Henningsen, former alderman, dies at age 70

Paul Henningsen, the colorful and controversial former Milwaukee public servant whose three-decade political career was marked by both trouble and triumph, has died at age 70.

Henningsen, who served on the Milwaukee Common Council for almost 20 years after serving on the Milwaukee County Board, was found dead in his home Tuesday after a friend called Milwaukee police to request that they check on his welfare, according to a Milwaukee County medical examiner's report released Wednesday.

He had been battling lung cancer, according to the report, which listed the immediate cause of his death as heart disease.

But for years Henningsen, who represented downtown Milwaukee and nearby neighborhoods, also battled depression and alcoholism, challenges that some say led to a 33-month prison sentence for mail fraud in 2003.

"He was plagued for his whole career by demons, and unfortunately that caused his political career to fail," said Carl Mueller, CEO of Mueller Communications, who served as chief of staff to former Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist during a time when Henningsen was an alderman.

Henningsen earned a bachelor's degree in government from Lawrence University in 1968 and a law degree from Marquette University in 1975.

After serving eight years on the Milwaukee County Board, Henningsen was elected to the Milwaukee Common Council in 1984, representing the city's 4th Aldermanic district and eventually chairing the council's Zoning, Neighborhoods and Development Committee.

"He was a rising star in local politics and the Democratic Party," Mueller remembered.

"He was forceful and knowledgeable and had a lot to say about what kinds of development should take place."

Henningsen was a force behind the expansion of the city's convention center and active in the city's historic preservation movement, Mueller recalled.

He also championed reinvestment in Milwaukee's near west side and encouraged the purchase of houses in the Concordia neighborhood, Mueller said.

Henningsen also gained a reputation for being spread-out and overworked.

"I was amazed by how many ideas he had," recalled retired Milwaukee County judge and former Common Council president Tom Donegan.

"He was one of the few people speaking out about racial divisions in the community and the needs of poor people.

"He was non-stop."

His workaholic ethic might have played a role in the deterioration of his health, former Common Council president Marvin Pratt, one of Henningsen's closest political allies, said in 1991, when Henningsen took a five-week leave of absence to seek treatment for depression and to determine if he had a drinking problem.

“I think what he does to deal with it isn’t what he should be doing,” said Pratt, who with other council members urged Henningsen not to seek re-election.

Henningsen's political career, however, continued until 2003, when he was sentenced to 33 months in prison after being convicted of four counts of mail fraud for embezzling $25,000 from his campaign fund and for falsifying campaign finance reports.

"It was nothing short of a tragedy, the way that happened to a guy with so much potential," Mueller said.

On Wednesday, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said Henningsen was committed to making Milwaukee a better city.

"He worked with business and community leaders to build a stronger downtown and engaged west side stakeholders to improve neighborhoods and the quality of life for residents," Barrett said in a statement.

“Throughout his life, Paul was dedicated to helping others."

Funeral arrangements for Henningsen were pending Wednesday.