fraud. Trump frequently denounces Democratic-led cities as unsafe — even as violent crime decreased nationally in the most recent FBI statistics — and repeats falsehoods about his loss in the 2020 election.
President Joe Biden’s campaign and his Democratic allies pounced on the reported remark even as Wisconsin Republicans contested how it was being interpreted. Biden posted a photo on the X social platform of himself greeting the Milwaukee Bucks after their 2021 NBA championship with the message: “I happen to love Milwaukee.”
Milwaukee is hosting the Republican National Convention starting July 15 and is the largest Democratic stronghold in swing-state Wisconsin.
Trump is scheduled to be in Racine, Wisconsin, for a campaign rally on Tuesday, just three weeks before heading to Milwaukee for the convention.
What to know about the 2024 Election
Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung posted on X that Trump “was talking about how terrible crime and voter fraud are.”
Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who represents western Wisconsin, said Trump was talking about the “terrible or horrible” crime rate in the city.
“He was directly referring to crime in Milwaukee,” said Van Orden, who told The Associated Press he was sitting just feet from the former president.
He said Republicans in the room concurred. “They’re like, yeah, crime is terrible.”
U.S. Rep, Scott Fitzgerald, also from Wisconsin, told WISN-TV in Milwaukee that Trump was referring to election integrity.
“That’s where the comment came from, that Milwaukee’s just terrible,” Fitzgerald said. “What he was talking about was the elections in Milwaukee, their concerns about them.”
But Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, who represents southeast Wisconsin, disputed that Trump made the comment.
“I was in the room,” Steil posted on X. “President Trump did not say this. There is no better place than Wisconsin in July.”
And Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who represents northern Wisconsin, said he never heard Trump call Milwaukee a “horrible city.”
“What I heard is to make sure there’s election integrity in Milwaukee,” Tiffany said in a telephone interview. “He’s talking about the states that are in play and the states of greatest importance and Wisconsin is top of the list.”
A Trump aide and two attorneys who advised him in 2020 were charged with felonies last week in Wisconsin for their roles in a scheme to get Republicans to cast Wisconsin’s electoral ballots to Trump even though he lost the state.
Government and outside investigationshave uniformly found there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud that could have swung the 2020 election. But Trump has continued to spread falsehoods about the election, particularly in Wisconsin.
Republican Rep. Jim Banks, of Indiana, said he was also in the room and “Trump never disparaged Milwaukee.”
“Just another Democrat hoax,” Banks posted on X.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, when asked about Trump’s reported remarks, said at a news conference, “If Donald Trump wants to talk about things that he thinks are horrible, all of us lived through his presidency, so right back at you buddy.”
U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, a Democrat who represents and lives in Milwaukee, made a nod to Trump’s recent felony convictions in her response. Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in New York on July 11, days before the convention opens.
“Once he’s settled in with his parole officer, I am certain he will discover that Milwaukee is a wonderful, vibrant and welcoming city full of diverse neighborhoods and a thriving business community,” Moore posted on X.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, who is up for reelection this year, said on X that Milwaukee is “part of what makes Wisconsin the best state in the nation. Donald Trump wouldn’t understand even if a jury told him so.” She used the Trump comment in a fundraising plea hours after it was first reported.
Local and statewide Democratic leaders, including Gov. Tony Evers, worked with Republicans to land the convention this summer.
Evers, in response to Trump’s comment, posted on X: “Add it to the list of things Donald Trump is wrong about.” He followed it with an emoji of a clown face.
Milwaukee was supposed to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention, but that was moved almost entirely online because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
___ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.
Milwaukee, WI
'This is a critical decision for MPS'; Community members provide input on superintendent search
MILWUAKEE — The Milwaukee Public School Board heard some encouraging news Thursday night. Board members found out that there are currently twenty-six applicants in the mix as they search for the next superintendent.
“This is a critical decision for MPS and for Milwaukee,” associate with Hazard Young Attea Associates, Pat Neudecker said.
Hazard Young Attea Associates is the firm Milwaukee Public Schools hired to help with the superintendent search after Keith Posley resigned back in early June amid a financial crisis in the district. Eduardo Galvan stepped in as Interim at the end of July.
Watch: Community members provide input on MPS superintendent search
‘This is a critical decision for MPS’: Community members provide input on superintendent search
“Know that we are going to bring the best candidate,” Neudecker said.
Neudecker said she met with Mayor Cavalier Johnson, County Executive David Crowley, Governor Tony Evers, students, and parents in the last six weeks. She also got to meet with other community leaders for input.
“We asked everyone the same. What’s great about MPS, what are the challenges, and what do you look for in a new superintendent,” Neudecker said.
The firm got about 850 responses in the survey that was conducted.
“Which is low for the size of your community. But again, good responses,” Neudecker explained.
One of the qualities many are hoping the candidates can bring to the district is transparency.
“I think a lot of the issues we had in the past could have been avoided through transparency,” Rufus King Senior, Manuel Ishag said.
Ishag is a leader on the Superintendent Student Advisory Council. He is passionate about the district and what a new leader could bring to the table.
“I like to see tangible progress. I’m a numbers guy. So, I’d like to see maybe a little more focus on academics and test scores,” Ishag explained.
TMJ4’s Megan Lee asked Ishag if he wants a thriving school district. He said, “Oh I would love that, I’m already proud of my district.”
The district plans to name a new superintendent in late February.
