MADISON, Wis. — News 3 Now has obtained messages shared between former City of Madison Alder Gary Halverson and other members of the city’s Common Council in the days surrounding a controversy that ultimately led to his resignation.
Emails and text messages obtained through a records request shed light on the back-and-forth sparring between a few alders and Halverson after it was reported Halverson was briefly a member of the Oath Keepers. Other key alders, however, showed him support — both privately and in at least one email to an angry constituent.
At the time, the revelation led to public condemnation from a number of Halverson’s peers on the council and the mayor, while Halverson said he was misled by the organization and ended his membership after a few months.
RELATED: ‘I was misled’: Madison alder Gary Halverson listed on Oath Keepers membership rolls
The Wisconsin State Journal also previously reported some of the exchanges, including Halverson accusing Council President Keith Furman of inciting vandalism at this home.
“Your statement was misleading and cruel and has led to threats against me including vandalism at my home,” Halverson wrote to Furman in an e-mail on Sept. 14 that also carbon-copied all of the city’s alders. “I do not expect you to recognize or appreciate that I disavowed and left the organization before the 2020 presidential election and the events of January 6. Given that your statement was inciteful, I asked you please denounce the physical attacks and vandalism directed at my home and family. Your words, like Donald Trump’s leading up to January 6th 2021, have moved others to violence. Unlike Donald Trump, I would ask that you denounce that violence.”
Three minutes later, Alder Matt Phair responded to the All-Alders e-mail.
“Let’s not do this,” Phair wrote. “It’s not a good way to solve conflict, or anything else for that matter.”
Sparring with Common Council leadership
Furman responded a little more than a half hour later, saying he would not engage in a back-and-forth with Halverson on the All-Alders e-mail list. Furman did say threats and vandalism were unacceptable but also accused Halverson of deflecting.
“Our statement wasn’t the cause of your troubles – it’s your past actions. Your desire to deflect is disappointing,” Furman wrote while replying to everyone copied in the conversation.
However, records show Furman also responded to Halverson directly shortly after sending the “Reply All” message. In that email, Furman again said he was sorry Halverson was experiencing vandalism and called it unacceptable. He also copied and pasted the statement he issued jointly with Council Vice President Jael Currie, asking Halverson to “point out any parts of the statement VP Currie and I released that is inaccurate, (and) I’d be happy to correct it.”
“Our statement did not refer to you as a white supremacist. It didn’t call you anything, just acknowledged when you joined and who the Oath Keepers were when you joined. You were entitled to join that group and I’m certainly entitled to be disgusted by it,” Furman told Halverson.
RELATED: Leaders of Common Council ‘disgusted’ by Madison alder’s Oath Keepers membership
Alluding to his statement’s mention of “mere seconds of online research” on the Oath Keepers revealing it had been considered an “anti-government” and “far-right” organization, Furman pasted a link to the Oath Keepers’ Wikipedia page, as well as an Internet Archive link of the Oath Keepers’ registration page from the time Halverson would have signed up for the group in early June 2020.
“Join the fight to defend the Constitution and save and restore the Republic. Become a part of a nationwide network of dedicated patriots, including many recent combat veterans and veteran street cops who are sincere “peace officers” and together we will spread the message about loyalty to the Constitution under our oaths, and help our communities become united, strong, and prepared,” the membership page said.
The archived link shared by Furman also includes a headline on the Oath Keepers’ homepage for a blog post reading “While you weren’t looking — the Dems hijacked our government” as well as posts voicing anti-government opinions when it came to pandemic shutdowns.
“Your continued desire to deflect from your actions and blame my statement is disappointing,” Furman wrote as he ended the e-mail to Halverson.
Alder Yannette Figueroa Cole also wrote a lengthy e-mail to Halverson on the afternoon of Sept. 14, saying she was hoping the Oath Keepers story would turn into a “teaching moment” for Halverson.
“I have been waiting to hear statements owning responsibility and acknowledging the unintentional harm inflicted on others,” Figueroa Cole said. “Blaming others’ reactions to the story as the cause for the harm being inflicted on you, only reinforce the perception of unwillingness to acknowledge personal responsibility. I hope deeper self-reflection and self-evaluation takes place.”
Figueroa Cole went on to say she was sorry Halverson’s family was being threatened and his property was being vandalized, saying she would not wish that behavior on anybody.
“Perhaps, you would be scrutinized no matter what you say. But at the end of the day, what really matters is the direction we take from here on. Do we want to continue business as usual, or do we want to tackle the rocky and difficult growth path? To grow we must get out of our safety zones, we must expand our connections, we must acknowledge our mistakes and be kind to oneself,” Figueroa Cole told Halverson.
Support for Halverson
The messages also show Halverson had the support of some long-term members of the council — including its former president.
About six hours later, Halverson notified the council and the mayor of his immediate resignation. In his statement, he specifically mentioned Alder Barbara Harrington-McKinney for her “unwavering support” throughout the situation.
In another e-mail obtained by News 3 Now’s records request, Harrington-McKinney responded to a constituent who called for Halverson’s resignation by defending him and saying she was disappointed in how the council reacted.
RELATED: Madison alder whose name appeared on leaked list of Oath Keepers members resigns
“From the content of your email you have no idea of the integrity of this Alder and his commitment to his district and our City,” Harrington-McKinney wrote. “He admitted that he made a mistake. Was not informed and corrected the error. I am, however, disappointed that the leadership of the Council publicity convicted Alder Halverson rather than focused their comments on rejecting the organization, and what that organization stood far.”
Records also show Halverson received a text message from former Council President Sheri Carter in the days after the story was first reported.
“Call me when you have a chance. I am in your corner,” Carter told Halverson on Sept. 10, four days before he submitted his resignation.
Timestamps indicate Halverson announced the resignation on his personal site before sending a copy of his resignation statement to members of the council. The next morning, the city formally announced his resignation and opened the process of filling the vacant seat.
Search for a replacement
Earlier this month, the city announced that the council would interview six finalists to fill the District 17 seat on an interim basis until an election can be held next spring: Joe Clausius, Blake J. Duren, Sabrina Madison, Anne Murphy-Lom, William (Bill) Turnquest, and Amy Zabransky.
Those interviews will be conducted on Thursday, Oct. 20 during a meeting of the Common Council Executive Committee.
The interim alder will be appointed on Oct. 25 and will serve until April 18, 2023.
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