The Democratic Party of Racine County is asking Republican sheriff candidate Cary Madrigal to produce records showing her campaign activity did not happen while she was on duty as a captain in the Racine County Sheriff's Office.
The party says it reviewed 187 posts on Madrigal's campaign Facebook page and counted 36 published on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., from Feb. 23 through Oct. 4. The flagged posts included endorsement announcements, direct appeals for votes, campaign videos and promotions for fundraisers and campaign events.
Racine County Ordinance 17-81 prohibits deputy sheriffs from political activity meant to benefit a candidate or political party while on duty, and county employee policies also bar political activity during normal working hours or using county equipment. The party acknowledges that a post's timestamp alone does not prove Madrigal personally published it, since posts can be scheduled in advance or put up by campaign staff.
The party wants Madrigal to release her duty schedules, time records and leave records for the dates involved, say whether she personally created or approved the posts, identify whether campaign staff or volunteers published them, and confirm that no county equipment, facilities or other public resources were used for campaign work.
It is also asking for a review by an independent authority, noting that Sheriff Christopher Schmaling has publicly endorsed Madrigal as his successor and that District Attorney Tricia Hanson has described herself as a co-manager of Madrigal's campaign. Party chair Kelly Gallaher said taxpayers are entitled to know public employees are doing public work on public time, and that the rules should apply equally to everyone.
