Citizens deserve to hear from Bevan Baker in public proceeding
Statement of Alderman Tony Zielinski - October 22, 2018
Bevan K. Baker.
Last week Council members were notified that Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton has decided not to subpoena former Milwaukee Health Department Commissioner Bevan Baker at this time. President Hamilton made his decision, according to the notification, after consulting with the office of the City Attorney.
President Hamilton’s decision not to subpoena former Commissioner Baker to testify before the Steering and Rules Committee comes about five months after he asked Public Safety and Health Committee Chair Alderman Bob Donovan to back away from issuing a subpoena for Baker to appear before his committee – assuring everyone that he would be pursuing a subpoena so Baker could be questioned about the mismanagement and dysfunction that resulted in thousands of Milwaukee children who had tested positive for lead not being follow-up with and served by MHD.
Today I am calling on President Hamilton to explain to the public and to those affected families why he isn’t issuing a subpoena to compel Bevan Baker’s testimony before the Common Council. He should explain his decision openly and transparently in public so we can hear his reasoning.
Sadly, I strongly doubt we will hear from President Hamilton about his decision not to move forward with a subpoena because he has offered one excuse after another on this matter for months now.
Delay, delay, delay seems to be the President’s mantra here.
The real issue is transparency – transparency (and truth) that the citizens and families of
Milwaukee deserve.
It sure seems to me that by not subpoenaing Baker the President is playing politics with the health and safety of our citizens.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Lead Crisis
- Dangerous Levels of Lead Contamination Found At Three MPS Schools - Jeramey Jannene and Sophie Bolich - Feb 6th, 2025
- As Previewed in 2025 State of the State Address, Gov. Evers Approves DHS Emergency Rule to Strengthen Standards to Prevent Further Hazardous Lead Exposure to Wisconsin Kids - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Feb 3rd, 2025
- Wisconsin Joins Legal Effort to Preserve Tougher Standards for Lead in Water - Erik Gunn - Feb 3rd, 2025
- Attorney General Kaul Joins Multistate Coalition to Defend Lead and Copper Rule Improvements - Wisconsin Department of Justice - Jan 29th, 2025
- Superintendent Jill Underly Proposes Lead Water Removal Program For Schools - Baylor Spears - Nov 15th, 2024
- Milwaukee Adopts New Policy Requesting More Lead Testing For Children - Nick Rommel - Oct 24th, 2024
- EPA Strengthens Standards to Protect Children from Exposure to Lead Paint Dust - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Oct 24th, 2024
- Baldwin Announces $86 Million for Clean and Safe Drinking Water in Wisconsin Through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Oct 23rd, 2024
- DHS Encourages Wisconsinites to Take Action to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Oct 21st, 2024
- DNR Says Wisconsin Could Meet New Rule To Replace All Lead Pipes in 10 Years - Trevor Hook - Oct 12th, 2024
Read more about Lead Crisis here
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