Mayor Shawn Reilly of Waukesha in Wisconsin has strongly criticized a campaign ad released by a Republican independent group that associates Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin with the tragic deaths of six individuals at a Christmas parade in 2021. The mayor condemned the ad as a “pitiful political tool” that not only affects the families of the victims but also harms the entire community. Baldwin is facing off against Republican Eric Hovde in a highly competitive Senate race essential for Democrats to secure majority control in the Senate.
The controversial ad, funded by One Nation, a super PAC linked with Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, has been airing statewide in Wisconsin and has sparked outrage. Mayor Reilly expressed disappointment in how the pain and suffering endured by the Waukesha community following the Christmas parade tragedy are being exploited for political gains.
Reilly highlighted a previous joint statement by Senators Baldwin and Ron Johnson, urging against politicizing the parade killings, emphasizing the need to avoid using such tragedies to sow division for electoral gains. While Baldwin’s campaign and the mayor criticized the ad, Hovde’s campaign representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The ad features footage from the Waukesha Christmas parade incident where Darrell Brooks Jr. drove his SUV through the crowd, resulting in multiple fatalities. Brooks was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The narrator in the ad criticized Baldwin for her vote against funding for pretrial detention of violent offenders, insinuating that it enabled criminals like Brooks to perpetrate such heinous acts.
Notably, Baldwin had no involvement in the bail set for Brooks prior to the tragic incident, as the meager $1,000 bail was initially requested by the district attorney’s office, a decision later acknowledged as inadequate. Wisconsin voters later endorsed a constitutional amendment in 2023, advocated by Republicans post the parade tragedy, aimed at empowering judges to impose higher bail amounts.