Assembly candidate Julie Meyer explains why she signed nominating papers for Chisholm opponent

As I’m sure many of you know, Milwaukee attorney Verona Swanigan is challenging incumbent Democratic District Attorney John Chisholm this fall. Swanigan has been the subject of several articles in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel pointing out her difficulties in a particular case as well as her decision to file eviction lawsuits against nearly 300 people on behalf of a landlord who according to court records owes about $70,000 in Municipal Court fines and has a history of offering substandard housing to tenants.

What’s more, Swanigan asserted she had the support of Milwaukee African-American trailblazer Vel Phillips, prompting Phillips to deny that she encouraged Swanigan to run.

Keeping that information in mind, let’s look at some of Verona Swanigan’s nominating papers.

Julie Meyers signed Swanigan's nominating papers

While I’ve blurred out the addresses and signatures for most of the folks who signed this particular nominating sheet, I did leave one unaltered: that of Julie Meyer, the woman challenging incumbent Democratic State Rep. Christine Sinicki. Reached for comment on her decision to sign Verona Swanigan’s nominating papers, Meyer sent me the following response explaining her decision.

I do not support Verona Swanigan. I met her at a Chris Larson Town Hall at Humboldt Park and ended up signing when asked at the Coalition for Justice’s Dontre Day event that I attended with my family.

Verona and I had a great conversation about Dontre Hamilton at Larson’s Town Hall. My family and I have been very inspired by the actions we have participated in with the Coalition for Justice at Red Arrow Park. So, based on our conversation and her presence at a Larson event, I was eager to learn more about her and assumed she was a progressive that deserved a chance to get on the ballot.

I’ve since learned that she is backed by Eric O’Keefe and Craig Peterson and has a disturbing history representing slumlords in eviction court. I do not support her and fully support John Chisholm for District Attorney.

While Julie Meyer says she does not support Verona Swanigan and only signed her nominating papers before she knew more about Swanigan’s history, it’s important to note Swanigan’s many skeletons as well as her connection to Republican operative Craig Peterson were reported on by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal back in 2015, long before Meyer signed Swanigan’s nominating papers in April 2016.

The fact that Julie Meyer didn’t take the time to educate herself about Verona Swanigan prior to signing Swanigan’s nomination papers concerns me, and it should concern anyone considering which candidate to vote for in the Democratic primary in the 20th Assembly district.

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8 thoughts on “Assembly candidate Julie Meyer explains why she signed nominating papers for Chisholm opponent

  1. There can be many reasons to sign someone’s nomination papers. I’ve signed for a number of people that I did not eventually vote for. I’m always glad to see people run for office. I think it’s OK to sign out of sense of civic duty. Similarly, I think could have been many reasons to sign Walker’s recall petition, and that the petition in itself was not the election.

    1. John F.

      1. Besides wanting them to be eligible to run, what other reasons are there?

      2. Whose nomination papers did you sign, that you didn’t, “eventually vote for?”

      1. I have a similar view to John F. I will sign almost anyone’s nomination papers. I think having contested elections is good to keep incumbents on their toes.

        1. carolB:

          1. Did you check to see if they’re a U.S. citizen?

          1.1 Do you nominate communists?

          1.2 Would you nominate someone who hadn’t graduated from high school?

          1.3 Would you nominate someone on a terrorist watch list?

          1.4 Would you nominate a convicted felon?

          2. Whose nomination papers did you sign, that you didn’t, “eventually vote for?”

    1. Gotcha,

      Did I miss something?

      The one-minutes link contains some classic Batman, “Kapows, thwacks….”

  2. Blogging Blue– a very valuable public service.
    Thanks for great investigative reporting on important issues that affect us all.

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