We’ve been noticing a pattern on doors—it seems that yard signs for Sheldon Wasserman, the status quo, incumbent candidate for County Supervisor District, are only in the yards of multi-unit rentals rather than single-family homes. Looking into the ethics disclosure from the Wasserman campaign, we found that every Wasserman sign our canvassers encountered as of March 30 was listed on Wasserman’s disclosure of rental properties. Apparently, either Wasserman’s tenants are all spontaneously requesting yard signs or the Wassermans have been putting yard signs on their properties themselves. After knocking some of these doors, we have not encountered any tenants who have requested Wasserman yard signs. Most residents we spoke to have been surprised to see the spaces which they rent used for their landlord’s re-election to public office.
We want the public to know that they can be confident that any Eric Rorholm sign in someone’s yard was requested by an individual who believes in Eric as a candidate. An Eric Rorholm sign indicates that that resident believes in tenants’ rights, protecting our parks and public transportation, and fighting the private interests and broad policing that siphon money away from Milwaukee’s public resources.
It is disturbing that Wasserman seems to have used his position as a landlord to compel his tenants to display his signs for re-election. The power imbalance inherent between a landlord and his tenant means that the request itself is in bad faith. Given how few rights tenants have in Milwaukee County, very few tenants—DSA members included—would feel comfortable denying a request from their landlord to display a yard sign in front of their home. Even enthusiastic Rorholm supporters might likely display a Wasserman yard sign to avoid any retaliation from their landlord!
As a matter of principle and solidarity with the working people of Milwaukee, DSA always asks supporters if they would like yard signs—we would never leverage power imbalances to artificially inflate our perceived support in the community. That is a promise and a commitment to the working people of Milwaukee.
Screenshot from the Wasserman campaign’s Statement of Economic Interests filed with Milwaukee County; circled properties are pictured below. You can request a copy of the Wasserman campaign’s Statement of Economic Interests here.
