Former Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, alleging that the newspaper published damaging claims about his sex life despite being informed that a reporter involved in the matter had previously been sexually involved with him.
Barnes, who was previously a candidate for Wisconsin governor, filed the lawsuit in Milwaukee Circuit Court on Tuesday.
The legal action concerns a July 30 article titled “Sources detail concerns about Mandela Barnes’ behavior toward women.”
According to the complaint, a female political reporter at the newspaper had maintained an intermittent sexual relationship with Barnes beginning around 2018 and continuing for several years.
Barnes alleges that the reporter subsequently became involved in the newspaper’s handling of allegations about his consensual sexual relationships, creating a conflict of interest in the reporting process.
Barnes Accuses Newspaper of Ignoring Conflict of Interest
The lawsuit claims Barnes’ gubernatorial campaign informed senior executives at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about the reporter’s previous relationship on July 30, the same day the article was published.
According to the complaint, newspaper executives acknowledged that the relationship presented a conflict of interest, removed the reporter from the matter and indicated that other journalists would independently review portions of the reporting.
However, Barnes alleges that the newspaper published the disputed article later that same day without adequately investigating the reporter’s previous involvement.
The lawsuit argues that the short period between the newspaper acknowledging the conflict and publishing the article did not allow enough time for an independent examination of the reporting process.
It also claims the published article failed to disclose the alleged relationship, the reporter’s participation in the reporting process, her subsequent removal or the last-minute changes made before publication.
The complaint does not identify the reporter by name.
It also clarifies that she was not among the two journalists whose names appeared on the published article.
Disputed Article Accused Barnes of Exploiting Political Position
The July 30 report included allegations that Barnes had used his position within the Wisconsin Democratic Party to pursue sexual relationships with multiple women.
The newspaper cited three anonymous sources who alleged that Barnes had repeatedly used his influence within the party to seek sexual encounters with young adult women.
The report also stated that the Democratic Party of Wisconsin had hired an outside law firm in 2025 to investigate similar allegations but found nothing actionable.
Barnes has disputed the claims, arguing that the article contained false and defamatory statements about his personal conduct.
Lawyers Previously Demanded Retractions
The lawsuit comes approximately two weeks after Barnes and his attorney, Michael J. Cerjak, sent the newspaper a formal demand for corrections and retractions.
In a 10-page letter dated October 28, his legal team challenged the evidence supporting the allegations and disputed the newspaper’s account of his personal relationships.
The lawyers also objected to the publication of a separate report about Barnes suspending his gubernatorial campaign, arguing that references to the allegations could leave readers with the misleading impression that they prompted his decision to withdraw.
Barnes maintains that he informed newspaper executives before publication that his decision to leave the gubernatorial race had been made for independent political and financial reasons.
His lawyers argued that he did not withdraw because a Democratic Party investigation had uncovered misconduct or because he had committed or been credibly accused of wrongdoing.
The letter further stated that the newspaper knew his decision to suspend his campaign had been made independently of its decision to publish the allegations.
Newspaper Refuses to Retract Its Reporting
According to reports, the newspaper’s lawyers informed Barnes’ legal team on November 4 that the publication would not make changes or issue retractions concerning the disputed article.
Greg Borowski, executive editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, defended the newspaper’s reporting following the lawsuit.
“The Journal Sentinel stands by our reporting,” Borowski said.
He added that the article underwent the newspaper’s standard editing and legal review processes and that Barnes had been given an opportunity to respond before publication.
The newspaper also maintained that the reporter who allegedly had a previous relationship with Barnes was not involved in reporting or writing the published article.
Barnes Seeks Compensatory and Punitive Damages
Barnes is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, with the amount to be determined through a jury trial.
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, he acknowledged the scrutiny that comes with seeking public office and said he respected the role of a free press.
However, he maintained that accuracy and fairness were particularly important when reporting could affect an individual’s reputation, family and future.
He said he disputed the reporting identified in the complaint and believed it had created a materially false impression of his character and conduct.
Barnes added that he had asked the newspaper to correct the disputed information but that it had declined, prompting him to pursue the matter through the legal system.
Public Figure Must Prove Actual Malice
Barnes acknowledged in the lawsuit that he is considered a public figure under defamation law.
As a result, he will have to establish that the newspaper and its employees acted with actual malice in publishing the disputed allegations.
The legal standard requires a public figure pursuing a defamation claim to demonstrate that the publisher either knew the statements were false or acted with reckless disregard for whether they were true.
The lawsuit will therefore require Barnes to establish that the newspaper’s handling and publication of the allegations met that legal threshold.
