Batter & Mac owners consider legal action after threats and defamatory comments

MENOMONEE FALLS — A Menomonee Falls bakery is considering legal action after being the target of threats and defamatory comments.

Batter & Mac received backlash over a planned “Drag Story Hour and Cupcake Decorating” event.

Even though co-owners Kasey Gusho and Brittany Wohlfeil canceled the event, people still shared their plans.

Over Memorial Day weekend, the owners said two women came into their business, made “aggressive” comments and demanded to speak to the owners.

“They clearly weren’t happy with Drag Story Time and wanted to talk to us, but we weren’t there,” Wohlfeil explained.

“It really shook our staff to the point where they asked if they could call the police next time.”

This is part of the reason their attorney filed two cease and desist letters. One went to Ann Lessila, village trustee of Menomonee Falls, and the other to Jesse Simcox, the head of the Gays Against Groomers Wisconsin chapter.

Both spoke out against the event.

Previous Facebook posts show Lessila responding “spread the word” to a commenter saying they would no longer shop at the bakery.

She also wrote in response to negative reactions on her Facebook admin page: “I will leave all comments on my page so that the public will want to care for the children.”

“For a board member to post that we are groomers on their official page is ridiculous. At the very least, she should apologize,” Wohlfeil said.

At a village board meeting on May 20, several people from across Wisconsin voiced concerns about the event, including Simcox.

He said in part: “These people are upset because they have said publicly that they want to sexually exploit children. »

The event at Batter & Mac was planned as a fundraiser for Courage MKE, which helps advocate for LGBTQ people in our community, as well as helping them find housing, scholarships and more.

“We are not pedophiles. We are not groomers. For people to say that is damaging,” Wohlfeil said.

TMJ4’s Kaylee Staral reached out to Lessila and Simcox Tuesday afternoon for comment on the letters, but did not immediately respond.

“You can have your own opinion, but don’t threaten people or be mean. We just ask everyone to keep the discourse civil,” Gusho said.

However, not all messages have been negative.

“The majority supported us a lot and we raised a lot of money for Courage MKE,” smiles Wohlfeil.

Their total so far is around $6,000, and since everything happened the company has also received orders from big companies like Brewers and Children’s Wisconsin.

The company has a variety of events planned and will be offering rainbow baked goods to benefit Courage MKE in June.

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