Gard keeps tax dollars flowing to rogue cop

Here's something an enterprising reporter might want to ask John Gard about (ideally when he's standing next to George Bush this week.)

A question like: Why have you traded the safety of the people of Milwaukee for political support and contributions? Thanks to Gard, Milwaukee taxpayers are paying the salary of a fired cop who is acting more and more like a potential terrorist.

JS:

Fired officer faces federal gun charge
He's accused of trying to buy submachine gun, handgun, 875 bullets

Jon Bartlett, a fired Milwaukee police officer who already was facing charges in the Frank Jude Jr. beating and in a telephoned bomb threat, was charged Friday with breaking federal law by trying to buy a submachine gun and a handgun at a West Allis gun shop...

Bartlett, 34, also tried to buy 875 bullets and large-capacity ammunition magazines for the weapons, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday in federal court in Milwaukee...

Bartlett, who was fired 15 months ago, continues to receive full pay and benefits under a state law unique to fired Milwaukee officers. A recent report found no other similar law in the country.

Bartlett remains charged with substantial battery in the Jude beating after a jury failed to reach a verdict on that charge in April. In a separate case, he was charged with calling in a bomb threat to his former police district station. The trial on the bomb threat is set to begin Aug. 14 in Madison.

Bartlett and other officers also are being investigated in connection with possible federal charges in the Jude beating, which happened in October 2004 at a party for off-duty officers in the Bay View neighborhood. Bartlett was accused of terrorizing Jude with a knife and kicking him so hard in the head that bones cracked, according to the state criminal complaint...

Bartlett and other fired officers are paid until their appeals are exhausted, under a 26-year-old law. A push to change the law died in the state Legislature this year. Assembly Speaker John Gard (R-Peshtigo) refused to put it to a vote because there wasn't enough support, he said...

"How many times does this guy have to break the law before the state stops requiring Milwaukee taxpayers to pay him?" [Mayor Tom] Barrett said. "Basically, the taxpayers of Milwaukee are being required to pay for those guns."

Bartlett charged the sale price of $4,501.73 to his credit card. Thanks to John Gard, he's still able to do that -- as Barrett says, at taxpayer expense.

To read Bartlett's entire record and rap sheet, read the the whole story.