By Dr. Richard A. Busalacchi,  Franklin Community News There’s a line in politics you’re not supposed to cross. You can criticize your opponent. You can defend your record. You can even go negative. But you don’t get to invent someone else’s endorsement —and present it to voters as fact. Yet that is exactly what happened in Franklin. The Claim That Crosses the Line A campaign mailer distributed by “Friends of John Nelson” states: “Endorsed by Busalacchi” That is not opinion. That is not interpretation. That is presented as a statement of fact . And it is false. No Endorsement Was Ever Made Let’s be clear: There is no endorsement of any candidate on FCNewsWI.com There is no personal statement where I endorse Basil Ryan There is a direct public statement from me saying the opposite: “That’s not my place to endorse. The facts are presented and it’s up to the voters.” All articles are clearly labeled: Criticism is not endorsement. Reporting is not campai...

  By Dr. Richard A. Busalacchi Franklin Community News As voters head to the polls this Tuesday, April 7, the question is no longer what was promised—it’s what was delivered. In 2023, John Nelson ran on a message that was impossible to miss. Franklin, he said, was broken. City Hall was dysfunctional. Leadership had failed. He pointed to employee turnover, internal conflict, and a lack of transparency as proof—and told voters he would fix it. Now, nearly two years later, he’s running on something entirely different: Success. Progress. Momentum. But those two narratives don’t align. The 2023 Promises Nelson didn’t run a vague campaign. He made direct, specific commitments. He said City Hall suffered from: “Rapid and concerning employee turnover” Leadership that rejected new ideas “Obstruction, inefficiency, and secrecy” Conflict leading to ethics complaints and lawsuits And most importantly, he promised: He would not manipulate the system to get his way He wo...

  By Dr. Richard A. Busalacchi Franklin Community News Milwaukee County District Attorney formally asks Wisconsin Department of Justice to assume control of case involving multiple public officials as filings allege coordinated conduct across law enforcement, legal proceedings, and public actions. Milwaukee, WI – The Milwaukee County District Attorney has moved to hand off a John Doe case involving multiple public officials—including Franklin Mayor John Nelson and Milwaukee County Supervisor Steve Taylor —to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, formally requesting that state authorities take over responsibility for the matter. In a March 31, 2026 letter to the court , District Attorney Kent Lovern confirmed that his office had submitted a formal request for the DOJ to “assume responsibility for handling” the case, signaling that the matter has advanced beyond local handling and may require independent review at the state level. State-Level Review Signals Conflict Concerns T...