Talk to us:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we’re all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip
Milwaukee, WI
Judge sentences Milwaukee rapper to 40 years in crash that killed pregnant Shorewood woman
Kia Boyz YouTube video driving dangerously around Milwaukee goes viral
Milwaukee YouTuber “Tommy G” recorded a group known as the Kia Boyz while they engaged in reckless driving with stolen cars. This video contains excerpts from the original Kia Boyz YouTube video.
Lou Saldivar, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A Milwaukee rapper is going to prison for 40 years in connection with a crash last year that killed a pregnant Shorewood woman.
Frank Mosley Jr.’s mother fainted in the courtroom as Circuit Court Judge David Swanson handed down the sentence against him on Thursday afternoon.
Mosley, 21, of Milwaukee, was convicted in September of multiple felonies in the Nov. 2, 2023, crash in Milwaukee that took the lives of Erin Mogensen and her unborn child.
Mogensen was two months pregnant at the time of the crash, which occurred on the day of her fourth wedding anniversary.
“All her dreams were about to come true until she crossed paths with evil,” her father Mark Hagen said, calling Mosley “an extreme danger to society.” “Her killer should have been in jail. He was the one who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, not Erin.”
Prosecutors said Mosley, a rapper known locally as Lil Frank, led police on a chase that began in Wauwatosa for not having a license plate. The fleeing vehicle at one point hit speeds of 116 mph before police called off the pursuit.
Moments later, the officer came upon a crash scene between the BMW and a Toyota at Capitol and North 100th Street in Milwaukee. Mogensen, 32, was at the wheel of the Toyota.
In court, Mosley apologized to Mogensen’s family, and took responsibility for the crash, but asserted it was an accident. Swanson said although Mosley didn’t intend to hit anyone, he made the choice to drive a car “at an absurdly high speed.”
“If you didn’t hit Mrs. Mogensen, you could have hit someone else,” the judge said.
Mosley also was ordered to serve 10 years of extended supervision when he is released from prison.
This is a developing story. Stay with jsonline.com for updates.
Milwaukee, WI
What are the road conditions in and around Milwaukee Thursday morning?
Drone view: Winter wonderland from the snow in the Milwaukee area
Check out a drone view of the winter wonderland from Thursday’s snow around the Milwaukee area.
As Milwaukee sees its first snowfall of the season Thursday morning, you should brace for some tricky road conditions on your morning commute.
Two to four inches of wet, heavy snow is possible in the Milwaukee area, making for a “messy morning commute,” the National Weather Service Milwaukee wrote on X. Motorists should drive slowly and with caution throughout the morning, NWS said.
Here’s what to plan ahead for if you’re commuting in Milwaukee on Thursday.
What are the road conditions in and around Milwaukee this morning?
As of 8:15 a.m. Thursday, all of Milwaukee and its surrounding areas — including Interstates 41, 43 and 94 — were seeing “slippery stretches,” according to 511 Wisconsin. Several highways are also seeing one or more lanes blocked due to crashes or stalled vehicles.
If you’re traveling on I-94 this morning, NWS wrote on X that conditions south of the I-94 corridor, especially between Milwaukee and Madison, would “quickly deteriorate” as snow continues.
In affected areas, drivers should plan for slushy snow accumulation and low visibility on the roads, NWS said.
Accidents reported in Milwaukee on Thursday morning
As of 8:15 a.m. Thursday, several crashes or incidents have been reported in Milwaukee that could affect traffic, 511 Wisconsin reported:
- 7:49 a.m. – I-794 West 1.3 miles beyond the ramp from Carferry Road. The center lane is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:44 a.m. – I-43 South at ramp from Wisconsin Avenue. The left shoulder is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:50 a.m. – Ramp from I-94 East to I-43/94 South. Shoulders are closed due to a disabled vehicle.
- 7:51 a.m. – I-794 West at Michigan Street. The right shoulder is blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
- 7:52 a.m. – I-43 South at I-794 East. The center lane is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:57 a.m. – I-43/94 North at Ramp from 6th and Mineral Street. The center lane is blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
Accidents reported in Milwaukee suburbs on Thursday morning
- 7:15 a.m. – Disabled vehicle on ramp from Burleigh Street to I-41/US 45 North.
- 7:22 a.m. – I-94 West 1.3 miles beyond the ramp from Highway 100. The right shoulder is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:23 a.m. – I-43 North at Hampton Avenue East. The left shoulder is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:37 a.m. – I-94 West at ramp from Moreland Boulevard East. The right shoulder is blocked due to a crash.
- 7:42 a.m. – Highway 38 South at Air Cargo Way (by the Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport). The right lane is closed due to a crash.
- 7:52 a.m. – I-41/894 South 0.3 miles beyond the ramp from National Avenue. The right shoulder is blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
- 7:54 a.m. – Ramp from I-94 West to I-41/US 45 North. The right shoulder is blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
- 8:05 a.m. – I-41/US 45 North at North Avenue. The 3 right lanes are blocked due to a disabled vehicle.
To look up road conditions on your morning commute, check out 511 Wisconsin’s live map.
-
Business1 week ago
Column: OpenAI just scored a huge victory in a copyright case … or did it?
-
Health1 week ago
Bird flu leaves teen in critical condition after country's first reported case
-
Business5 days ago
Column: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
World1 week ago
Sarah Palin, NY Times Have Explored Settlement, as Judge Sets Defamation Retrial
-
Science3 days ago
Trump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Politics4 days ago
Trump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
Technology4 days ago
Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle5 days ago
Some in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs