Criminal investigation of Milwaukee Health Department launched.

Department has struggled for months

State and county investigators have launched criminal probes into the troubled Milwaukee Health Department, although officials are tight-lipped on details of the investigations.

Asked about a criminal investigation into the Health Department, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said he could not comment — but added that city staffers have been instructed to cooperate with any investigations.

“It would not to be appropriate to comment specifically on any criminal investigation, but I have certainly directed everyone in my administration to be fully cooperative,” Barrett said.

Barrett also said that he “fully” supports accountability.

Barrett’s comments came one day after Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton revealed that there is a criminal investigation into the Health Department in a sharply worded response to another alderman, who had criticized him for not issuing a subpoena compelling former Health Commissioner Bevan Baker to testify at City Hall about the city’s troubled lead program.

“Upon hearing that the district attorney’s office was continuing their criminal investigation of the Health Department and would be present at his hearing, Mr. Baker sought legal representation,” Hamilton wrote. “Mr. Baker, if subpoenaed, would simply plead the 5th and exercise his right not to answer questions even though he is compelled to be present.”

County prosecutors declined to comment.

“It’s not appropriate for me to comment on this matter at this time,” said Milwaukee County Chief Deputy District Attorney Kent Lovern.

Alec Hanna, a spokesman for the state Department of Justice, also declined to comment, saying the agency doesn’t confirm or deny ongoing investigations.

The Health Department has been struggling for months in the wake of news about severe problems with its program aimed at preventing lead poisoning among Milwaukee children. The health agency has also faced city personnel investigations, as well as state and federal probes into the failings of its lead program.

Problems at the department include severely lead-poisoned children being sent back into homes full of lead risks after receiving medical care, children with elevated lead levels not being properly monitored and homes with lead hazards not being adequately cleaned up to prevent poisoning.

Sources of lead exposure include paint, pipes, dust and soil. No level of lead is considered safe, especially for children, and lead poisoning can lead to lifelong complications, including brain damage.

Members of the Freshwater for Life Action Coalition, an activist group, met with Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm in June to urge his office to investigate the health agency and its lead program. That meeting came following the release of a scathing state report about widespread problems with the city’s lead program.

“What I presented to Chisholm was the fact that I thought that the DA’s office needed to look at this a little deeper,” said Robert Miranda of the coalition. “One, we thought there were official government documents that were falsified.”

Miranda also raised concerns about potential fraud at that meeting, he said.

On Wednesday, Miranda said he was surprised that Hamilton revealed the criminal investigation.

Ald. Tony Zielinski criticized Hamilton over his handling of the city’s lead crisis earlier this week, saying he was not doing enough to ensure transparency. Zielinski specifically slammed Hamilton’s decision not to subpoena Baker, accusing him of “playing politics with the health and safety of our citizens.”

Hamilton responded by saying Zielinski was grandstanding and accused him of working with “accomplices” and offering “criticism and conspiracy theories wrapped in misinformation and confusion.”

“So, as your leader, I ask that you excuse yourself from the table where the hard decisions are being made or I, by God’s will, will excuse you ... again,” Hamilton wrote.

Zielinski, a 2020 mayoral candidate, doubled down on his criticisms Wednesday, saying Hamilton should step down as council president if he won’t push for more accountability at the health agency. He cited concerns about Hamilton repeatedly canceling Steering and Rules Committee meetings, saying he could have insisted that Baker testify months ago.

“The president can remove me from sitting on committees. What does his threat say about his approach to the problem? Solve it or remove those that question him?” Zielinski said.

Hamilton said he had no additional details about the investigation into the department.

As for Zielinski, Hamilton said, “Tony needs to sit down somewhere and stop acting like a child.”