(Still From Pool Video)
For almost four years, media sources, like KCE, have been reporting false information about Paul Prediger. Paul Prediger, formerly known as Gaige Grosskreutz, was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse on August 25, 2020 during the Kenosha riots. Prediger had a valid concealed carry license on August 20, 2020. He thought that police and prosecutors would know that. He was wrong. Kenosha Police Detective Benjamin Antaramian, who was the lead detective on the Rittenhouse case, told Prediger that he did not have a valid CCW license on August 25, 2020 – so did Binger.
(File Photo By Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Grosskreutz was told by Kenosha prosecutor T. Clair Binger that his license had expired due to non-payment of the renewal fee. Prediger, trusting Binger and Antaramian, testified under oath that his concealed carry license wasn’t valid on the night of the shooting. He testified that he carried his gun that night in a concealed manner. This irked many residents, Rittenhouse supporters, and self-defense advocates. “Why wasn’t he charged for carrying a concealed weapon?” they all wondered.
All of us who watched the trial remember this exchange:
(Pool Video)
Binger: Were you armed?
Grosskreutz: I was.
Binger: Tell us about that.
Grosskreutz: I believe in the second amendment and I’m for people’s right to carry and bear arms. And that night was no different than any other day – it’s keys, phone, wallet, gun.
Binger: Did you have a permit to carry a concealed weapon?
Grosskreutz: I did.
Binger: Was it in effect on august 25th 2020
Grosskreutz: It was not.
Binger: Had it expired?
Grosskreutz: It had
Binger: And you had not renewed it?
Grosskreutz: I had not.
Binger: When you were having this medical truck in Milwaukee did you carry a gun then?
Grosskreutz: I did
Binger: When you came down here how did you carry your gun?
Grosskreutz: I had my handgun holstered in the small of my back.
Binger: What type of gun was it?
Grosskreutz: It was a Gen 4 Glock 27. So it is a smaller framed 40 caliber handgun.
In an Interview with TMJ4 NBC, Grosskreutz told the reporter that his concealed carry license was valid saying:
Reporter: Gaige says he was armed that night too, but stresses he was following the law.
Grosskreutz: It’s not something that I brought specifically or just because of going down to Kenosha. It’s something that I carry with me all the time. I’m not a convicted felon. I have a legal right to possess a firearm and the privilege to concealed carry it. I’m not a member of antifa. I’m not this terrorist that people are trying to make me out [to be.]
So where did the mix-up come from? Why was Grosskreutz told to say that his CCW was expired by Binger? KCE has received many documents that we have authenticated and know to be true and accurate depictions of correspondence between Prediger, his attorneys and the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation, Wisconsin DOJ, and Kenosha Police Department.
Detective Antaramian, during the investigation, called Kenosha Joint Services, an agency that provides among other things, records and dispatch to local law enforcement. Someone at Joint Services verbally told Antaramian that Grosskreutz’s license was expired. Kenosha County District Attorney Mike Graveley (D) told Binger not to change Grosskreutz with any crimes, notwithstanding. Prediger filed complaints with KPD and the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation against Detective Antaramian and T. Clair Binger respectively.
According to a letter to Prediger from Kenosha Police Sgt. Cory Brennan:
“It was determined that you have two CCW file numbers associated with your previous name of “Gaige Grosskreutz” with WI DOJ. One of those file numbers was in a canceled status at the time your information was queried during the investigation by detectives. This information was queried by Kenosha Joint Services records and relayed to detectors verbally. We hold no physical copy of the results of the Kenosha Police Department Detective Bureau’s inquiry into your CCW status in the days following your involvement in the aforementioned investigation.”
Timothy Samuelson, the director of the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation has repeatedly refused to sanction T.Clair Binger for his misconduct during the Rittenhouse case. This trend didn’t stop with Prediger’s complaint. Samuelson’s office said in a letter to Prediger, closing his complaint:
“The available evidence indicates that, while preparing you to testify in Kenosha County case #20-CF-983, Attorney [T. Clair] Binger reasonably relied on a report prepared by the Kenosha Police Department stating that you did not possess a valid CCW [license] on August 25th 2020. Therefore, this matter will not be forwarded for formal investigation and will be closed at this time.”
