Racine campaign controversy; business alleges incumbent intimidation
RACINE, Wis. - A campaign sign controversy is brewing in Racine. A business owner said she felt a current alderwoman intimidated her after the store allowed the challenger candidate to put up a sign.
Annie Country Pantry co-owner Ann Muller said one of her past customers and a current alderwoman, Natalia Taft, called her after the sign of challenger Renee Kelly went up in the store's window.
"Her first words were, ‘I’m Natalia,' and then she said, 'What did I do to you that would make you put a sign up for the opposition?'" Muller said.
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"Then it was, ‘Are you aware that other businesses who have put up signs for the opposition,’ used that word in multiple times, ‘are no longer in business.’ Again, we had just started our business. We’re scared to death." Muller said. "We don’t know who has power and who has what. We just put really our savings into starting this business and did it for west Racine. This is where our kids grew up, feels like home."
Ann Muller
"In my opinion, it was threatening. And I said to her: ‘I’m feeling really uncomfortable with this.’ That’s probably one of the first things I said," she said.
Muller submitted an affidavit with the district attorney, attesting to the complaint. Her husband, store co-owner Ronald Muller, said he heard the person on speaker.
"She said, ‘You’re misunderstanding what I’m saying. What I meant was that people have actually gone out of business because of doing this, supporting the other candidate,'" Ronald Muller said in an interview with FOX6.
Ronald Muller
Anne Muller's phone log shows a Massachusetts phone number listed for Taft dialed Anne's cellphone on Feb. 15, and the call lasted roughly 9 minutes. FOX6 News tried the number – which went to a voicemail for Taft. She did not return multiple calls or emails.
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Ann Muller says she would have originally welcomed any candidate to place a sign in her window.
"I asked her three times: ‘Natalia, just come put a sign up in the window.’ Like that’s the whole point, just to talk, just to have people open to talk. And our criteria with the windows was: as long as we can see in the store, I don’t care who puts their sign in the window. We’re not getting involved."
Two business leaders told FOX6 News they heard stories similiar to what Muller reported.
A second business owner who did not want to be identified told FOX6 News they had the challenger's sign in their window– and the alderwoman came in and asked if she could put up her sign, too. The second business owner said they did not feel pressured nor intimidated.
Annie's Country Pantry opened in December in west Racine and sells homemade jams, salsas and other canned items.
"It’s a passion. It’s really my life. I poured everything I can intro it, financially, personally," said Ann Muller.