Mr. Kerkman,
You are a sitting circuit court judge in Kenosha County. I have been informed by multiple members of the community that you have told individuals — both in your courtroom and at social events throughout the county — that I am “dangerous,” that you are afraid of me, and that you believe I pose a physical threat to you.
Those are serious allegations.
Let me state this plainly: I have never threatened you. I have never been arrested, accused of, or convicted of a crime. In the 23 years I have been an adult, I have never committed an act of violence. I have never expressed any intent to harm you or anyone else.
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
I acknowledge that I have written numerous articles about your conduct that you may find critical or uncomfortable. That is my First Amendment right as both a journalist and a citizen. The United States Supreme Court has long held that public officials are subject to rigorous scrutiny and that debate concerning their conduct must remain uninhibited, robust, and wide-open. In New York Times Co. v. Sullivan and Garrison v. Louisiana, the Court made clear that speech about public officials occupies the highest rung of First Amendment protection. Criticism — even sharp criticism — is not a physical threat.
As a member of the bar and a sitting judge, you are well aware of these precedents and the constitutional principles they reinforce. I encourage you to revisit them.
You are entitled to your opinions. You are not entitled to your own facts.
I am aware that you have contacted the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin State Capitol Police — the agency responsible for investigating threats against dignitaries and public officials — regarding concerns about me. I am unaware of any finding by either agency that I made a credible threat. I have not been contacted, questioned, cited, arrested, or charged by either agency in connection with any alleged threat.
If you believe I have made a threat, identify the specific statement or action that supports that claim.
You have requested and received a deputy — effectively functioning as a taxpayer-funded bodyguard — from the Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office to accompany you at public functions, including a recent County Board committee meeting where the deputy followed you through the administration building, outside during a fire alarm, and back to the courthouse. I understand that Sheriff David Zoerner approved this security assignment, resulting in additional expense to taxpayers. If this decision is based on documented threats, that documentation should exist. If it is precautionary, that distinction should be made clear.
I have also been made aware that concerns regarding your family’s safety have been raised publicly in connection with this narrative. No family member of any public official should ever feel unsafe. But associating me with danger absent any documented threat unfairly damages my reputation.
It gives the impression that ordinary political and journalistic criticism is being recast as something far more sinister. When routine reporting and litigation are treated as though they are precursors to violence — despite the complete absence of any arrest, charge, citation, questioning, or law enforcement action of any kind — it suggests a reaction untethered to objective facts.
There is no documented act of violence in my past. There is no arrest record. There is no criminal accusation. There has been no contact from law enforcement informing me of any credible threat. The record is clear. I have never engaged in violent conduct, and nothing in my history supports the portrayal now being circulated.
My federal civil rights lawsuit against you challenges legal decisions and constitutional principles. It does not involve threats, intimidation, or violence. Disagreement over judicial rulings does not transform a journalist into a physical threat.
Portraying me as dangerous without factual support carries serious reputational consequences.
I demand that you cease portraying me as a physical threat absent documented evidence. There is no documented act, arrest, charge, citation, questioning, or law enforcement action supporting such a claim. The community deserves accuracy and transparency.
Kevin Mathewson
30 Responses
If Kerkman feels threatened by anyone,he should employ his own private body guard at his expense and not a sheriff deputy that is funded by the tax payers.
Or, maybe he should think about one word.. INTEGRITY.
Chad is a pantywaist and he often feels threatened. Man up
This is right out of the liberal playbook….. scream that you are scared and make false allegations to deflect scrutiny from your bad actions.
This fool needs to be kicked off the bench.
He knows he’s going to lose these suits against him, so now it’s poor Chad, I’m scared of a journalist
Kevin, the truth hurts Kerkman because he will be a non-event after the next election
The Kuckman is a disgrace. Tries to be a bully. Keep at him Kevin.
I bet Samantha beat him up regularly when he wet the bed
K I s s I n g First comes love then comes marriage. Which one gets to push the baby carriage?
a bromance gone South
He’s going to keep an eye on you.
Chad, you are on the losing side.
Kevin, lots of points.
This guy is so full of himself!! If he’s that scared of you, I’m surprised he didn’t slap a restraining order on you!!
I want to kick Jerkman’s face in, my name is not Kevin.
Wow , this guy really has a high opinion of himself to think that he needs a bodyguard. What a whussy boy….emphasis on “boy”!
There are demons that possess Chad Kerkman. He’s a depraved mind Reprobate whose sense of Justice, Law, Order and Reality is totally bent out of shape.
I need a body guard after Ray Roberts came to my home over a Facebook comment to “beat me up.” Mr. school resource officer sheriff can I get a body guard at tax payer expense. Pretty please.
Your afraid of that dork?
I’m not so weak to get a restraining order. But….. Yeah!
Chad is intimidated because Mr. Mathewson knows the legal system better than he does, and he’s a “judge” 🤣☠️🤣
100% ACCURATE!
NEVER GIVE UP 👊🏻
Keep up the fight Kevin,
What? Chad’s mommie couldn’t be his guard?
Jerkmans own actions and his comments have brought all this to the point we’re at .Lack of integrity and thinking he’s more important than he is .Bottom line …he’s a jackass !!!
Would be interesting to see if any deputy assigned as Mr. Kerkman’s personal escort will be forced to recuse themselves from testifying in legal cases tried with Mr. Kerkman as judge.
One would think that legal matters are discussed between the escort and Mr. Kerkman.
Good point! I’m sure he’s already thought of that and how he can get out of any impending trouble…
Kerkman is such a lying piece of shit dirtbag…. Playing the wounded pup isnt gonna work , and take that nasty buttplug out its disgusting
If he hires someone to mug him in a dark ally he wants the finger to point at you!
Does the bodyguard have to watch Chad boofing Binger?