Prediger Responds
Reached by KCE, Prediger answered our questions about the issue. ” I find it deeply troubling that it took this long for the prosecution and police to acknowledge what was clear from the beginning – that I was lawfully carrying a weapon on August 25th,” said Prediger. “Their delay in recognizing this fact is indicative of the broader issue of bias and negligence in how law enforcement treats certain individuals. While I appreciate the acknowledgment, it does little to address the unjust accusations and hardships I’ve faced as a result of their initial failure to acknowledge the truth.”
In brief conversations with KPD administration, they acknowledge that more could have been done to verify, but that the mistake wasn’t due to neglect. Having two CCW file numbers is a very unique situation and there is no way to know why the state DOJ did this. There may not be a true “villain” in this mix-up. Sometimes mistakes are made and no person or group of people can be blamed.
KCE asked Prediger if he felt like T. Clair Binger or others pressured him into not telling the truth. He responded by saying “I believe there were attempts to manipulate and misrepresent the facts during the legal proceedings. The tactics used were concerning, and it raises questions about the integrity of the process. “
Kenosha Police internal affairs closed Prediger’s complaint as “unfounded” and Prediger isn’t happy about it. ” I am not satisfied with the Kenosha police’s determination. There were clear discrepancies and mishandlings in how the situation was handled, and accountability is necessary to ensure such mistakes are not repeated. It’s important for law enforcement agencies to acknowledge and rectify any wrongdoing to maintain public trust and confidence in their actions “
At KCE, we reported that Grosskreutz was carrying a gun illegally in Kenosha during the riots, no fewer than a half dozen times. For this, we are sorry. Like the Kenosha Police Department, we relied on what was related to law enforcement by the Wisconsin Department of Justice and Grosskreutz’s testimony in which he said unequivocally that his license was not in effect.
Prediger does have a valid gripe, however. At the end of the day, he was adamant that his license was valid, but he believed Binger, who told him that it wasn’t. While Grosskreutz acknowledges that the media, like KCE, didn’t necessarily act with malice in reporting the inaccurate statue of his right to carry a weapons, he still thinks there is room for improvement, saying “While I understand that news outlets rely on information from trusted sources, it is still disheartening to see false information being disseminated. It highlights the need for responsible and thorough journalism to verify facts before publication. It’s crucial for media outlets to exercise caution and diligence, especially when the information comes from sources that may have their own agendas. Ultimately, ensuring accuracy is paramount to maintaining credibility and trust with the public.”
Prediger has also learned, through public records requests, that law enforcement officers all over the state have run his name through the law enforcement data system (TIME) – something cops can only do with specific reasons. Prediger filed many complaints to police chiefs and Sheriffs all over the state. Some disciplined officers and deputies, others didn’t. Some law enforcement officers admitted they only did so “out of curiosity.”
Many people made mistakes on August 25, 2020 – Grosskreutz, Rittenhouse, this author, and others. KCE has consistently been critical of Grosskreutz. However, even if we disagree with some of his behavior, it is necessary to correct the record. It is also necessary to apologize. We got it wrong. We can only make up for that by reporting the truth today.
57 Responses
Right is right.
Are these permits identified by a number tied to a person’s name and/or other identifying information? If the name changes, then wouldn’t the number also change? And in the database are they cross-referenced?
I don’t know the answers to any of the above. I do if it was a Wisconsin driver’s license. But those are issued by DOT, not DOJ.
Yasss Gaige!! Fight that white supremacy, queen!!!!
Fact of the matter is, protesters were out during daytime hours protesting and many, like myself, have no problem with that.
Criminals were out past a mandated curfew rioting and causing trouble which I have a huge problem with. Gage was in my hometown, which I pay taxes to, while I was at home like I was told to do. Him and every other person (including Rittenhouse) that were out those nights should have been rounded up and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
But we have a garbage DA in Kenosha, so what do you expect?
I agree. We had to obey the curfew but others flaunted it.
You can legally own a weapon but it does not give you the right to point it or shoot at another person. He comitted a crime and was stopped.
