Category: Investigations
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With ATV crashes up in Wisconsin, some legislators want to strengthen OWI laws. The Tavern League stands in the way.
Alcohol is a common factor in the rising number of off-road vehicle crashes and fatalities reported in Wisconsin. Legislators from both sides want to beef up state OWI laws, arguing that will make the vehicles safer.
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Milwaukee legislator’s long-overdue ambulance bill brings lawsuit, lien from city of Madison
State Rep. Darrin Madison, a two-term Democrat from Milwaukee favored to win reelection this fall, has not paid the $1,600 bill from October 2023, leading to a lien being placed on his property.
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Portage Co detective who quit after his arrest now working at Tomahawk PD
The wife of Detective John White called 911, accusing him of drunken, threatening behavior. A charge was later expunged, and White is back in policing. His chief says the incident was the only “hiccup” in his background.
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Ex-UW-Superior cop who quit amid complaints from female student employees working at Hayward PD
An investigation into Officer Jadon Stone’s conduct concluded the accusations were “credible,” but the Hayward Police chief “found nothing to disqualify him.”
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Waushara Co Sheriff’s Dept brass made $75k as small town cops, but arrested no one, wrote no tickets in 3 years
In the final years of the Coloma Police Department, two high-ranking Waushara County Sheriff’s Department officials made nearly $75,000 total for their part-time work running the village’s law enforcement agency.
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Secretary of State candidate illegally used man serving felony sentence to gather signatures
The man gathered hundreds of signatures to help Cindy Werner, a Republican from Milwaukee, get on the August primary ballot. People serving a felony sentence are ineligible to vote, and anyone gathering signatures must be an eligible voter.
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Milwaukee state legislator sued for defaulting on $6k in credit card debt
A collection agency is suing state Rep. Kalan Haywood II for $5,600 of unpaid credit card debt. His spokesman said the legislator denies having any such debt in collections.
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Waukesha County Sheriff’s deputy arrested for drunk driving
Daniel Matuszak has worked for the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office since 2022. Last month, he was pulled over by a fellow deputy and charged for drinking and driving. Now he’s on administrative leave.
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Lincoln Co Sheriff’s lieutenant charged with drunk driving, still working
Lt. Brian Burkhardt put his minivan into a ditch in January and was arrested for operating while intoxicated. His court case is ongoing.
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DoorDash spent a whopping $2M lobbying for bill that would ban employee benefits for drivers
The food delivery app company from California spent more than double that of any other organization in Wisconsin lobbying in 2025, as it pressed lawmakers to pass the bill. But Gov. Evers vetoed it.
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Portage cop resigned after being charged for UTV rollover that broke rider’s pelvis
Det. Sgt. Brian Johnson retired from policing soon after he was accused of crashing a UTV that badly injured one of his passengers in 2025. His criminal case is still pending.
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Ex-La Crosse cop arrested in Minnesota for DUI now working for Sparta PD
Riley Carroll resigned from the La Crosse Police Department in 2025, a few months after he was arrested for drunk driving in Minnesota. He was convicted of careless driving and now works at the police department in Sparta.
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One million dollars: Wealthy candidates spending own fortunes vying for NW Wisconsin House seat
Personal wealth isn’t required to run for higher office, but it certainly helps. Three candidates in northwestern Wisconsin have tried to jumpstart their campaigns with massive payments from their own bank accounts.
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Wisconsin DOJ must release statewide list of 16,000 cops, judge rules
A court sided with The Badger Project and the Invisible Institute in their lawsuit demanding a list of all police in the state from the Department of Justice, which had repeatedly rejected requests for it.
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Menasha PD hired a wandering officer. Now he’s been arrested and the city could get sued.
The city’s police department hired Cristian Morales in 2025 after he was forced out of another agency. He is now facing a felony for stalking his ex. Research says wandering officers are more likely to commit misconduct.
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This wealthy Wisconsin congressman keeps aggressively trading stocks. A bipartisan bill would ban the practice.
U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, a millionaire who represents Wisconsin’s northeastern district, reported at least $1.3 million in trades in February. Experts say it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a problem.
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‘Hard worker’ cop with OWI given ‘second chance’ in Sheboygan County
A former Sheboygan police officer is now working part-time for the Cascade Police Department after an OWI arrest in 2022. His current police chief says he deserves a second chance.
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Duffy funneled $1M to help son-in-law’s bid for Congress in northern Wisconsin
With a huge donation, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is trying to help his son-in-law win a crowded primary for the 7th Congressional District he once represented.