Michael McGee Jr. facts for kids

Michael Imanu McGee Jr. (born Michael Imanu Jackson; October 7, 1969) is an American politician. He served as an alderman for Milwaukee's Sixth District. An alderman is a local elected official who helps run a city.

He was elected in April 2004. He and his father, Michael McGee Sr., were the first father and son to serve on the Milwaukee Common Council. This is the city's main law-making group. His time in office was sometimes controversial. He was arrested in 2007. He won a primary election from jail but lost the main election for re-election.

Early Life and Education

Michael McGee Jr. is the oldest of nine children. His father, Michael Imanu McGee Sr., was also a Milwaukee alderman and community leader. Michael Jr. went to West Division High School. He later moved to Bay View High School. This happened when West Division High School changed its focus and stopped its sports programs.

At Bay View, McGee was a great wrestler. He placed third in the state in his senior year. He was also very popular and was elected Prom King. After high school, McGee attended the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. He also joined the Army National Guard.

In 1991, McGee returned to Milwaukee. He decided to run for mayor at just 22 years old. He finished third in that election. In 1992, he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM). He graduated from UWM in 1999 with a degree in political science. He then worked as an academic advisor at UWM. He helped middle school students in a special program.

Early Challenges with the Law

Before becoming an alderman, Michael McGee Jr. had some problems with the law. In 1993, he was found guilty of giving false information to a police officer. He had left the scene of a car accident. He was driving with a suspended license.

In 1995, he was found guilty of damaging property. He was sentenced to time in a House of Correction and probation. He also had to do community service. His probation was extended because he did not make payments he was ordered to.

Becoming an Alderman

Michael McGee Jr. tried to become an alderman several times. In 2000, his first attempt was met with questions. Another alderman said some signatures on McGee's election petition were not real. The election group decided he had just enough signatures to run. He lost that election.

In 2003, McGee ran for another alderman seat. He lost to Willie Wade. During that campaign, McGee faced issues. Officials at UWM said he used "poor judgment." He had tried to get students from the school where he worked to help him campaign.

In 2004, McGee finally won. He defeated Marlene Johnson-Odom, who had been an alderman for 24 years. He became the alderman for the Sixth District.

Actions as Alderman

Once in office, McGee created a "Rapid Response Team." This team included neighborhood leaders. They worked to fight community violence. McGee said the team would respond to neighbor disputes. They would also look into complaints about police actions. The group aimed to help residents and gather information.

McGee also spoke out about legal cases. He filed a complaint against a U.S. Attorney. He claimed there was unfair treatment based on race. He said the black community saw the attorney as unfair to black leaders.

Public Statements and Controversy

After a controversial incident involving off-duty police officers, McGee led a protest. He made strong statements about the investigation. He used language that many people found offensive. Several public officials asked McGee to apologize. This included other aldermen and the mayor.

Six of his fellow aldermen signed a letter. They called his words "hateful and inflammatory." They said his comments were below what was expected of an elected official. The mayor also said McGee owed an apology to several groups.

McGee called for people to boycott downtown shopping centers. This was a way to protest the incident. Many people criticized this idea. They said it would hurt black workers and businesses. They also said the businesses had nothing to do with the incident.

When the officers involved were found not guilty, McGee reacted strongly in court. He then led more protests. He asked for federal charges to be brought. Federal charges were later filed, and some officers were found guilty.

Wauwatosa Arrest Incident

In November 2005, McGee was arrested in Wauwatosa. He was cited for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. This happened in a store parking lot after closing hours. Police were called about a suspicious car.

Officers spoke with McGee. As he left, he shouted an obscenity at the store employees. The police then pulled him over again. McGee became difficult with the officers. He was then pulled from his car and handcuffed.

McGee claimed he was hit and had his head slammed. The police report said he struggled. It said he was pushed to the car hood because he was resisting. It also said there were no visible injuries.

A rally was held at the Wauwatosa police department after his arrest. This led to an argument and more arrests. McGee filed a complaint against the officers. The police chief cleared the officers. He stated McGee's behavior caused his arrest. McGee later agreed to plead no contest to resisting an officer. The disorderly conduct charge was dropped.

Name Change and Identity

In May 2006, it was revealed that McGee's original last name was Jackson. He filed to legally change his name to McGee. He said he had used the name McGee his whole life. However, it was found that he had often used the name Jackson. For example, he had a driver's license under the name Jackson.

Recall Election Efforts

In October 2006, an effort began to remove McGee from office. This is called a recall election. Reasons listed included his controversial actions and public statements. Supporters of the recall said they were harassed by McGee's supporters.

McGee tried to stop the recall effort. An investigation found some issues with the recall petition. However, the Election Commission allowed the recall to go forward. In the primary election, McGee won with 64% of the vote. This meant he stayed in office without a run-off.

However, the investigation continued. It found evidence of election-related crimes by McGee and his supporters. In June 2007, McGee was charged with several crimes. These charges were related to his actions during the recall election. He was accused of making false reports. He was also charged with trying to pay voters for their votes.

Federal Investigation and Conviction

The FBI began an investigation into McGee. They received complaints that he was asking for money from business owners. This was allegedly in exchange for his support on issues like liquor licenses. Business owners worked with the FBI. They recorded McGee asking for money. The FBI also listened to McGee's phone calls.

This investigation became public in May 2007. Agents heard McGee discussing a plan to harm someone. This person was suspected of burglarizing a friend's home. Agents arrested McGee because they were concerned. He and two others were charged with planning to commit a felony.

According to the federal complaint, FBI agents watched McGee. They saw him allegedly demand money from business owners. This was for help with licenses. An undercover agent also gave McGee money. McGee allegedly said he was the "gatekeeper" for new businesses in his area. The complaint said McGee used some of this money for his personal expenses.

McGee was later charged with nine felony counts. These included bribery and extortion. His trial began in June 2008. The jury found McGee guilty of all nine counts.

In October 2008, McGee was sentenced to 6 ½ years in federal prison. The judge noted that McGee had done some good things in office. These included a gun buyback program. The judge also said McGee had become more respectful of the law. McGee apologized to his family and the community. He was also ordered to pay $107,433.

Election Loss to Milele Coggs

McGee ran his re-election campaign in 2008 from jail. He won the first election against several candidates. This story was even reported in the New York Times. However, on April 1, 2008, he lost the main election. Milele A. Coggs won with 58% of the votes. McGee received 42% of the votes.