As I explained in my video (https://youtu.be/w0v33Grs8RA), he has a right to point a gun at who he perceives as an assailant to defend the lives of others. From his perspective, that is what may have motivated him. You’d have to prove he didn’t, which would be rather hard.
He was attempting to stop an active shooter. Why do you protect the active shooters?
Color me stupid…. How does one not know if they paid fees for permits? I can tell you at any given moment when my car and home insurance are due, when my plates need to be renewed or when my license will expire. And I have bank records to verify all of that. So he just accepted what he was told?
Oh, and shouldn’t there also be a website you can go to? For other licenses with the state like real estate and insurance, can you just check the OCI website?
Access to the CCW permit database is very restricted.
But surely someone who has a permit can look up his own information?
Anne – no, you can’t. Which seems pretty arse backwards but that is the way Wisconsin DoJ operates.
The expiration date is right on the card.
Gaige told me that he needed to be a lawyer to look it up. So, he depended on his lawyer Kimberly Motley, which is never a good idea.
The expiration date is printed right on the front of the card. One could make a reasonable argument that pointing a gun at Rittenhouse was a violation of the terms of said license.
To be honest, we should start a list of people who do not own guns and give that list to the illegals coming over the border so they know what homes they can go to without worrying about getting shot. You know, for the illegals safety, because our current administration doesnt give a damn about American citizens.
Wouldnt you love to see illegals storming the homes of people like Joel Trudell, John Antaramien and the rest of these retard liberals?
Like Binger, they probably own guns. They just don’t want YOU to own guns.
That would also let them know which houses *do* have guns, so they can be broken in to when nobody is home.
Aren’t Wisconsin CCW permit holders required by law to carry the permit with them at all times to present to LE upon request?
If Wisconsin citizens are required to have a CCW Permit, aren’t those citizens also required to carry that permit with them while carrying a firearm concealed to provide proof upon LE request?
CCL is unconstitutional anyways
That’s funny . Please explain .
The Second Amendment says that the right to bear arms “shall not be infringed”. That brings into question the constitutionality of CCL. Many states are “right to carry” states, which means that if your weapon is concealed, you are considered to be within your rights. Wisconsin, a “CCL” state, limits the right of the people by saying your weapon must be visible unless you have a special permit. Explanation is a bit awkward, but that’s legalize for you.
What about the “well regulated militia” part?
You must not be very familiar with basic case law. The supreme Court has ruled that the second amendment isn’t individual right. Sorry I had to be the one to crush your dreams of taking guns away from people
The first part is separated by a comma . Which means you can also join a well-regulated militia . Meaning no cannons.
“well-regulated” means properly functioning. Because a militia cannot properly function without weapons, the Framers established the right to own personal weapons, knowing that these weapons would be important in the future to suppressing tyranny. For this reason, you cannot tax ammo in order to suppress its purchase, because you need ammo in order for the weapon to properly function.
Have you ever looked up the definition of the term “well-regulated” in written English contemporary to the penning of the amendment? Hint – it has absolutely nothing to do with limiting or restricting access. Unless you also think the phrases “a well-regulated mind” and “a well-regulated clock” means placing government restrictions on timepieces and brains.
How about looking up what was considered to be “the militia”?
Or sentence structure, specifically how a prefatory clause provides justification for, not places limits on, an operative clause?
Having a valid CCW doesn’t make him look any better. Nothing about having a valid license makes it look any better when you try to shoot somebody for defending himself. No training he could have had would have told him it was a good idea to get involved in that fight.
Based on the information available to him at the time, Kyle had just shot someone. Beyond that, Grosskreutz/Prediger did not know it was self defense, and I think he believed he was trying to stop Kyle from shooting anyone else. The bottom line here is, if nobody had been out after curfew, if nobody was setting fires and destroying property, then nobody would have gotten shot. At all.
I appreciate your correction Kevin, publicly admitting you had it wrong is the right thing to do. I wish no one had been out after curfew, including Kyle but that doesn’t alter his right to defend himself. There is plenty of blame to go around, from our local officials all the way up to our governor who flamed the fire with idiotic statements.
Who cares.
