(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
KENOSHA, Wis. — Liberal activist and failed Kenosha Aldermanic candidate Joel Trudell has filed a civil rights lawsuit against Kenosha County Board Supervisor Gabe Nudo, claiming his 2022 arrest at a County Board meeting was an act of political retaliation that violated his First Amendment rights.
(Kenosha County Sheriff)
(File Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
The lawsuit, filed June 23, 2025, in Kenosha County Circuit Court, stems from a contentious June 21, 2022 meeting in which Trudell was physically removed and arrested after criticizing supervisors — including Nudo — for supporting a resolution to allow concealed firearms in most county buildings. Trudell, who signed up to speak during the public comment period, used his time to draw connections between campaign donations and support for the resolution. When he began to mention Supervisor Nudo’s donors by name, Nudo interrupted him, refused to let him finish, and ordered deputies to remove him.
Trudell was arrested and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
At the time, former Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley told Kenosha County Eye he would personally prosecute the case. But instead, Graveley quietly referred it to Walworth County District Attorney Zeke Wiedenfeld — a fellow liberal — who dismissed all charges without explanation. Legal observers believe the dismissal was likely a political favor to Graveley.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Trudell’s lawsuit, filed by ACLU of Wisconsin president and civil rights attorney William Sulton, alleges Nudo violated Trudell’s constitutional rights by silencing him for protected political speech. The suit seeks both compensatory and punitive damages.
But the filing contains a glaring error: paragraphs 12 through 19 describe an entirely unrelated incident involving a man named Serres, who was allegedly involved in a bar fight in Waukesha County. The incident has no connection to Trudell or the County Board and appears to have been mistakenly pasted into the lawsuit — a sloppy mistake by Sulton that raises questions about the thoroughness of the legal work and the lawsuit’s viability unless amended.
Despite the controversy, the resolution at the heart of the dispute ultimately passed. Since then, concealed firearms have been allowed in most Kenosha County buildings. There have been no known safety incidents or complaints related to the policy.
Trudell, who ran unsuccessfully in 2022 for Kenosha’s 14th Aldermanic District, is demanding a jury trial. The case has been assigned to Judge David Wilk.
The lawsuit also reignites criticism of Supervisor Nudo’s time as County Board Chairman from 2022 to 2024. As previously reported in an April 2024 Kenosha County Eye opinion column, Nudo alienated conservative colleagues by backing liberal supervisors for leadership roles, most notably for supporting liberals like John Franco in his election and Monica Yuhas for vice chair. Critics say Nudo’s backroom deal-making and shifting alliances directly contributed to a liberal shift on the County Board, despite having run as a conservative.
Several County Board supervisors told Kenosha County Eye they were unaware the lawsuit had been filed, suggesting county officials may be attempting to keep the matter quiet.
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)
Separately, Trudell is also the plaintiff in another civil lawsuit filed earlier this year involving a dog bite incident. In that case, Trudell and his spouse are suing a local woman on behalf of a minor relative who was attacked and seriously injured by the woman’s dog.
Kenosha County Eye will continue to monitor both cases as they progress through the courts.
45 Responses
This will be interesting and I bet he will win this case
Hello Joel,
No…you’re not gonna win. You can’t just act like a fool a claim free speech. You’re a joke. People laugh at you not with you.
💯👏
Regardless of a person’s background, demeanor and appearance, anyone should be allowed to say a name and cite anyone about their conduct in office.
Nudo had no right to call for his removal.
Additionally the police had no cause to follow the unlawful order of request by the supervisor.
Strictly a constitutional case.
I’m surprised it took this long to be filed.
Must be watching a lot of YouTube
This has to be Joel Truedope
First comment, so let’s set a rule. No negative comments regarding his wife, Kate Trudell. 😁
You mean lardo the hippo?
Her mirror lied to her the day she put that green outfit on. I bet her employer is real proud of her shenanigans. Isn’t it Johnson Financial?
Yes it is! Her arm fat made me lose my appetite
No. She left there to join a law firm.
She’s a monster.
Yes she most certainly is. They both are.
It’s like a bitch fight, Trudell vs. Nudo, which one is the bigger whiny pu**y 😂😂
He must need money!
He’s a slob with a neck beard. Grow up and get a job, loser.
So is his fat ugly elephant of a “wife”
He a KUSD teacher , Bullen Middle School.
Scary.
Yes it is….
His wife is grotesquely obese. Yikes. Woof. 🤮
She’s grotesque inside and out. And her “husband” shouldn’t be allowed within 100 yards of children. Trust me.
💯
Why? Why should anyone trust Joe “false reporting to judicial ethics” Cardinali? Ask JM about this guys credibility.
Who’s JM?
Why , none other than Johan Mondavi of course. 😎
Jodi Meier. Joe filed a complaint against her…
This loser is a complete joke.
Agreed
💯
He tried to illegally vote at the Southwest Library several years back . I was a poll worker. Our book showed that he had already voted. He wouldn’t even show us his ID. He’s a nut. By the way , his wife is also a poll worker.
Wow. Not surprised
He looks vaccinated
And boosted multiple times.
Someone who sat behind him when he was out of control at the meeting told me that he should have been arrested.
I also heard that he refers to his wife as Malibu Barbie.
🤣
She’s a big girl .
She looks like she ate Malibu….and Barbie.
His lawyer the wannabe Al Sharpton/Ben Crump is just as moronic as his dweeby glasses make him look.
Lmao thought the same. Clearly discounted lawyer who’s probably shacking up with Joel’s ugly wife since he clearly isn’t interested
Probably working pro bono. You get what you pay for.
Agreed!
I didn’t know that Erkle grew up to be an activist attorney.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Surprised it took this long for it to get filed but that doesn’t mean he’ll win.
He’s an idiot so is his wife, an idiot!