The race for the open 10th Assembly District seat has gotten so ugly I hate to even write about it. The accusations of race-baiting and directions to vote for people “who look like you” have gotten out of hand.<br /><br />It\'s gotten even worse this morning with the exit of Harriet Callier, who has come up with new race-baiting smears as she endorses Milly Coby.<br /><br />Coby\'s campaign trumpeted Callier\'s endorsement. <br /><br />“I am honored to have the support of Harriet Callier,” said Coby. “With a united community we can move forward and together work to bring jobs back to our neighborhoods, make sure that public education is fully funded, and do something to tackle rampant foreclosures that are destroying our neighborhoods.” <br /><br />But should Millie Coby be "honored" to have the support for Callier? <br /><br />Here\'s Callier had to say in her official statement as she endorsed Coby:<br /><br /> <blockquote><br />HARRIET CALLIER Bows Out of 10th Assembly Race <br /> <br />Callier throws support to MILLIE COBY for Seat <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />My community comes first! I entered the race out of love and respect for people and for the democratic processes of my community. Given the fact that we all cannot be the top vote getter on August 14, I gladly yield my campaignand ask that any support that would have been given to me on Election Day be given to Millie Coby as elected representation for the 10th Assembly District. <br /> <br />While COBY and I may not agree on a few of the finer details, two things are abundantly clear: <br /> <ul> <li>Our shared passion and commitment to improving the welfare of the 10th District, and </li> </ul> <ul> <li>The belief that race-baiting and race hate speechas PASCH has supported throughout this campaigndestroys lives and opportunities of hope. </li> </ul> <br />My experience with PASCH leading up to and during this campaign borders on that of the most hate-filled extremist. Too often I measure life responses by the repressive work of Gov. George Wallace of Alabama. The staged work of PASCH and her supporterswhile more visibly aimed at the communityappears to be directly from the pages of Wallace\'s worst playbook. I question Milwaukeeans who oppose the work of John Spooner and in the same breath, support what PASCH has said, done and allowed to be done on her behalfto win an election at any costs. <br /> <br />The elected 10th District Assemblyperson will have to work closely and diligently with other Northside representation. PASCH has demonstrated that she cannot easily turn from the bitter hate mongering of her campaign to one of civil cooperation with the remaining Legislators. A brief talk with her and you will find that PASCH is still very bitter and vindictive with several Northside issues including her lost to Albert Darling in a previous election. Ultimately, neither side of the 10th District is very likely to receive meaningful support from PASCHonly Democratic Party leaders and Union bosses. <br /> <br />I am forever indebted to those of you who supported my campaign. I have within my reach the ability to avoid splitting the votes that are willing to speak out in support of healing the 10th District for both communities. I ask that on Election Day, you join me in putting “People before Politics” and vote for Millie Coby for 10th Assembly District. <br /> <br />Paid for by FRIENDS OF HARRIET CALLIER. Ervin Weatherby Jr, Treasurer.<br /> </blockquote> <p><br />Wow. I mean, just, wow. <br /><br />To compare Sandy Pasch and her supporters to George Wallace? That is ridiculous. And shameful.<br /><br />Unfortunately, this whole AD 10 race has gotten out of hand.<br /><br />On the one side, you have African American womenVel Phillips, Annette “Polly” Williams and Elizabeth Coggstrying to earn votes for their favored candidate, Millie Coby, simply because they want an African American woman in the state Legislature. <br /><br />I get that. I understand why that\'s important.<br /><br />But their offensive campaign against Sandy Pasch is the worst that I\'ve seen. And it\'s precisely what Republicans were hoping would happen as they carved up Milwaukee County into new legislative districts. They want to divide Milwaukee whichever way they can. If it\'s easiest to divide Milwaukee according to race, then the Republicans will go there and Coggs et al. make it happen.<br /><br />I mean, Pasch has fought for issues near and dear to Milwaukeeblack and white Milwaukee, Hispanic Milwaukee, Asian Milwaukeeyet now that she\'s running in a heavily African American district she is practically George Wallace.<br /><br />This makes so sense and it\'s beneath Callier, Coggs and Coby to even go there. <br /><br />That said, at the same time Elizabeth Coggs is blasting Paschsorry, asking people to vote for someone who looks like themshe\'s taking money from the MMAC and the voucher crowdthe very folks who are tearing down the public education system and opportunities for the central city to thrive. <br /><br />I mean, do you really think that the MMAC crowd gives a crap about black male unemployment? If they did, black men in Milwaukee wouldn\'t be so woefully unemployed.<br /><br />Do you think that folks who make money off of the voucher program give a crap about MPS, which educates the vast majority of children in the city? Including the kids who are the most difficult to teach?<br /><br />Yet, according to her <a href=\"http://cfis.wi.gov/ReportsOutputFiles/f7c34fc0-7572-4a2e-8266-df51a0b03ede87201245721PM.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">latest campaign finance report</a>, Coggs has no problem taking $1,000 from Howard Fuller, $250 from American Federation for Children\'s Brian Pleva, $220 from MMAC\'s Tim Sheehy, $500 from Augustin Ramirez, a MMAC member, $200 from Irma Daniels, $200 from Hattie Rush-Daniels, and $100 from MMAC\'s Steve Baas.<br /><br />Coggs is also benefiting from $586 spent as an independent expenditure by the national American Federation for Childrena Republican-led pro-voucher group that boasts disgraced Repbulican legislator Scott Jensen as a senior advisor. <br /><br />American Federation for Children is also spending $586 on Millie Coby\'s behalf, FYI. </p> <p>[UPDATE: American Federation for Children has just reported spending an additional <a href=\"http://bit.ly/No4jyi\">$101,000 in support of Coggs, Coby, Jason and Jarett Fields and Tracy Dent.</a>]<br /><br />Meanwhile, Pasch has just announced a slew of endorsements, including State Senator Chris Larson, State Representative Tamara Grigsby, State Representative Jon Richards, State Representative Christine Sinicki, State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele, Milwaukee County Board Chairwoman Marina Dimitrijevic, Milwaukee County Supervisor Gerry Broderick, Milwaukee County Supervisor Nikiya Harris, Milwaukee County Supervisor Theodore Lipscomb and City of Milwaukee Alderman Nik Kovac.<br /><br />Plus, AFSCME District Council 48, American Federation of Teachers Local 212, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Clean Wisconsin, Equality Wisconsin, NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, Milwaukee Area Labor Council, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin, SEIU Wisconsin State Council, Sierra Club – John Muir Chapter, Voces de la Frontera Action, Wisconsin Educators Association Council, Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, Wisconsin Laborers\' District Council, Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, Wisconsin Nurses Association and the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO. <br /></p> <p>Do they sound like George Wallace types to you?<br /></p>
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