GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Green Bay’s city council will wait at least two weeks before voting on a resolution to support how the city carried out its elections last August and November.
The decision comes a week after Republican state lawmakers started calling for Mayor Eric Genrich to resign. They allege he let outsiders take over decision making on how to run the Presidential election.
However, Genrich has denied those claims and maintains the city did nothing wrong.
Genrich told the city council Tuesday night that Green Bay had a near-perfect election in November and it’s been difficult hearing allegations of wrong doing the past week.
“For me personally, I suppose I signed up to be a target for all types of grievances, but that is not the case for our city employees or poll workers.”
Genrich’s comments led off what ended up being about five hours of discussion.
City Attorney Vanessa Chavez clarified the role of Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein, a former Democratic operative, who helped the city as an advisor.
“There is a lot of allegations that somehow because he was present that he was taking control, which is not the case.”
Those allegations surfaced after open records requests were returned, revealing emails between Spitzer-Rubenstein and city officials. City documents also show he was to be a supervisor while absentee ballots were being counted at the KI Convention Center. Some residents voiced their concern to the council.
“When we see things like third party money comign in, like understanding Michael Spitzer-Rubenstein’s background with the Democratic Party and helping win campaigns, we’ve got to ask these questions.,” said Andrea Johnson, a Green Bay resident. “When things don’t line up, I’m sorry but we have to ask them.”
Poll workers and council members defended the city’s election actions, some saying the emails and documents prove nothing.
“If a crime was committed, you need to report it,” said Alderperson Randy Scannell. “If you’ve got evidence of a crime, you report that. If not, you’re obstructing justice.”
City council vice president Barbara Dorff says she helped craft the resolution to separate fact from fiction. She says about 100 residents emailed council members asking them to defend the city’s efforts.
“I can assure you that everything in this resolution is true,” said Dorff. “I think now is the time that we are stepping up for our city. We’re standing up for our elections.”
The final paragraph of the two-page resolution reads “the Common Council of the City of Green Bay proudly asserts that the August and November 2020 elections administered by the City of Green Bay were properly executed in an accurate, safe, and secure manner, and herby rejects allegations to the contrary.”
“Our community needs healing and that doesn’t happen when this body and our community are given 24 hours to respond to a resolution designed to silence those who simply want to ask questions and have them answered,” said Brian Johnson, a Green Bay alderperson.
Just after 11 p.m., the council unanimously agreed to wait to vote on the resolution until the city attorney can complete a report on the past year’s elections.
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