NEWS

Karger: I didn't mean to sound critical

Laura Schulte

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

Marathon County Administrator Brad Karger at a rally Tuesday afternoon, May 31, at The 400 Block in downtown Wausau.

Update: The month of the Wausau rally was corrected from an earlier version. The story was also updated to reflect that Karger has not made a final decision about whether or not he will file a lawsuit against the county.

WAUSAU - Marathon County Administrator Brad Karger never intended to be critical of police or the courts when he participated in a May rally for a Hmong teenager convicted of murder and he's sorry that some county employees felt threatened during the march, he told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Wednesday.

The embattled county leader said he wanted his speech at the rally to highlight the horrible crime Dylan Yang, then 15, committed but also to ask for a lenient sentence for the Wausau teen, taking into account Yang's age when the crime occurred.

Karger spoke in a Wednesday interview about the report released Tuesday, which found his participation in the rally alienated members of county leadership. The county board in July ordered Karger to serve a 30-day unpaid suspension for his participation in the rally, though he broke no formal rules and violated no laws. Board members will revisit their decision Thursday evening to consider overturning the suspension in the wake of widespread criticism of the move and community support for Karger.

The report upon which the board based its discipline takes a critical look into Karger's right to free speech and whether or not it outweighs his duty to the county and its constituents. The county hired Milwaukee-based firm von Biesen & Roper to look into Karger's part in the rally after Wausau Police Chief Jeff Hardel and Marathon County Sheriff Scott Parks sent the county letters saying Karger's participation was a slap in the face to police and the criminal justice system and to Yang's victim, 13-year-old Isaiah Powell.

Hundreds of demonstrators, including Marathon County Administrator Brad Karger (in suit), rally May 31 in a peace march inspired by the guilty verdict against 16-year-old Dylan Yang, who was convicted of homicide in March. Marchers walked past the Wausau Police Department, the Wausau School District’s administration building and the Marathon County Courthouse.

Karger said the report appears to be the opinion of the attorneys hired by the county to investigate his participation in the rally.

"I covered similar principles in an informal meeting with a constitutional lawyer," Karger said. "It's really one opinion; it's not definitive."

Karger also said that he has no immediate plans to pursue a lawsuit against the county regarding his unpaid suspension, as he considered immediately after the suspension was handed down. He said he has not made a final decision.

He went on to say that he was apologetic that some felt threatened by the march and its message, during which some protesters held signs and shouted slogans suggesting Yang, who is Hmong, was treated unfairly because of his race.

"I'm really sorry that happened," he said.

Marathon County Board Chairman Kurt Gibbssaid Thursday's vote could go a number of ways. The board could vote to keep Karger's suspension intact and have him serve out the final days. The board could also vote to reconsider, which would mean Karger's suspension would end after about 25 days.

The final vote could be to rescind the motion, meaning Karger would be paid for the 25 days of suspension already served, and the whole decision would be wiped from his file. To rescind the motion would require a two-thirds majority of the county board.

Gibbs wasn't willing to gauge the mood among elected leaders headed into that meeting.

"With 38 board members, I wouldn't venture a guess," Gibbs said. "Some people will wait until tomorrow to make their minds up."

In the meantime, Karger is hoping he will soon be able to return to his job as county administrator and once again be an effective leader.

"I want to go back to work," he said. "I want to be effective. I hope whatever they decide doesn't put me in a position to not lead."

Karger is eager to put his participation in the march in the past, and get back to focusing on what the county needs.

"Going forward, no matter what I do, the most important thing is putting this behind us," he said.

Yang, who was convicted in adult court, faces 60 years in prison when he is sentenced Sept. 6.

Contact reporter Laura Schulte at 715-297-7532 or leschulte@gannett.com; on Twitter @schultelaura.