Don Kriefall, Well Done

 Well Done Don Kriefall 

Michalak Must Go

Washington County Board Chair Donald Kriefall and I do not agree on a host of issues, policies, and laws, but his recent call for Supervisor Timothy Michalak to resign from the County Board was the correct and responsible thing to do. Michalak brought a concealed firearm to a County Board meeting in a secure area of the Justice Center where it dropped to the floor in violation of state law. He carried the concealed firearm while his concealed carry permit had expired. Those transgressions more than justify Kriefall’s call for Michalak’s resignation and plan to oust Michalak from the Board should he refuse. 

Kriefall posted his official statement on the County’s Facebook page and the comments posted clearly show just how divided our community has become. Many applauded Kriefall’s statement, echoing his recognition that no one is above the law and that Michalak’s actions have cast a shadow on the whole Board. On the other side some Second Amendment purists have taken the opportunity to suggest that Michalak had every right to carry his gun anywhere he wanted and even drop it because restrictions on where one can conceal, or even open, carry are all unconstitutional. The back and forth between the moderate and ultra conservatives that followed shows just how fractured they have become. 

Michalak should resign both from the County Board and as Mayor of the City of Hartford. He had a similar incident dropping his concealed gun in a City Council meeting there. Even though Michalak recently won re-election as Mayor, he did so with less than 50 percent of the vote due to the splitting of the rest of the votes among the several write-in candidates. Should Michalak refuse to resign, the Common Council should take the steps necessary to remove him from office. 

Elected officials must set a high standard as law abiding citizens if they expect the rest of us to follow the laws those officials swear to protect and defend when they take their oath of office. When an elected official violates the law or engages in dangerous behavior and refuses to acknowledge their violations, public trust is eroded and the official’s ability to govern vanishes. Apologies for these violations are just not sufficient. 

We can and will debate the meaning and reach of the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, but in the end, the nine justices of the United States Supreme Court have the last word. As it stands now, the Court allows some restrictions on where, when, and how citizens can possess and use firearms. There are other restrictions on the type of firearms and ammunitions citizens can possess or own. We cannot have machine guns, fully automatic firing guns or military weapons like canons or rockets. States are allowed some leeway in enacting laws on concealed and open carrying of firearms. Wisconsin passed laws restricting where firearms will be allowed and requiring permits for concealed carry. Some may believe these restrictions violate the Second Amendment, but until the Supreme Court says they do, they must be followed. 

Unfortunately, in our polarized political environment there are too many who have come to believe that their views of what the Constitution requires allows them to do anything that comports with those views, even if specific laws and court rulings differ. The end result of this kind of thinking leads to societal chaos. We are a society based upon laws enacted by legislatures and enforced by law enforcement and courts. We cannot allow individuals to pick and choose to follow just those laws they like or to interpret the laws as they see fit. 

Let us hope that Supervisor and Mayor Michalak sees the error of his ways and does the correct thing by resigning his positions. If he does not, we need to urge the County Board and Hartford City Council to take all necessary steps to remove him from his offices and restore public confidence in our institutions of government.