When Locals Face Corruption, The First Amendment Is Their Best Shield

“They Turned the Lights Off While I Was Lactating” – Inside LeRette’s Lawsuit

In Superior, Wisconsin, scandal isn’t confined to backroom deals; it leaks into the locker rooms of power. Police Investigator Mikayla LeRette filed a federal lawsuit alleging targeted retaliation for her complaints against department leadership. Among the shocking claims: male staff interrupted her while expressing breast milk, turned off the lights, and made their disgust known.

Worse yet, former Capt. Champaigne allegedly installed a warrantless tracking device on her squad car. The city didn’t deny it happened—they just called it policy. This isn’t policy. It’s surveillance dressed in uniform. And it’s the First Amendment that gives LeRette the power to speak up without being shut down.

“We Don’t Want It”—Citizens Split, Democracy Derailed on NTEC

The Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC) wasn’t just another utility proposal. It promised 300 union construction jobs and a decade of economic impact. Residents were divided: some feared environmental fallout; others championed the project as a lifeline for working families.

But the real outrage? Mayor Jim Paine short-circuited the process. Instead of allowing public debate and a council vote, he stalled it to death by simply refusing to bring it to the table.

That’s not democracy. That’s unilateral governance. And when elected officials mute both sides of a divided public, the First Amendment becomes the only tool left to pry open the doors of power. In Superior, it wasn’t a debate that killed NTEC—it was the absence of one.

“Residents Are Just Bummed Out” – Restoring Public Trust in Election Discourse

Sarah Anderson, a city council candidate, gave voice to a growing fatigue among Superior citizens: “It’s gone a little hostile… a bit of negative tone… a lot of people are just bummed out.”

Anderson isn’t peddling empty promises. She wants a public square where residents feel safe to speak their truth. That’s the First Amendment in action. In a climate where dissent is often labeled disruption, creating a culture of open dialogue becomes a revolutionary act.

First Amendment: The Citizen’s Shield Against Local Authoritarianism

This isn’t just a matter of theory or history. Across the country, the First Amendment has become the lever by which everyday people have toppled abusive local powers:

Virginia School Board Scandal

• Fall 2021: Parents begin speaking out at meetings over mask mandates and critical race theory.

• Winter 2022: Public comment is shut down; videos go viral.

• Spring 2022: National media covers the board’s censorship.

• Summer 2022: Board members resign amid public pressure.

Illinois Police Department Whistleblowers

• March 2023: Officers leak falsified reports to local media.

• April 2023: Internal affairs confirms abuses.

• June 2023: Police chief resigns; three officers terminated.

Uvalde, Texas Public Outcry

• May 2022: Robb Elementary shooting shocks the nation.

• June 2022: Citizens release videos contradicting police reports.

• Fall 2022: State investigation launched.

• 2023: Multiple officers suspended or dismissed.

Oklahoma County Recording Scandal

• March 2023: Local newspaper editor records county officials discussing killing journalists.

• April 2023: Audio released publicly.

• May 2023: Officials resign and face criminal investigations.

Superior WI Just The Last 18 Months

• April 2025 : Residents vote out Jenny Van Sickle the Mayors wife he reappoints her to committee less than 60 days later.

• March 2025 : City of Superior sued for violating police officer Mikayla Lerrettes Civil Rights

• September 2024: Mayor Jim tries to setup meeting with DNR to trade city forest for family easement violations.

• July 2024: Superior Judge George Glonek doesn’t recuse himself—then hands former police officer Greg Swanson a slap on the wrist for killing half a family and fleeing the scene. Just 2 – 5 year sentences to be served concurrently. This, after Swanson was also allowed to quietly resign rather than face firing under Former Police Chief Alexander and Current Mayor Jim Paine.

• February 2024: Superior cops tased DoorDash driver Ian Cuypers for a wrong turn—then joked about it with their body cams still rolling. Either they’re incredibly careless, or they know no one’s watching. Now the city’s facing a civil rights lawsuit, real funny for taxpayers.

Each timeline began with a voice—someone who refused to stay silent. Whether through a smartphone, a lawsuit, or a FOIA request, these citizens wielded the First Amendment like a crowbar against corruption.

In Superior, that fight is alive. And it echoes louder with every voice that refuses to be silenced.

Why Every Word Matters

Unflinching Accountability: When leaders abuse their power, silence enables them. Speech dismantles them.

Digital Town Squares: Even social media, when run by public offices, becomes a battlefield. Deleting dissent isn’t just censorship—it’s a constitutional crisis.

Shield Against Overreach: Whether it’s tracking without a warrant or punishing question askers, the First Amendment doesn’t bend easily. It stands firm, demanding justification.

Legacy of Light: Near. Steffens. Bly. Today, it’s Cuypers, LeRette, and many unnamed locals who still dare carry that torch.

Closing Words: From Paper to Power

When local elites twist their power—track your car, try to trade city land, appoint their wives, silence your views, or try erasing your online presence—the First Amendment doesn’t whisper. It roars. It says: speak, expose, demand.

In Superior, it’s not just a legal tool. It’s a rally cry.

Let it echo.