The controversial spectacle of naked bicyclists parading through Madison's streets during the summer took a momentous turn on Capitol Hill during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday. The event was brought to the forefront as Wisconsin Representative Tom Tiffany seized the opportunity to question U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland about allegations arising from the June incident.
While several House Republicans used the hearing to accuse Garland of politicizing his agency under President Biden, shielding Hunter Biden, and pursuing former President Trump, Rep. Tiffany chose to focus on a matter closer to home – the Naked Bike Ride in downtown Madison.
"In closing, I'd like to touch on this," Tiffany addressed Garland, following his inquiries about crime rates in Minnesota and the fentanyl crisis. The representative, who oversees a substantial portion of northern Wisconsin, shifted the discussion to Madison's rendition of the Naked Bike Ride, an event replicated in numerous cities nationwide.
Tiffany echoed earlier claims that a child had taken part in the event, referencing a letter sent by his office several weeks afterward.
"Do you consider this a concern, and why was our letter from two months ago left unanswered?" Tiffany queried the nation's top law enforcement officer. Garland responded, assuring that the Department of Justice's Office of Legislative Affairs would provide a response at a later time.
"It appears you're raising a question related to state and local law enforcement," Garland observed, regarding Tiffany's inquiry, "We receive hundreds and hundreds of letters."
As the exchange drew to a close, Tiffany asserted that state and local law enforcement had failed to take action.
Shortly after the bike ride, Dane County Supervisor Jeff Weigand urged both the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and Madison Police Department to investigate allegations that a ten-year-old had participated. Weigand stated he received an email and photograph depicting "what appears to be a child, surrounded by naked adults riding bicycles around the Wisconsin Capitol."
On Wednesday, Weigand reported that the Madison Police Department had not addressed his inquiries regarding the allegation, nor had they issued any citations or made any arrests to his knowledge. He further stated that the Sheriff’s Office had not conducted an investigation.
NBC15 News reached out to both the police department and sheriff’s office for comments regarding a potential investigation in light of Weigand's statements. A spokesperson from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it was an MPD matter. NBC15 will provide updates as more information becomes available from the police department.