John Humphries, Lowell Holtz
A candidate for state Superintendent is claiming one of his opponents proposed one of them could get a six-figure job with the Department of Public Instruction, if he agreed to drop out of the race and the remaining candidate won the office.
John Humphries made the claim during a debate on WISN-AM radio, saying it came up during a December meeting with Lowell Holtz. “He presented me with a written list of demands, including $150,000 a year for three years, and a no-cut contract,” he said.
A document provided by the Humphries’ campaign lays out the conditions of the job, which include having full authority over several major metropolitan school districts. It also includes the statement “We are going to shake up Milwaukee and it is going to make noise.”
Holtz called the claim a “story,” although he did not deny such a proposal was put forward during the meeting. “It’s misstated, and stated the way he wants to shape it,” Holtz said.
Humphries and Holtz, along with current Superintendent Tony Evers, are running in a three-way primary next Tuesday. The top two candidates will then face each other in April.