Kou Lee. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Former Green Bay School Board member Kou Lee – who was charged with two felonies for allegedly getting elected to the board while not being a resident of the district – made an initial court appearance Wednesday.
Lee, 48, is charged with election fraud — nomination certification, and false swearing in a government setting.
A $10,000 signature bond was set for Lee Wednesday. He returns to court Dec. 3 for a preliminary hearing.
Lee did not comment at the hearing.
Lee resigned May 8 after a Green Bay Press-Gazette story appeared to provide evidence Lee might not live in the school district then, or when he campaigned and won his board seat in spring 2024.
State law requires a school board candidate to be a resident of the school district for at least 28 consecutive days before filing their declaration of candidacy.
An open records request revealed Lee told school board members in a March group text message that he had been living in Green Bay for several months before starting his school board campaign in 2022. He said he was working through personal issues with his wife and they were still deciding what to do with the Hobart home.
Among the evidence cited in the complaint is Lee’s property tax bill, which showed the lottery tax credit for a residence in Hobart. The credit is only use for primary residences. It also noted his four children were enrolled in the Pulaski school district using the Hobart address.
The complaint does not offer any comments from Lee.
In March, Lee said, in part: “It is accurate that I reside in Green Bay and own a property in Hobart.”
The school board appointed a replacement to fulfill Lee’s term through April 2026.
Comments