Holloway Still Faces Dozens of Ethics Charges

Expect Holloway supporters to start hollering from the "I told you so" talking points now that the hearing examiner has ruled that many of the charges against Holloway should be dismissed.

Dozens of counts related to Holloway's failure to list some properties were tossed by Michael Hogan, the county-appointed hearing examiner in the case. Hogan agreed with Holloway's argument that the Ethics Board failed to exercise "reasonable diligence" in probing reasons why Holloway left sections of his annual ethics disclosure statement blank.

The dismissed counts related to Holloway disclosure reports from the early to mid-1990s, which Holloway successfully argued were too old to prosecute.

However, it is important to note:

Some 30 counts accusing Holloway of failing to disclose a business relationship with a social service agency that he also voted to approve county funding for remain valid, Hogan's ruling stated. Holloway received about $165,000 in rent and mortgage payments from the now-defunct Opportunities Industrialization Center of Greater Milwaukee Inc., in connection with a Holloway property at 2100 W. Atkinson Ave.

Several counts related to Holloway's failure to publicly disclose his ownership of the Atkinson property also were deemed valid by Hogan. Holloway has said he didn't view the property as his after the mid-1990s when OIC and an affiliate began negotiating for it. However, the sale of the building was never completed and OIC never took possession of it.

So Holloway now 'only' faces some 30 ethics charges. Good for him. Only 30.

So, let the case proceed to its conclusion.

The Journal Sentinel now also reports that the County Board Finance Committee is holding a special meeting Thursday to reconsider last week's vote and that it is expected to be before the full board Thursday as well.