Sheriff candidates square off for LGBT votes

1226

•  
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

(0 votes, average 0 out of 5)

Written by Louis Weisberg, Staff writer
Jul 28, 2010

Milwaukee County Democrats unanimously endorsed challenger Chris Moews for county sheriff.

Incumbent Milwaukee County Sheriff Dave Clarke and his challenger in the Democratic primary both say they support the hiring and promotion of openly lesbian and gay law-enforcement personnel. That’s apparently one of the few points of agreement between two candidates who seem to differ on nearly everything else.

Challenger Chris Moews (pronounced “maze”), a Milwaukee police lieutenant, told WiG that sexual orientation is “a non-issue” for him.

“This is the land of the free,” Moews said. “I’ve got gay and lesbian officers on the force who are my friends and they do excellent jobs. They should be given the same promotional opportunities. I don’t look at people as gay, straight, black or white. I look at them as officers.”

Clarke, who visited PrideFest this summer to meet LGBT voters, said he doesn’t know whether openly lesbian or gay people are currently serving under him.

“The only thing you’re judged on is your performance,” he said of his department. “I would imagine I have openly gay officers, but I have not gone around and conducted a head count, because I don’t care. That’s none of my business. I’ve never had anybody come up to me and ask me about my sexual preference.”

But interviews with the candidates revealed that neither is familiar with LGBT issues nor has relationships – advisory or otherwise – with any LGBT community leaders or organizations. And Clarke’s close association with right-wing talk radio personality Charlie Sykes coupled with his proclivity for bringing religion into the workplace could prove worrisome for LGBT voters. (Sykes was neutral on the constitutional amendment banning same-sex unions and marriage in Wisconsin.)

In 2006, Clarke was the target of a lawsuit filed by deputies who objected when he invited a representative from the Fellowship of Christian Centurions to address meetings they had to attend. The case ended last year when the 7th District Court of Appeals ruled unanimously against Clarke.

Clarke contended that the judge who issued the initial ruling in the case “didn’t know what he was talking about.” He told WiG the clergy in question was non-denominational and was brought in by someone else – not to preach to deputies but rather to counsel those who were suffering from on-the-job stress.

But in July, Clarke told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he wanted to include Bible study in a boot-camp style prisoner rehabilitation program at the Milwaukee County Correctional Facility in Franklin. He said this approach is standard in such programs.

Moews said these incidents show that Clarke is pandering to the Christian right. “I am a religious person myself, but you can’t bring your religion into the workplace on taxpayer dime and force it down everyone’s throats,” he said. “Not only is that contradictory to our constitutional foundations, but it opens the county up to lawsuits, costing the taxpayers money.”

Neither candidate would answer whether he considered “homosexuality” a “sin.”

“I don’t even think it’s appropriate for a sheriff to comment on that,” Clarke said.

Moews responded that it’s something he doesn’t think about. “Judge not lest ye be judged,” he said.

A lightning rod

On other issues, Clarke has been a lightning rod for progressive pundits and bloggers, who deride him as a Republican disguised as a Democrat. Clarke was appointed to the sheriff’s post in 2002 by Republican Gov. Scott McCallum. Although he’s run as a Democrat since then, Democratic leaders complain about his retaliatory and dictatorial management style (Clarke has been quoted referring to his deputies as “losers” in roll call meetings) and his affiliation with the tea party movement.

Milwaukee County Democrats took the unusual step of endorsing Moews over Clarke in the upcoming primary.

“The current sheriff has been a comedy of errors,” said county party chair Sachin Chheda in a statement. “Whether he’s using the power of his office to pursue personal vendettas against political rivals or simply endangering other officers by ignoring his own rules, he’s weakened the sheriff’s department.”

“My management philosophy is very, very different from his,” Moews said. “He rules with an iron fist. It’s important to have open dialogue with rank-and-file officers. We might not always agree but we have to have open dialogue. Your personnel are your greatest asset. If I don’t treat them with respect, they will not make me as successful as a sheriff as I can be.”

Clarke countered that his management style has yielded a record of success, including a 10-percent reduction in crime last year and reduced fatalities on area freeways.

“Look at my record – my record of results,” Clarke said. “When I became sheriff, this organization had annual multi-million dollar deficits. I have not outspent my budget in seven years. For seven consecutive years, we’ve returned a surplus to the county board. In 2009 we had a $900,000 surplus.”

Clarke charged that his opponent does not have the experience required to lead the sheriff’s office. Clarke is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the FBI’s National Executive Institute. He earned a certificate from the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government (he’s frequently spotted wearing his Harvard ring at events).

But Moews said he has accumulated the kind of on-the-street experience that’s most important for the job.

“I’ve always had career aspirations of being the executive in charge of a law-enforcement agency, and I’ve worked hard to give myself the kind of diverse background needed to be an effective leader,” he said.

Moews began his policing career in Fox Point before moving to Milwaukee and working up the ranks. He’s been a patrol officer and worked as a detective in the criminal investigation bureau as well as the vice squad. He’s currently the late-shift supervisor of the city’s homicide unit.

Primary elections are on Sept. 14. One Republican has also entered the sheriff’s race but he is unopposed in his party.