State Rep. Brett Hulsey, D-Madison, told the Wisconsin State Journal Wednesday the charges leveled against him for his recent interaction with a nine-year-old boy at a city beach may be “politically motivated” and connected with Mayor Paul Soglin’s administration.
Witnesses reported Hulsey “horsing around” with the boy in the swim area at Spring Harbor Beach on July 4 around 7 p.m., according to a redacted version of Madison Police Officer Stephen Mackesey’s report.
The boy said while he was swimming, a man he did not know flipped him off his floating inner-tube and took his picture, which “upset and bothered” him.
Hulsey told the Wisconsin State Journal he did nothing wrong and said the report was inaccurate. He pleaded no contest to the municipal disorderly conduct charge and was fined $114.
While Hulsey said he’s concerned the charges may be motivated by his support of former Mayor Dave Cieslewicz in previous races against Soglin, he doesn’t describe the allegations as a conspiracy.
“I do not understand why this is happening,” Hulsey told the Wisconsin State Journal.
Soglin declined to comment on Hulsey’s statements Wednesday.
Police included statements from the boy’s parents and grandparents who witnessed the incident in the report. His grandmother, Sally Miley, works in the mayor’s office as an assistant and recognized Hulsey’s voice during the incident.
“Hulsey had been creepy and inappropriate and had bad intentions with what he was doing,” Miley said in her statement.
Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain said the MPD stands by their reports. The captain also consulted the Dane County district attorney and the Wisconsin Department of Justice throughout the investigation.
