Police investigate Wisconsin Center District CEO: records release

MILWAUKEE - Just-released records show the Milwaukee Police Department investigation into Marty Brooks, the head of the Wisconsin Center District, after Milwaukee Common Council President José Pérez alleged Brooks pinched his butt.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office did not charge Brooks.

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What they're saying:

Wisconsin Center District President & CEO Marty Brooks issued the following statement on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

"I deny the allegation that has been made and have cooperated fully with the review by the District Attorney’s Office, which did not result in charges. I remain focused on leading the Wisconsin Center District and its mission." 

Records released

What we know:

In an initial police report, Pérez said he could feel a sharpness from Brooks’ fingernails. He told police he was shocked, angry and felt violated. He told officers he felt it was done in a sexual way, and also a "power move," but Pérez told police he did not confront Brooks because he didn’t want anything to become violent.

MPD released records of its investigation to FOX6 News on Tuesday – weeks after the station, relying on multiple sources, reported the Pérez allegation against Brooks.

Recorded phone call

What they're saying:

Police officers recorded a phone call that Perez placed to Brooks on Nov. 11, 2025:

Pérez: "I feel super uncomfortable about what happened and think we got to talk about this, a before, you know, I come back to a board meeting or do something because I’m uncomfortable about what happened."
Brooks: "Tell, tell me what you’re uncomfortable with, what happened? That I attended?
Pérez: "It’s what you did to me Marty, when we were –"
Brooks: "What did I do?"
Pérez: "When we were standing at, when we were standing, talking, it’s what you did to me and I’m, I’m totally uncomfortable with that."
Brooks: "If I did anything to make you uncomfortable, it was purely by accident and I, I, I apologize profusely and at a loss what I did or what position I may have put you in, so please share with me."
Pérez: "Marty, Marty, we’re adults, you know what you did."
Brooks: "Yeah, I, sir I do not. I am at a complete loss what you’re calling about. I was speaking with you and I, I don’t recall saying anything that was in"
Pérez: "It’s not what you said, it’s what you did."
Brooks: "Sir, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Tell me what I did, I truly don’t know, and, and, so if I did something to offend you or put you in an uncomfortable position, I need to know because I, I would never do anything to put you in an uncomfortable situation or myself as well, so if you would please share with me what I did that offended you or put you in an uncomfortable position."

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The back and forth continued along those lines, and then:

Pérez: "The fact, the fact that you’re acting that way and you want me to tell you that you pinched my butt."
Brooks: "Oh come on, I did not do that!"
Pérez: "You did, too."
Brooks: "That, that is (expletive), no sir I did not do that! No sir! And I take offense that you’re, you’re telling me this now! I did nothing to touch you sir! If I did anything, I would have touched you on the shoulder in an affectionate manner! I do not touch people inappropriately, sir! So there may have been someone else in the area around us, but it was not me, and I will talk, I will talk to, and find out about it, cause I’m insulted that you’re accusing me of that!"

MPD interviews Brooks

What they're saying:

In an interview with police a day later, Brooks denied he touched Pérez's butt. He said he reacted to the allegation made in the phone call by leaping out of his chair. Brooks also told police he called the district’s vice president of human resources and ordered an investigation. He also told police he wasn’t intoxicated at the event, and rarely ever drinks; he said that night he was drinking club soda.

MPD interviews witness

What they're saying:

MPD interviewed someone who was there at the time of the alleged incident. Detectives said she told them she saw Brooks reach his hand towards Pérez's buttocks, but did not see Brooks make contact with the butt, but thought he did make contact.

According to a Milwaukee police report: "She stated that it was a quick motion or touch, and it did not appear to her that Brooks was attempting to caress or keep his hand on Perez’s buttocks. She stated that they were having a good-natured conversation and neither Brooks or Perez appeared to be angry before or after the incident. She stated that she does not remember exactly what they were talking about, but she remembers that they were laughing and everything seemed to be fine."

The witness then said, hours later, Pérez came back to the venue and asked her if she had seen what Brooks did.

No charges

The backstory:

On Nov. 24, a Milwaukee County assistant district attorney told MPD it was not processing the case because "she did not believe that she could prove the sexual gratification or sexual humiliation elements of the crime."

The alleged incident happened after an Oct. 22, 2025 event for David Crowley’s campaign for governor at Mo’s restaurant. In a statement shared with FOX6 after our original report, a spokesperson for the Crowley campaign said:

"We’ve been made aware of an investigation of an incident that occurred in October. Every such allegation deserves to be taken seriously and merits a thorough examination.

"The Crowley Campaign held an event at the restaurant where the incident is alleged to have occurred, but the campaign event ended before the period under investigation. Neither County Executive Crowley, nor any member of his staff, was present at the time of the alleged incident. We were not made aware of the incident at the time, and have not been part of the investigation."

Dig deeper:

Brooks is the CEO of the Wisconsin Center District, a governmental body that owns the Baird Center, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena and Miller High Life Theatre.

The Wisconsin Center District receives a 3% hotel room tax in Milwaukee County, 3% on car rentals at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, and 0.5% on food and beverage sales in the county. For hotels in the city of Milwaukee, the district receives a 7% hotel room tax.

"The Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office, in which we have the utmost confidence, completed a thorough review and concluded there was no basis for the issuance of criminal charges," Attorney Michael Hart, representing Brooks, said in a statement at the time of FOX6’s January report. "Marty looks forward to continuing his work of enhancing Milwaukee’s hospitality experience."

FOX6 News typically keeps alleged victims' names private, but in weeks of coverage of this story has used Pérez’s name, as is also on the board of the Wisconsin Center District, which oversees Brooks’ employment, and given the public nature of his position as the Milwaukee Common Council president.