KENOSHA, Wis. – I get asked a lot: why do I sometimes write negative stories about my friends? It’s a fair question, and the answer is simple—because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing my job.
When I first launched Kenosha County Eye, I’ll admit something that doesn’t make me proud. Powerful people I happened to know personally—people I liked and considered friends—were treated with a kind of immunity. I held back. I told myself it was natural to protect those relationships. But slowly, I realized that wasn’t right.
I can’t claim to have come to this realization on my own. Christopher Hitchens, the brilliant writer and polemicist, put it in words that stuck with me. In one interview, he was asked whether it was harder to write critically about people he knew. His answer: yes, it is harder, but it must still be done. He pointed to George Orwell, who would avoid forming friendships with people he might later criticize, fearing the “corrupting effect” of personal ties on honest judgment.
Hitchens admitted he wasn’t so lucky—he was compulsively social, and so am I. Like him, I don’t live in a bubble. I run into people, share meals, build friendships. But just like him, I’ve realized that journalism requires holding friends accountable the same way I hold people I don’t know, or even people I dislike, accountable. Anything less is a betrayal of my readers and my community.
Does it make the work harder? Absolutely. Writing about a friend’s mistake is uncomfortable. But if I only held strangers accountable while protecting friends, I’d be nothing more than a publicist. My role isn’t to protect the powerful—it’s to scrutinize them, whether I share a drink with them or not.
This is why Kenosha County Eye has no free passes. If you hold public power, you answer to the public—friend or not.
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22 Responses
You’re a fan of Hitchens? I pretty much despise most of your writing, but you did go up in my estimation a bit, I gotta admit. (I assume you’re talking about his truth telling, not his atheism, which, fair.)
Not his atheism
I was elected to city council to make policy, not friends. That put me at odds with most of the other aldermen. Criticizing government wasn’t welcome. They often took it personally. Most were more focused on being buddy-buddy than solving problems. Meanwhile, I had strong support from citizens on both sides of the aisle. Any pushback came only from politicians and bureaucrats. It became extremely stressful, because without support from other aldermen, nothing could get done. It’s a catch 22.
You are GREATLY missed by my neighborhood!!!!! You were
absolutely wonderful! The new alderman is horrible! My neighbors and I talk about how well you did all the time!
Thanks for sharing your valuable perspective, Dave. A question for both you and fellow former alderman Kevin: What do you feel can change the cliquish, overly sensitive nature of the Kenosha City Council? Just wondering because, unless term limits are someday implemented or a group of newcomers are elected at once, this seems to be a long-term problem with no end in sight.
In my experience, only the mayor has the ability to make big changes. The aldermen are just puppets. The system makes it so they’re just the front-facing punching bag that citizens call to complain to. But the real decisions are done by the mayor and staff. The unelected staff is bigger than I imagined, and they and the mayor create the budget every year. The budget basically sets the entire agenda of the government for the whole year and beyond. Who knows when the last time the council didn’t vote nearly unanimously on the mayor’s budget.
Term limits would be helpful only if more people run for office. Most local elections are uncontested. Even when a mayor/alderman retires or steps down, almost no one wants to take their spot in bureaucratic hell. Unfortunately I couldn’t stomach it either.
Also, to be honest the local Republican party completely ignores the city – at least when I was there. A political party shouldn’t just help get people elected and then leave them alone in the wilderness. They should support them to carry out an agenda.
I appreciate your insightful response, Dave.
Good for you, Kevin. You have experienced several years of people trying to buy your favor. You can not be a real journalist and be friends with some of these powerful people who try to manipulate you.
Good for you, Kevin.
Kevin, you’re growing in your craft, and integrity matters.
If you can genuinely hold friends accountable, then you’re exactly what Kenosha needs.
Focus on journalism first; everything else comes second.
Your articles exposing corrupt politicians seem to get the most traction.
Some of the most popular politicians are also the worst at doing their jobs.
Your reporting is hated by some, but usually for good reason.
Your coverage of sexual predators in our children’s schools deserves even more attention.
We must hold all public officials accountable.
The reality is, many should never have been in public office to begin with.
Smaller towns and villages haven’t received the scrutiny they deserve.
Thank you for putting the spotlight on them; it’s long overdue.
Because of you Kevin, I’ve learned so much of what is going on in this city. Kenosha has become a cesspool for drug dealers and pedos. People crossing the border and racing through our streets. Some law enforcement not being honest. I could go on and on. Thank you for reporting the news and facts and not protecting people you know. I appreciate it.
This change is a big positive for Kenosha County and I appreciate it , Kevin. You’ve replaced Kenosha News as the community’s primary watchdog and I don’t think the contest is even close at this point. While the newspaper has been gutted by Lee Newspapers’ job cuts, hiring freezes and insistence on hiring low-wage, entry-level journalists, Kevin has slowly but surely developed Kenosha County Eye into a must-read local news source.
KCE is now the top local spot for investigative journalism and hard news, especially as the Kenosha News seems to now be content serving as little more than a City of Kenosha public relations firm. Meanwhile, Milwaukee media coverage of Kenosha is spotty at best and Chicago coverage is nearly non-existent.
With the top watchdog role comes a huge responsibility to hold all public officials accountable, regardless of political affiliation, friendships, differences in beliefs, etc., and that’s what makes this such a positive development. I hope the next big step for KCE is naming the political affiliations of all public officials, regardless of whether it’s a positive or negative story. This will help the site become even more transparent and solidify its status as our county’s top news source.
My favorite Hitchens line, paraphrasing: There are a lot of bubble reputations out there that one wouldn’t be doing one’s job if one didn’t itch to prick.
Keep pricking those bubble reputations!
One of my best friends introduced me to Hitchens!
I think you are what the world needs!
Can we get an update on the 9yr old that shot a hole in his hand with a KPF captain’s firearm? Regardless of being locked up or not, it obviously wasn’t actually secured.. because if it was then a child wouldn’t get it. It also should have been unloaded and ammo kept separately imo. If Joe Smith had done what that captain did, Joe Smith would see a judge and jury.
Kevin Keep up the great work the only ones that fear you are the ones that have and are doing wrong , You are making a difference, a change for Kenosha , Keep up the great work you are one of a kind , You should be in public office and help Kenosha grow strong again , Minus all the corruption that is in place . you are a great man and a great reporter keep up the good work.
Yes!
Dave Mau for City Administrator, Kevin Mathewson as Mayor,
DA Xavier Solis
Michael Cicchini Chief Judge
Oust the corrupt liars and fakes in every aspect.
Then dump the worthless “Punching bag” yes people City Council and turn it red.
Just for laughs unemployed former Judge Kerkman and Sgt. Hard in a new dual role of County Executive.(Likely attached anyway). Has to bring more joy than what we’ve got.
I can see it now. The 4th of July parade featuring Kenosha’s Savior’s on a float led by the Grand Marshall on his unregistered Harley Pudgy Zoermer (speeding a bit).
Righting the ship!!!!
Make us proud of Kenosha!!!!
Make us laugh again.
That Hitchens quote earned a subscription from me. Wish you the best for this site!
I love your page! You have opened a lot of people’s eyes to the community! Especially the Lawyer Kmiec and the son. As well as the rest of family !
Because you don’t have any friends?
U r in the ranks of the greats