Bob Donovan’s big lie at last night’s mayoral debate (VIDEO)

During last night’s Milwaukee mayoral debate between incumbent Mayor Tom Barrett and challenger Bob Donovan, Mayor Barrett said Ald. Donovan was Donald Trump-esque after Dononvan issued a press release in 2011 blaming a mob violence incident on a “deteriorating African American culture” in Milwaukee.

Ald. Donovan was quick to deny Mayor Barrett’s assertion, stating he never made such a statement. Here’s the exchange from the debate (the exchange in question starts at roughly 31 minutes into the video):

Unfortunately for Bob Donovan, the internet has a much better memory than he does, because back in 2011 he did in fact issue a press release with then-Alderman Joe Dudzik that included the exact language quoted by Mayor Barrett.

Sadly, what transpired near State Fair Park last night is only the most recent mob riot spawned by a culture of violence that has been brewing in Milwaukee for some time.

And let’s face it, it also has much to do with a deteriorating African American culture in
our city.

Reached for comment on Ald. Donovan’s lie at last night’s debate, Justin Bielinski, who’s challenging Donovan in the 8^th Aldermanic district, issued the following statement.

“Not only did Bob Donovan say the comment about black culture that Mayor Barrett mentioned, he doubled down on it by appearing on the right-wing Michael Berry show, among others, immediately afterward. A white supremacist blog even called Donovan’s State Fair statement “courageous.”

In addition, despite representing a majority Latino district, Donovan has refused to speak out on any issues of concern to Latino families, such as recent legislation from Madison which bars local IDs and requires local government to work hand-in-hand with ICE.

Clearly, one could be forgiven for mistaking the alderman for a racist, even if, as he said during the debate, he truly is not.”