MADISON – The leader of the state Senate said Tuesday he is holding off on confirming Gov. Tony Evers’ cabinet because of a dispute over whether 15 appointees of Gov. Scott Walker can keep their positions.
“I think some of those cabinet members are going to be in trouble,” Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau said of Evers’ top advisers.
The Democratic governor’s cabinet secretaries are able to do their jobs without confirmation, but Fitzgerald’s approach gives Republicans the ability to push them out of their jobs with little notice.
Fitzgerald said the GOP stance was a reaction to the court fight over a different set of appointees made by Evers’ Republican predecessor.
“Right now, they’re pretty wild about it,” Fitzgerald said of other Senate Republicans.
Evers spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff said Republicans need to focus on trying to accomplish what’s best for the state instead of engaging in a political fight.
“While it’s refreshing to hear Republicans speak with such candor for a change, it’s sad to hear that they will continue to put politics before people,” Baldauff said in a statement. “Republicans have finally acknowledged that their decisions are motivated not by what’s best for Wisconsinites, but by an irrational anger that the people chose a new governor.”
Other Democrats called the Republican reaction to the appointments petty and obstructionist.
“The political theatrics from Republican leaders are getting old,” said a statement from Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling of La Crosse.
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