FOE EYES BARRETT SEAT

Special to the readers of www.milwaukeeworld.com

By Michael Horne

CHALLENGER SHAW AIMS FOR BARRETT SEAT

Yesterday, Tuesday, October 30^th, 2007, Attorney Andrew J. Shaw, a 1992 graduate of Marquette University Law School, registered as a candidate for the office of the Mayor of the City of Milwaukee, a position now held by first-term incumbent Tom Barrett. Shaw is the first to announce his candidacy for the position. It is believed that Barrett will also announce sometime before December 1^st. Thus far, however, he has been as silent as the Sphinx about his plans.

Back in January, 2005 Shaw told Milwaukeeworld that he hoped to launch a new newspaper, The Milwaukee Beacon. The paper did not become a success, and in fact was never printed, which is just as well since the newspaper business is going to pieces nowadays.

Not His First Race

In 1999 Shaw ran against Judge Patricia McMahon, announcing his candidacy in court after she ruled against him in a motion in a case involving Club Nitro, then at 500 N. Water St. Shaw also lost the case in the Court of Appeals, and lost the election to McMahon, who got a whopping 74 per cent of the vote.

The case, Taxman Investments Company v. Nitro Inc. et. al., resulted in a $99,978.90 judgment against Shaw that was satisfied on November 17^th, 2003, when he was declared bankrupt, and the debt discharged.

A Prominent Federal Appeals Case

The most prominent of Shaw’s cases was Schlessinger v. Salinas, et al, a matter about an overdone steak that was heard, with some incredulity, by Judge Frank Hoover Easterbrook of the United States Court of Appeals Seventh Circuit in 1996.

Plaintiff Schlessinger had ordered a steak at Anthony’s Steakhouse in the Town of Geneva, Wisconsin in 1994 He specified it be grilled “medium-well,” yet was incensed when it was served to him “burned,” which, for the true connoisseur, is the same as medium-well.

Schlessinger, of Chicago (!) sued the restaurant, its owner, the police department, police chief, the Town of Geneva, and the town board members. He lost the suit and was ordered to pay costs. Shaw joined in the appeal in federal court, where Judge Easterbrook said:

“This goofy lawsuit deservedly met an abrupt end in the district court. Frivolous at the outset, and likely maliciously retaliatory as well, the case has deteriorated on appeal. …

It trivializes the constitutional rights he asks us to vindicate. If your meal is not tasty, you do not throw a tantrum, upset the other diners, and then sue the mayor of the town where the restaurant is located. Perhaps the dispute about the bill was meet for small-claims court in Wisconsin; it was nothing to make a federal case about. The appeal is even weaker than the original complaint. Suits and appeals such as this not only bring the courts into disrepute but also divert scarce judicial time from other litigants who have serious claims or defenses. We therefore direct Schlessinger and his attorney to show cause, within 14 days, why they should not be penalized under Fed. R. App. P. 38 and Circuit Rule 38 for pursuing a frivolous appeal.”

The general election for Mayor will be April 1^st, 2008. If a third candidate appears, there will be a primary on February 19^th, 2008. Right now though, it looks like a slugfest between Barrett and Shaw.

OTHER CANDIDATE ANNOUNCEMENTS:

In other municipal electoral news, C. Orlando Owens and Thomas R. Harris have joined Patricia Daugherty-Bergmanis as candidates in Aldermanic District 1 … Incumbent James Bohl has announced in the 5^th district, joining Robert Puente in the 9^th …incumbent Joe Dudzik of the 11^th AD announced on October 8^th … JoCasta Zamarripa joins the previously announced Victor Ray and Ronald Hunter in the quest for the 12^th AD seat, while Christopher Kuester (13^th) and incumbent T. Anthony Zielinski (14^th) both announced their candidacies on October 9^th. Also, incumbents Comptroller W. Martin “Wally” Morics, C.P.A. and Treasurer Wayne F. Whittow, have declared their candidacies for their respective positions.

On the county side, Curt Bolton has filed his EB-1 for County Executive, as anticipated here for some time. Bolton said a friend noticed his name in an earlier milwaukeeworld posting. Therefore, “I’m not an unknown engineer anymore,” he tells us.

-- Michael Horne

For complete details on the continuing story of “The Race for Victory – Milwaukee’s Effort in the American Citizens’ Decision 2008: The Future of Democracy and Non-Partisan Civic Elections at the Threshold of Tomorrow’s New Horizon” keep it locked to www.milwaukeeworld.com .