Milwaukee County DA employee resigns after internal probe finds unauthorized disclosure in Marty Brooks referral
Resignation follows internal investigation into information shared outside the District Attorney’s Office
An employee of the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office resigned after an internal investigation determined the worker improperly shared information tied to a case referral involving Milwaukee Common Council President José Pérez and Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Altenburg confirmed the internal review concluded that the employee disclosed the names of the parties involved in the referral to an individual who did not work for the district attorney’s office. Altenburg said the employee resigned several days after the unauthorized disclosure was identified.
Altenburg also stated that internal safeguards in the office’s case management system limited the employee’s access, and no additional details about the referral were accessible beyond the identifying information that was shared.
Underlying referral involved allegation of inappropriate touching; no criminal charges were filed
The case referral stemmed from an allegation by Pérez that Brooks inappropriately touched him during an event in 2025. Milwaukee police investigated the allegation, and the matter was reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. The district attorney’s office ultimately declined to file criminal charges, citing an inability to prove the required legal elements of the referred offense beyond a reasonable doubt.
Records described the reported incident as occurring on October 22, 2025, at Mo’s… A Place for Steaks in downtown Milwaukee, on the same night a political fundraiser took place at the restaurant. In the records, Pérez reported to police on November 5, 2025, that he had been pinched or squeezed on the buttocks.
Brooks has denied the allegation and has said he cooperated with the review that did not result in charges.
Notifications to representatives and separate organizational questions remain
Altenburg said the results of the internal investigation and the employee’s resignation were shared with representatives for both Brooks and Pérez.
The Wisconsin Center District is a public body that oversees major downtown Milwaukee venues, including the Baird Center, UWM Panther Arena and the Miller High Life Theatre. The district’s board held a closed-session meeting on January 30, 2026, to discuss the matter as a personnel issue.
Key confirmed timeline
October 22, 2025: Alleged incident reported as occurring at a downtown Milwaukee restaurant.
November 5, 2025: Pérez reported the allegation to the Milwaukee Police Department.
November 24, 2025: An assistant district attorney informed police the case would not be processed due to evidentiary hurdles related to required legal elements.
January 30, 2026: Wisconsin Center District board met in closed session to discuss the issue.
February 2026: The district attorney’s office confirmed a resignation following an internal leak investigation.
The district attorney’s office has not publicly identified the resigned employee and has not indicated that criminal charges are being pursued related to the disclosure.