This story was updated at 2:20 pm Monday, April 8, to include a response to Myadze’s statement from Safe Harbor.
In a statement posted to his aldermanic website Sunday, Madison Alder Iorfa Charles Myadze “categorigally” denied allegations that he physically and emotionally abused a former wife and girlfriend.
As we reported on March 29, Jamie Johnson, who was married to Myadze from 2001 until 2003, and Michelle McKoy, who said she dated Myadze off and on from 2006 until 2013, told Madison365 that Myadze had physically and emotionally abused them during their relationships. Myadze did not respond to questions about specific allegations, but a statement provided by his attorney said he “unequivocally asserts that these allegations are unfounded and that he has never engaged in domestic abuse towards any woman.”
Myadze posted an additional statement to his aldermanic blog Sunday, writing:
It has come to my attention that there are rumors and false defamatory accusations being spread about me alleging past domestic abuse. Let me be unequivocally clear: these allegations are entirely baseless, defamatory, without merit, and made solely for the purpose of tarnishing my reputation, in the hopes of influencing the upcoming elections. I categorically deny any and all these accusations. Such accusations not only impugn my character, but also undermine the trust and confidence that you, my constituents, have placed in me to serve you with integrity and honor.
Myadze will be up for re-election in April 2025. He was first elected in the spring of 2021, defeating incumbent Rebecca Kemble, and was re-elected in 2023.
The statement continues:
I want to assure you that I take these allegations seriously as domestic violence is a serious issue in our community and should never be trivialized. It is for that reason that since assuming the role as your elected official, I have worked tirelessly to advocate for causes such as Safe Harbor, recognizing the prevalence of abuses in our community. I will continue to support these causes because of my heartfelt belief and commitment to building a beloved community built on respect, integrity, and empathy for all members of our community.
In a statement emailed to Madison365 and posted to social media Monday, Safe Harbor denied that Myadze had been supportive.
“While Safe Harbor is located in Alder Myadze’s district, he did not deliver on any action to benefit the organization, nor respond to our requests for the assistance that he pledged,” the statement reads in part. “There has been no contact since September 2023, when he attended a Safe Harbor fundraising event and reiterated his promise of assistance, but never was in contact again.”
McKoy called on the Common Council to hold a vote of “no confidence” in Myadze, which she said in an email to council members she hoped would be the first step in his removal from office.
Alder Sabrina Madison told Madison365 that alders have received approximately 15 emails urging the council to remove Myadze.
But a statement emailed to news outlets Sunday from Alder Yanette Figueroa-Cole and Common Council President Jael Currie said that’s not possible because state law restricts “cause” for removal to actions taken while in office, and Johnson and McKoy’s accounts describe incidents that allegedly took place before Myadze was elected.
In an email titled “Message to Domestic Abuse Survivors,” Figueroa-Cole and Currie wrote:
First, we’d like to acknowledge the individuals who have come forward and shared their stories, as well as those who have reached out to express support for both women and all survivors of domestic violence, with some even bravely sharing their own stories.
Secondly, we need to recognize the fact that members of our community have been triggered to hear and learn about the allegations against Alder Myadze. As women, daughters, mothers, and policymakers with public platforms, we stand with survivors of domestic violence and support their decision to come forward on their terms. We understand how empowering it is to tell your stories, and we recognize that each person handles trauma differently.
The email also cites Wisconsin statute which “provides that an alder may be removed from office only by recall or by the Council after a finding of cause. The Wis. Stat(ute) defines cause as ‘inefficiency, neglect of duty, official misconduct, or malfeasance in office.’ The conduct must be related to an alder’s position or actions as an alder.”
Madison, in an opinion piece submitted to Madison365, wrote that while she can’t comment on any specific individuals or allegations, “community leaders and other elected leaders must join me in speaking out in support of domestic violence survivors, including showing our support for Michelle and Jamie. It is our duty.”
She told Madison365 that her editorial was not written in response to Myadze’s statement.
