Ald. Bauman's wife posts comments critical of Black community on opponent's Facebook page

Milwaukee Ald. Robert Bauman's wife this week unleashed a torrent of Facebook posts critical of the Black community in their district.

Tammi Bansemer posted her comments on the Facebook page for Rayhainio "Ray Nitti" Boynes, who has filed papers to run against Bauman. Boynes captured screenshots of her online remarks, which have since been deleted.

Bauman has represented the 4th District — which encompasses the city's downtown and its near west side — since 2004. He and Bansemer are white, while Boynes is Black.

In the posts, Bansemer urges Boynes to "clean up this neighborhood with your African American constituents" and says "white people in my neighborhood are afraid to be honest because they fear being shot."

She later asked, "How is it that white people in 53208 own homes. Have educations. Work everyday. Pay their taxes." She then criticized welfare recipients.

If Boynes wants to address problems in the district, Bansemer said he needs to "stop the group think within that class of those who choose relying on others to pay for their lifestyle. Home. Etc. Not fair."

She also suggests that he distribute condoms with his name and website on them, put an end to low-income apartments and "get people off living off the state."

When Boynes pushed back, Bansemer responded, "Why is this a Black against white issue. All lives matter."

Earlier this week, Boynes, who operates The Creative Corridor Inc., told the Journal Sentinel that questions should be directed to Bauman about his wife's Facebook posts.

"I was taken back," Boynes told WDJT-TV (Channel 58) of the posts. "I was shocked that you know somebody of such high-ranking political stature (that) his wife would kind of just jump out on a limb like that."

Bauman on Thursday tried to distance himself from his spouse's Facebook comments.

"They weren't my words," Bauman said. "I've lived in my neighborhood now for 26 years. I'm happy there. I wouldn't be there if I wasn't happy. I wouldn't be there if I didn't feel safe."

Bauman said there are times in any marriage when the two individuals don't agree with one another, even if this discord doesn't normally spill over onto social media.

"They're not my sentiments," Bauman said of his wife's posts. "I think that's about as strong as you can get."

Reached Thursday, Bansemer said her comments are being misconstrued. She said her neighborhood has "racial challenges" and that she was trying to address those problems.

"They do seem racist, but I'm not racist," Bansemer said when asked about specific posts. "That's not what I meant."

With her comments, Bansemer said, she was reaching out to a local community activist in Boynes to alert him to the issues in the area. She even told Boynes, who is a rap musician, that she had written a song and wanted him to sing and produce it.

Sobbing during much of the interview, Bansemer said she meant no harm, adding that she loves her neighborhood.

"I didn't mean it the way it came out," she said.

In her Facebook posts, Bansemer touched on a number of racial stereotypes.

"I also believe my opinion is rap has changed the behavior of people," she wrote. "Some rappers say so many bad things glamorizing; drugs. Parties. Money. Illegal behavior. That's something that is influential to a class."

She then added: "That class of people share my zipcode 53208."

In other posts, she complained about crime, unwed mothers, drug use, reliance on welfare, prostitution, lack of "sexual responsibility" — problems she said were rampant in her community.

In another deleted post, she said Boynes was adding to "reverse discrimination."

Boynes countered that Bauman's wife was the one bringing racism into the discussion.

"Nothing about this said black vs white until you said 'why make this black vs white,'" Boynes said.

Bauman has filed to run for another four-year term, with Boynes and Anne E. Turk-Rachwal filing papers to run against him.

The spring election is April 2 with any primaries on Feb. 20.

Alison Dirr can be reached at adirr@jrn.com.

Contact Daniel Bice at (414) 313-6684 or dbice@jrn.com. Follow him on X at @DanielBice or on Facebook at fb.me/daniel.bice.