Wisconsin Dem Mandela Barnes Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Past Encounters

Wisconsin Democrats hired an outside firm in 2025 to probe allegations that Mandela Barnes used his office to pursue sexual encounters with young women. An anonymous 2024 letter triggered the inquiry, but the review found no actionable misconduct due to lack of specifics. In recent weeks, three sources described past encounters, including a 2018 incident with a 21-year-old at a convention; no crimes or official complaints have been filed. Barnes, who suspended his gubernatorial campaign on July 30, has said he’s a single man who has dated and denied misconduct. The controversy emerges as the Democratic primary contest remains chaotic ahead of the Aug. 11 vote.