(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — Kenosha County Executive Samantha Kerkman is now claiming that she’s the victim in a public-records lawsuit filed against her and Clerk of Courts Rebecca Matoska-Mentink. Kerkman has reportedly said that the lawsuit was filed to harass her and that she plans to ask a judge to make Kenosha County Eye pay her legal expenses.
Kerkman’s assertion is remarkable considering her long familiarity with Kenosha County Eye editor Kevin Mathewson and his record. Mathewson has successfully sued government officials and agencies more than twenty times under open-records laws — and has never lost once. Every one of those cases ended with public officials forced to turn over records they attempted to conceal. Observers describe Kerkman’s new effort to cast herself as a victim as a desperate attempt to intimidate a journalist, financed entirely by the taxpayers she was elected to represent.
Mathewson said he will not be bullied by a county executive who has a blank checkbook of taxpayer dollars to hire the most expensive lawyers in the state. “I’m entitled to documents, and when public officials try to hide them, I’ll hold them accountable in court,” he said. “Her big, pricey attorneys won’t scare me. It’s alarming that she would go through such great costs to hide the investigation of my butt crack… I’m your huckleberry Sam.”
Kerkman’s claim that she is being harassed comes as she appears to be aligning herself with both her former political opponent, Clerk of Courts Rebecca Matoska-Mentink, and her ex-husband, Circuit Judge Chad Kerkman. All three have played roles in what has become an unusual alliance against transparency — one that raises questions about how far local power players will go to protect each other when their actions are exposed to public scrutiny.
While Kerkman portrays herself as a target, Matoska has not claimed any harassment and has taken a quieter approach, allowing the case to proceed through normal channels. Yet the County Executive has chosen a more dramatic posture, using taxpayer-funded attorneys to frame herself as the victim in a case that simply seeks a public document.
The lawsuit stems from a September 2025 memorandum describing a behind-the-scenes “internal investigation” conducted by Matoska into Mathewson’s photographing of the in-custody list during intake court — an action that every court commissioner, including William Michel II, has long permitted. Rather than allow transparency, Kerkman has spent taxpayer funds to help conceal a document that has nothing to do with her office, apparently to protect her political allies and perhaps her own image.
Kenosha County residents are now questioning why their County Executive is pouring public money into lawyers to fight a reporter who has won every transparency case he has ever filed. The only harassment happening here, critics say, is against the taxpayers footing the bill for Samantha Kerkman’s fear of accountability.
The case is currently pending in Kenosha County Circuit Court.
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53 Responses
“I’m your huckleberry Sam.” Love it. Kevin, I’m glad you are reporting on everything in Kenosha. There is literally no one to do it.
Sam is a fraud. always has been. i know from personal business relationships with her. Notice Kev did not put “R” next to her name. This was by choice. He finally realizes that she is a clown.
And you’re not?
maybe he should put C next to her name!!
She’s looking rough.
she took the bio weapon. this is how it goes. look how crazy her hubby is acting. When I talked to her on the phone years ago, she insisted on being called Sam. My business deal was regarding the interpretation of a state law. She said I was correct. The law benefited me greatly in business. She said, “Dennis you are one vote, the misinterpetation of the law is many votes.” I asked her if she was going to help me since I was correct. She said, “No”
Didn’t you get fired from the City of Kenosha? Didn’t you leave the country and abandon your children?
nope, not fired, and children is plural. I have one daughter and she is 21, studying at UW. true, i live in mexico and left that 3rd-world country 4 years ago after my great book was released. I retired a multimillionaire at age 43. What have you accomplished?
Loser
I thought the exact same thing!
Sammy, Samantha,Siam, it just does not matter she is a Cee U Next Tuesday and she is angry that Jerkman did not enjoy vigina. Just ask Bingo!
Sammy is so cunning. Asking a judge to make Kenosha County Eye to pay for her legal expenses. Gee, would that judge possibly have been hand picked by the legal scholars Tad & Biff? It’s so disingenuous she would seek attorney fee’s while utilizing tax dollars to obtain them.
Her victim game has been choreographed for her to further slander KCE while doing its job in a attempt teach KCE not to poke the Bear with a sharp stick. Nothing more.
Oh Sam, so not proud of you.
You aren’t owning your actions. It will be your demise. Then what you do in life?
What a waste.
Is she qualified for anything. She is such a loser. Pure photo op backslapper. Maybe your buddy Antaramian has something for you. Disgraziado
I never seen a person take so many pictures of herself – photo op queen . Do your job., no one cares to see you in the osier everyday . Leave your ego at the door
Paper
Damn, these people are all shady.
