I think 96% or more of these “violence blah blah” positions are just BS do-nothing jobs created to facilitate graft. Tip of the ol’ hat to Dan O’Donnell.

Racine Alderman John Tate II, who was forced last year to resign as Governor Evers’ Parole Commission director, has been charged with a felony for allegedly using his position to approve a new $100,000-per-year job that he himself then took. The Racine County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday filed a charge of Private interest in a Public Contract While Working in a Public Capacity, a Class I felony punishable by a maximum sentence of more than three years in prison.

 

According to a criminal complaint obtained exclusively by “The Dan O’Donnell Show,” Tate used his position as Racine’s Common Council President and member of the Finance and Personnel Committee to approve a grant creating a new city position of Violence Interruption Coordinator. The position, which was described as helping “to facilitate the process of creating a Racine version of a ‘Blueprint for Peace'” and would pay between $78,520.00 and $101,004.80 annually. There were 20 applicants for the position, which was advertised only from September 8-22, and Tate was one of only three to interview for the position.

 

On October 11, Tate accepted a positiion as the City of Madison’s Independent Police Monitor, but two days later the City of Racine offered him the position of Violence Interruption Coordinator. Tate used his new position in Madison as leverage with Racine and negotiated an annual salary of $101,698.05 (more than the advertised salary range for the position), four weeks of paid vacation, and offered an opportunity to take advantage of a $10,000 forgivable home loan program for City of Racine employees.