First, if Grosskreutz/Prediger had a valid CCL, he would have been required to have it with him when carrying. Look at it and it would have the expiration date on it. If I was told by police or prosecutors that I didn’t have a valid CCL, the first thing I would do is produce it to prove it IS valid. It would then be up to them to verify the validity, beyond a verbal statement from a records clerk.
The way you may have two numbers associated with your name is, you forget to renew the license at some point, and don’t realize it in time to get it renewed (you have 90 days from expiration to renew without having to re-apply), or maybe move out of state, at which point your license becomes invalid, so if you have to reapply and get approval, you get a new number.
From the time of the incident, I’ve maintained that Kyle fired in self defense, but I don’t believe Grosskreutz/Prediger did anything criminal. He believed Kyle had just wrongfully shot someone based on the information available to him at the time and may have thought he was doing the right thing in trying to stop him. As far as I could tell from watching the incident live as it happened, the only thing he did illegally was violate the curfew that was in place.
Agreed. Wis. Stat. § 175.60(2g)(b) states that the CCW card must always be carried whenever possessing a gun, but I couldn’t find any penalties for violating it. I don’t think Gaige could be charged for it, regardless. As for whether Gaige should be charged for assaulting Kyle, I tend to agree. I went over this in one of my videos: https://youtu.be/w0v33Grs8RA
(a) Any person who violates sub. (2g) (b) or (c) may be required to forfeit not more than $25, except that the person shall be exempted from the forfeiture if the person presents to the law enforcement agency that employs the requesting law enforcement officer, within 48 hours, his or her license document or out-of-state license, photographic identification, and, if pertinent, military license.
If he was dead instead of wounded we wouldn’t have to listen to this crap.
You are free to ignore it.
Who changes their name ? This person is shady .
And also , Claire ? Come on man .
Probably someone who wants privacy from media attention. Which makes me wonder if KCE has alterior motive for repeatedly repeating and publicizing his changed name.
Hope he changes it again, to OJ Simpson, since nobody’s currently using that name.
Bro used AI to write his responses, so obvious Lol
Ccw is a scam. We need constitutional carry. You don’t pay for your rights. They were given by God.
Say what you want about the second amendment it was for sure not granted by god.
When did he pay the fees for that permit? Was it after the riot???
Doesn’t matter. It’s a 2 tier system.
Its funny how humble and apologetic KM gets when he sees that that he could get sued for spreading false information. Its almost like he’s afraid of losing another defamation lawsuit
ummm, Gaige (Paul) testified under oath he did not have a valid ccw, no chance for defamation.
Kevin isn’t worried about defamation. After all, if claiming that Gaige didn’t have a valid CCW is tantamount to defamation, then a whole lot more people would be sued than just Kevin.
Kevin knew that he couldn’t be sued for defamation, especially given Gaige’s own testimony. If Gaige sued Kevin for spreading false information, he’d have to sue himself as well given his trial testimony.
Hey Anon, you sound like a bitter liberal that Kevin has exposed in his investigative reporting. Sucks to be you. Make better choices.
This is why I like the KCE. Always fair and just. Keep up the good work.
Yep, I reported this on my show about five months ago, but I was going purely on what Gaige told me and didn’t have proof. Now we have proof. Good on you to straighten people out on a thing or two.
Grosskreutz/Prediger/Numbnutz should change his name to “one who gets shot while rioting”.
Gage brother, you’re still a piece of shit. Just own up to your mistakes and drop it. You lost the quick draw competition. You drew down on Kyle and didn’t have the balls to finish it, now you don’t have a bicep either. You’re lucky you weren’t charged, even luckier that your MOMMA isn’t crying at the cemetery every year. Maybe think about moving out to Cali I hear they welcome your ‘always the victim’ types!
Pedos don’t get 2a rights.
I don’t think the article cleared up the matter.
It said two account numbers had been assigned to Gaige and the one investigators saw indicated his cc permit had not been renewed. Yet, the article makes no claim that the second account number was valid.
Also weird that Gaige testified it had been expired and that he never looked at the card to check.
The Department of Justice and the Kenosha Police Department have both said that it was a mistake. What else could you want as proof?