The American way. Greed and corruption
I once thought something of her. But she is a fraud, a liar, and she never met a camera she didn’t pose for. Her plastic surgery has faded like her morals.
She’s an empty pants suit like Killarney Clinton. Anyone would be better than her.
Keep it up Kevin, expose the truth, topple plastic Sammy.
“Anyone would be better than her.”
Who’s Up ?
Election is coming
She is the spawn of Claude Porter, no better no worse!
She never looks you in the eye, always lying or never wanting to give you a straight answer . We have to suffer another 4 years with her , the circus wouldn’t hire her except maybe the snake oil act
These people are all clowns. Do not vote for them.
I am curious as to what they are hiding that they are going to such great lengths to keep covered. I’ve said it before and I will say it again – every county needs someone like you to report the actual news and not let the politicians bully you. I’m also curious as to how many employees they have hired, fired, or quit in the last year. I’ve heard the work environment is extremely toxic!
BooHoo! Sam is a victim of her own doing, and it’s all Kevin’s fault!
You can’t make this Kenosha Soap Opera Story up.
I so wanted Sam to do good !
I so wanted a female perspective in leadership !
I so wanted her to be in charge to show us what 20 years in Madison taught her about government and serving constituents.
I so wanted …..
No one should hold any single or combination of public office for as long as she has. She is the very definition of a career politician, which should be a hard NO vote for anyone with common sense.
Then you found out she’s a dud. We all make mistakes .
I don’t want my money wasted on her hurt feelings. This RINO has overstayed her welcome.
She’s like the Liz Cheney or Robin Vos of Kenosha lol
Thank you for continuing to report on her and her ex-husband.
In Kenosha, if Crack doesn’t kill,
it will certainly unhinge the fearful establishment.
Fuck her, and her pole smoking ex-husband.
Pole smoking?
He hit a utility pole?
This is a great story! Sam is nothing more than the rino swamp and she’s as much a republican as her husband judge or the new sheriff of Kenosha!
What the public really wants to see open records of is the Kenosha Captain and his event where his kid accessed his “secured” firearm in the home. The child then discharged said firearm and shot his hand.
Where does that “open investigation” stand?
Well maybe the public will FINALLY see through Sammie and how extraordinarily corrupt she is. She should be recalled and never run for public office again. I am sick of her using our hard-earned tax money to fund her own agenda. The days of corrupt politicians needs to stop
Start the process , many would sign it
I know Samantha as an acquaintance, she is a nice, competent woman. The county has prospered during her tenure. After KCE gets done with her, she will need a psychiatrist.
I know her well. She is a fraud.
She needed a psychiatrist long before KCE. She is a complete fraud and she has done nothing for Kenosha county
Your high- one thing she’s good at is making sure she’s in the Kenosha news with a picture 5 times a week . Like hey everybody, I did something again this week . She must know someone or has a connection at that liberal crap newspaper
She is a liar and vindictive. She’s not good in bed either
Pretty obvious on all counts.
She’s been around
She turned her husband gay, which explains the pictures of Chad and his man lover.
The Kenosha GOP hasn’t even hinted at someone to run against her.
If they don’t find someone and run them HARD and back them FIERCELY, it’s time for a leadership change on that board.
Sam was at their Lincoln Day dinner, if she runs as an (R) and they don’t find someone to beat her, they have failed at their most basic task.
At this point, I would vote for a Democrat as opposed to another Kerkman term.
It’s a lot easier to replace a one term flop as opposed to a multi-term Kerkman.
Also, with any luck, her replacement will see how terrible her appointments have been, for division and department heads, and will send them to the chopping block.
Don’t forget about corrupt Foss
What’s wrong with her hair?
I am reading all these comments and I get Kevin is going after information legally. He should and I appreciate his work.
So, objectively, what are six criteria that she should be evaluated on? Are the wheels to Kenosha County falling off? Financially the county looks pretty strong. The tax levy’s have been reasonable. The bond rating has been maintained. What services is the County failing at? I get the employees may not like her. They always like the one coming, hat the one that is there and miss the one that left. I would like specifics of her failure and shortcomings.
Test
Foss now is with Pleasant Prairie? Wonder why……………….
Keep up the good work Kevin! It’s the only way the public will know what is really going on in the County Administration. It’s all public record, you get your info legally, and it’s freedom of speech!
I guess things are not getting any better since we moved! That’s sad!!