Jim Schmitt

{{Infobox Mayor

| name = Jim Schmitt

| image = Mayor Schmitt Speaks at Groundbraking for Milo C. Huempfner VA Clinic (cropped).jpg

| order = 47th

| title = Mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin

| term_start = April 1, 2003

| term_end = April 15, 2019

| predecessor = Paul Jadin

| successor = Eric Genrich

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1958|6|7|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Two Rivers, Wisconsin, U.S.

| party = Republican

| spouse = {{marriage|Dona Degenhardt|1990}}

| children = 3 (+1 deceased)

| residence = Green Bay, Wisconsin

| alma_mater = St. Norbert College {{small|(B.A.)}}

| alt = Schmitt at the groundbreaking of the Milo Huempfner Veterans Affairs Clinic in Green Bay in 2011.

}}

James J. Schmitt (born June 7, 1958) is an American politician from Wisconsin. A Republican, he served as the mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin, from 2003 to 2019, becoming the city's longest-serving mayor.

Personal life

The fourth of 11 children born to James and Mary (née Gleichner) Schmitt in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, he attended Roncalli High School and St. Norbert College{{cite web|url=http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mayors_past/mayor_schmitt.html|title=James J. Schmitt profile|publisher=City of Green Bay|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100526081853/http://www.ci.green-bay.wi.us/mayors_past/mayor_schmitt.html|archivedate=May 26, 2010|url-status=dead|accessdate=May 13, 2010}} He is an active Roman Catholic, and one of his brothers was ordained into religious life.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecompassnews.org/2014/03/green-bay-mayor-invites-pope-francis-city/|title=Green Bay mayor invites Pope Francis to city|website=Compass News|date=March 5, 2014 |accessdate=6 June 2019}}

In 2011 he was recognized by the Green Bay Press-Gazette editorial board as Person of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20111225/GPG0602/112250550/Editorial-Green-Bay-Mayor-Jim-Schmitt-named-Person-Year|title=Editorial: Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt named Person of the Year|publisher=Gannett|accessdate=January 30, 2015}}

Career

=Business=

In the private sector, Schmitt was president of Famis Manufacturing Inc. and in 1997 received the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year award.

=Politics=

Schmitt served two consecutive terms on the Brown County Board of Supervisors. {{When|date=October 2013}} On April 1, 2003 he was elected the 41st mayor of Green Bay, Wisconsin, succeeding Paul Jadin who had not sought re-election.{{cite web|url=http://www.wiscities.org/newsletter57.htm |title=Alliance Cities Elect New Mayors |publisher=The Wisconsin Alliance of Cities |accessdate=May 13, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006200855/http://www.wiscities.org/newsletter57.htm |archivedate=October 6, 2008 }}

In 2007, Schmitt was re-elected with 70% of the vote and won again in April 2011.[http://greenbaywi.gov/agencies/mayor/about-the-mayor "About the Mayor"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151024060317/http://greenbaywi.gov/agencies/mayor/about-the-mayor/ |date=October 24, 2015 }}, greenbaywi.gov; accessed January 30, 2015. He serves on the Advisory Board of both the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the League of Wisconsin Municipalities.

On February 17, 2015, Schmitt received 51 percent of the vote in a three-way primary. He went on to defeat Tom DeWane 53% to 47%.{{cite web|url=http://fox11online.com/2015/04/07/de-wane-schmitt-square-off-for-green-bay-mayor/|title=Schmitt wins Green Bay mayor race|date=April 7, 2015 |publisher=Fox 11 News|accessdate=May 14, 2015}} With this victory, Schmitt extended his tenure to 16 years and overtook Sam Halloin as the longest-serving mayor in Green Bay history.[http://www.wrn.com/2015/02/madison-mayor-paul-soglin-wins-primary Primary results], wrn.com; accessed February 23, 2015.[http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/02/17/schmitt-dewane-move-race-green-bay-mayor/23596347 Schmitt and DeWane to face each other], greenbaypressgazette.com; accessed February 23, 2015.

=Campaign finance investigation=

In January 2015, Green Bay city council Aldermen Chris Wery, Guy Zima, and Andy Nicholson alleged that Schmitt had accepted as much as $10,000 in illegal donations for his mayoral campaign.{{cite web|url=http://wbay.com/2015/01/04/three-green-bay-aldermen-call-for-audit-of-mayors-campaign-funds/|title=Mayor Schmitt, Aldermen Request Audit of Campaign Finance Reports|author=Clare Kaley|publisher=WBAY-TV|date=January 4, 2015|access-date=September 12, 2016}} Schmitt contended that the errors were unintentional and handed his records over to the Brown County District Attorney and the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board to be audited.{{cite web|url=http://wbay.com/2015/01/12/green-bay-city-clerk-turns-over-mayors-records-for-audit/|title=Green Bay City Clerk Turns Over Mayor's Records for Audit|author=Rhonda Roberts|publisher=WBAY-TV|date=January 12, 2015|access-date=September 12, 2016}} Due to a potential conflict of interest, the Brown County District Attorney turned the records over to the Milwaukee County District Attorney.

In September 2016, Schmitt agreed to plead guilty as part of a plea agreement to three misdemeanor charges, including false statements to an election official, accepting campaign contributions not belonging to the reported contributor, and accepting campaign contributions in excess of state limits. He was subsequently convicted on these criminal charges and sentenced to a monetary forfeiture and community service.{{cite web|url=http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/2016/09/12/outagamie-co-judge-hear-mayor-schmitt-case/90269226/|title=Attorney: Schmitt won't resign as Green Bay mayor|author=Adam Rodewald|publisher=Green Bay Press-Gazette|date=September 12, 2016|access-date=September 12, 2016}}

It was found that 17 individuals had donated more than the $1,040 contribution limit, and there were two corporate donations, which are illegal under state election laws.{{cite web|url=http://fox11online.com/news/election/green-bay-mayor-expected-to-be-charged-in-campaign-probe|title='I have made mistakes': Green Bay mayor charged in campaign probe|author=Ben Krumholz|publisher=WLUK-TV|date=September 7, 2016|access-date=September 12, 2016}}

On February 20, 2017, the Common Council held a vote on the removal of Schmitt over campaign finance violations. While a majority of the 12 member board voted for removal, 9 votes were necessary to remove the mayor from office. As only 8 voted for removal, he retained his seat by one vote.{{Cite news|url=http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2017/02/20/schmitt-council-removal/98160116/|title=Schmitt narrowly survives removal vote|work=Press Gazette Media|access-date=March 19, 2017|language=en}}

In 2017, seven City Council members signed a letter stating their disapproval of the conduct of one of Schmitt's accusers, Alderman Chris Wery, who used his bank job to pry into an opponent's financial records.[https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/local/2016/08/17/council-sends-wery-letter-disapproval/88836476/ Council sends Wery letter of disapproval], greenbaypressgazette.com. Accessed August 10, 2022.