Madison alder who once joined Oath Keepers resigns following reported vandalism

A Madison alder has stepped down from the city’s Common Council, saying he’s faced “intimidation” after a report connected him to a far-right militia group called the Oath Keepers.

Gary Halverson announced his resignation “effective immediately” in an update to the Common Council’s website late Wednesday night. The news comes just over a week after the Anti-Defamation League published a Sept. 6 report that identified Halverson as among elected and other public officials who, according to a data leak, have paid for membership in the Oath Keepers.

Halverson’s statement said the week since the report was released had been “triggering” for his family, adding that his wife suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder because of past trauma. He did not immediately respond to a voicemail seeking further comment.

“The safety of my family will always come first,” read Halverson’s statement. “Violence against women is a very real issue and having unknown individuals come onto our property and vandalize it is traumatic.”

The Madison Police Department responded to a report of vandalism Tuesday that involves Halverson, according to department spokesperson Hunter Lisko. The investigation is still in early stages, Lisko said.

Common Council President Keith Furman and Vice President Jael Currie thanked Halverson for his service in a joint statement Thursday.

“Threats and vandalism are not productive or democratic ways of engaging public officials, and we are very disappointed that Alder Halverson’s family is experiencing this,” the statement said.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway also issued a statement saying that while disagreement and feedback from constituents is necessary, actions like graffiti are never acceptable.

“Ald. Halverson’s decision to resign is clearly the right thing for him and his family,” Rhodes-Conway said.

The Southern Poverty Law Center refers to the Oath Keepers as a vigilante group that follows “baseless conspiracy theories” in the name of defending the U.S. Constitution. Multiple members of the Oath Keepers participated in the violent Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The Anti-Defamation League report cautioned, however, that people identified in the data leak could have paid for membership in the past but may not be current members.

After Halverson’s name appeared on the list, he told reporters that he had joined the group in mid-2020 without vetting the organization. Halverson said he terminated his membership two months later.

In a Sept. 12 statement, Halverson apologized for “embarrassment, distraction, and pain.”

“I made a mistake when I joined a group that deceived me and other veterans,” he said. “I quickly corrected it.”

While Furman and Currie were supportive of Halverson in their statement Thursday, they had previously criticized their colleague’s ties to the Oath Keepers.

“(Its) extremist positions have been well known since its founding over a decade ago,” read their joint statement from Sept. 8. “Mere seconds of online research reveal the Oath Keepers as a far-right antigovernment group, not a group for veterans or the preservation of democracy. While the nation was reacting to the murder of George Floyd, this group promoted its membership using anti Black Lives Matter statements. At this same time, Alder Halverson decided to pay to join this extremist group.”

Days later, Halverson said white supremacy should be “eradicated” from society and took aim at his critics.

“Statements and comments from other elected officials referring to me as a white supremacist or associating me with it are abhorrent, extremely offensive, and possibly defamatory,” he said.

Halverson was elected to represent Madison’s east side in April 2021. His two-year term on the Common Council would have expired next year.

Members of the Common Council will appoint a replacement to fill Halverson’s seat until a new alder can be elected in April 2023. An eight-member executive committee will review applications and conduct interviews for the position before making a recommendation to the full council.