A Glendale mayoral candidate who wants to crack down on crime addresses his own criminal history

Steve Bruckner, a candidate in the City of Glendale's upcoming mayoral election, has hinged his campaign on a promise to crack down on crime in Glendale.

At the same time, Bruckner has his own history with the justice system — a 1999 felony conviction for possessing and intending to distribute cocaine, as well as a 2010 civil lawsuit filed against his lawn care business Showpiece Lawns for misapplying pesticide chemicals, according to complaints from the Milwaukee County Clerk of Circuit Court obtained by the Journal Sentinel.

State and local laws prevent those with felonies from running for mayor, so when Bruckner decided in 2022 to run for Glendale mayor, he applied to expunge his criminal record. In March 2023, he obtained a pardon for the criminal case from Gov. Tony Evers.

Asked whether these cases undermine his message on crime, Bruckner said he wants other people who commit crimes to learn the lesson he did after he was arrested.

On April 2, voters in the city will choose between Bruckner and current Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy, who has served since 2015. Bruckner is Kennedy's first challenger in nine years.

Here's what to know about Bruckner's criminal history and how he reconciles it as part of his campaign:

What does the criminal complaint say about Bruckner's history with the justice system?

On Oct. 15, 1997, a drug enforcement officer executed a search warrant at a Milwaukee business office and found Bruckner ― along with 15.86 grams of cocaine and paraphernalia typically used to distribute it, according to the complaint.

In an interview conducted right after the search, Bruckner told a detective that he had been using cocaine three years and started selling it solely to his friends a year prior to offset the cost of his addiction.

He was charged in 1998 and pleaded guilty to one felony count for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance - Cocaine (>5-15g). He was convicted in 1999 and given a withheld sentence and four years probation. Conditions of the probation included one year of Huber, or work release, 1,000 hours of community service and a fine of $1,000.

Bruckner said he ended up serving six months of Huber and two years of probation.

What has Bruckner said about his felony conviction?

Bruckner owns and accepts responsibility for what happened almost 30 years ago.

"It was the scariest day of my life but also one of the best days of my life, because, from that day on, I quit cocaine," he said.

Ahead of this story's release, Bruckner addressed the drug conviction in a Facebook post March 14: "Those of you that have known me for a long time know that I have never hidden from this bad chapter in my life," he said. "I have totally owned and admitted the poor decisions I made 25 years ago and never looked back. In the last 25 years, I’ve worked hard to be a good and productive citizen in our community."

Bruckner said he cooperated throughout the police investigation and served as an undercover informant to a county drug unit after his arrest. For one year, Bruckner attended an outpatient drug rehabilitation program during the day and conducted undercover controlled buys for the unit at night, he said.

When asked whether he should have received a harsher penalty, he said, "I believe there should be harsher penalties for people who don't learn their lesson."

Bruckner is now mostly retired and said the idea to run for mayor came about while "joking around" with friends.

Because his felony conviction barred him from entering the race, Bruckner sought an expungement. He has previously donated $100 to undefined Scott Walker, but Walker had denounced the idea of expungement and didn’t issue a single pardon during his two terms, according to the Associated Press.

A different attitude toward pardons prevailed after Gov. Tony Evers took office in 2019. Bruckner obtained a pardon in March 2023, almost a year after he applied for it.

"I wouldn't have what I have today if I hadn't been arrested," Bruckner said. "I might not even be alive today. That's what just blows me away, when some people get arrested and don't learn their lesson."

Asked whether he worries whether his criminal history undermines his message on crime, Bruckner said he would know best the "effects illegal drugs have on society."

He also noted that he never stole from anyone, which is one of the main issues he's focused on.

"I always say, 'Those without sin cast the first stone.' I can't change the past, but I've owned everything."

He wants voters to note that Glendale's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement posted on the city's website includes "conviction history" under the specified areas that city government strive to treat "fairly, respectfully and without bias."

Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13.