Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
A federal judge Wednesday dismissed all but one of the claims filed by a former Shawano County sheriff’s detective who alleges he was harassed and forced out of his job, and ruled that five county supervisors named in the suit are no longer defendants.
Wade Wudtke maintains he was targeted by Sheriff Adam Bieber and several members of the Shawano County Board over his support for then-incumbent Sheriff Randy Wright in the 2014 election.
The suit specifically named Bieber and five county supervisors who were serving at the time on the county’s administrative and insurance committee: Jerry Erdmann, Deb Noffke, Bonnie Olson, Gene Hoppe and William Switalla.
The suit maintained the committee conducted an investigation targeting Wudtke for political retaliation as a result of a confrontation between Wudtke and Bieber at a Republican Party picnic.
The committee determined there were no disciplinary actions necessary and closed the matter.
The court ruled that the committee was within its rights to investigate the matter, however.
Shawano County Corporation Counsel Tony Kordus said Wednesday’s ruling, as applied to the county supervisors, showed that the case was without merit.
“The federal court decision establishes as a matter of law that the board supervisors were correct,” Kordus said. “Shawano County is further confident that the single remaining claim lodged against Sheriff Bieber will ultimately reach the same fate as the other claims lodged against him and the board supervisors — dismissal.”
The one count against Bieber that remains alleges petty harassment. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for June 9, and a jury trial for June 26.
The suit maintains Wudtke “was ultimately constructively discharged from his position as a deputy sheriff because of his protected political activities in violation of his rights.”
His suit maintains the resignation was the result of a harassment campaign that followed an incident at the Shawano County Republican Party picnic on July 22, 2014.
Bieber spoke at the picnic as a candidate for sheriff. Wudtke raised several questions with Bieber after the speech in an exchange that apparently became confrontational.
The suit seeks damages for both past and future wage and benefit loss; compensatory damages for emotional distress, loss of reputation and loss of earning capacity; punitive damages against the individual defendants; and legal fees and court costs. There is no dollar amount specified.
Wudtke had been a deputy sheriff for Shawano County since 1999. He was hired as a patrol officer and became school resource officer in July 2006. He became a detective in December 2007.
Wudtke resigned in March 2015, about two months after Bieber took office.