Last updated: August 2026
Waldemar Madison stepped to the County Board podium in June and leveled a serious charge: Sheriff Robert Han was violating the Hatch Act by showing up to government meetings in uniform on county time. The allegation got headlines. It also missed the mark completely. Wisconsin doesn’t have a Hatch Act. Not a state version. Not a county variation. Nothing.
Quick Answer: Price County Sheriff Candidate Waldemar Madison (District 11) alleged during a June 16 County Board meeting that Sheriff Robert Han violated the Wisconsin Hatch Act by attending meetings in uniform. Wisconsin has no Hatch Act equivalent. Board Chairman Bieszk defended Clerk Hueckman during the meeting. No formal ethics complaint has been filed against Sheriff Han.
The incident unfolded at the June 16 County Board meeting in Park Falls, Wisconsin. Madison, a candidate for Sheriff, used the public comment period to question whether Sheriff Han was abusing county resources by wearing his uniform to government proceedings.
The claim made the rounds. Local reporters picked it up. But the foundation of the allegation collapses under basic legal research. The Hatch Act is a federal law that restricts political activity by government employees. Wisconsin has never adopted an equivalent statute. Not for county officials. Not for sheriffs. Not for anyone.
The Allegation: What Madison Said
Madison spoke during public comment. He said Sheriff Han appeared at County Board meetings in uniform. According to the auto-generated transcript, Madison used the phrase “Hatch Act” specifically. He said Han was using county time to appear in uniform, which he framed as a violation of campaign finance or ethics rules.
Here’s the thing nobody talking about wants to mention: the Hatch Act has nothing to do with sheriffs wearing uniforms to government meetings. The Hatch Act covers political activity. Campaigning. Running for office. Fundraising. Wearing your uniform to a County Board meeting isn’t political activity under the Hatch Act. It’s just being a sheriff at a county meeting.
Madison’s complaint wasn’t about whether Han looked like he was using county resources. It was about whether Madison’s opponent was doing something illegal. The allegation was never going to stick. Not because of evidence. Because Wisconsin has no statute matching what he was describing.
Wisconsin’s Hatch Act Status
The Hatch Act is codified at 5 U.S.C. §§ 1501-1508. It applies to federal employees and employees in the Executive Branch who are not in policy-making positions. It prohibits these employees from engaging in political activity while on duty or in a federal building.
Wisconsin has never adopted a state-level Hatch Act. Not for county employees. Not for state employees. Not for anyone. Some Wisconsin municipalities have adopted local policies restricting political activity by employees during work hours. But these are municipal policies, not state statutes, and they have no bearing on elected sheriffs attending county meetings.
When Madison used the term “Wisconsin Hatch Act,” he was referencing something that doesn’t exist. There is no Wisconsin Hatch Act. No Wisconsin equivalent. No parallel statute. County Board Chairman Bieszk acknowledged this during the meeting when he responded to Madison’s complaint. Bieszk defended Clerk Hueckman during the discussion, according to the transcript.
What the Board Did
The Board took no action on the allegation. No investigation was launched. No ethics complaint was filed. The matter was discussed and then effectively dismissed. No formal review of Sheriff Han’s conduct was ordered. No complaint was made to any oversight body.
This isn’t unusual. When an allegation turns out to be legally baseless, the standard response is to move on. The Board didn’t do anything wrong. They just didn’t find a violation because there wasn’t one to find.
What’s more interesting is what Madison was trying to accomplish. Running for sheriff while using the County Board podium to attack the incumbent. That’s campaign strategy. It has nothing to do with actual law enforcement ethics or government oversight.
The Real Issue: Campaign Ethics
The only real ethical question raised by this incident isn’t about the Hatch Act. It’s about campaigning from the County Board podium. Madison was a candidate for Sheriff. He used public comment time at a County Board meeting to attack the incumbent sheriff. That’s not oversight. That’s campaigning.
Madison had an opportunity to speak. He used it to attack his opponent. This isn’t something that requires legal expertise to evaluate. It requires basic awareness that public comment periods exist for public comments, not campaign speeches.
What to Watch: Sheriff Ethics Going Forward
So far, the Board has shown no appetite for reviewing sheriff conduct unless it involves something concrete. No formal ethics complaints have been filed against Sheriff Han in connection with this or any other allegation.
Watch the County Board. Watch the Executive Committee. If this becomes a recurring pattern—if Madison’s allegations spawn follow-up complaints—there may be a chance that the Board takes a closer look at sheriff conduct. Right now, the track record is zero complaints filed. Zero investigations launched.
What Nobody Wants to Talk About
The incident reveals something about Price County politics that nobody is going to put into writing. Madison was running for Sheriff. He was attacking the incumbent. This wasn’t about government ethics. This was about one candidate trying to use the government’s microphone to attack their opponent.
The Hatch Act angle was cover. It gave the attack a legal veneer when the substance was purely political. The Board saw through it. The Board Chairman defended the sheriff. No action was taken. The story was over before it really started.
Sources
- Price County Board Meeting Transcripts — June 16, 2026
- Wikipedia — Hatch Act of 1939
- Previous Price County article covering this topic
See also: our guide to free camping in Wisconsin
See also: what makes Price County communities special
See also: our guide to Price County public records
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a Hatch Act equivalent in Wisconsin?
No. Wisconsin has never adopted a state-level Hatch Act. The Hatch Act is a federal law that applies to federal employees. It has no state counterpart.
What happened to Waldemar Madison’s allegation?
No action was taken. The Board discussed the matter and moved on. No formal complaint was filed. No investigation was launched.
Can county officials wear uniforms to meetings?
Wearing a uniform to a County Board meeting isn’t a Hatch Act violation under any jurisdiction. It’s legal and routine for law enforcement officials to attend meetings in uniform.
Why was the allegation problematic?
Madison was using the allegation to attack an opponent while running for office. The public comment period became a campaign speech.
What’s next for sheriff oversight in Price County?
Nothing so far. The Board hasn’t indicated any interest in reviewing sheriff conduct. No formal complaints have been filed.