MADISON, WI (WTAQ) – While the focus continues to be on Republican lawmakers attempting to limit the powers of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general, the Wisconsin Senate took to the floor just before 4 PM Tuesday afternoon to vote on appointees from the outgoing Governor Scott Walker.
The vote of the Senate was party-line, with Republicans in support and Democrats against, which was enough to approve the 82 appointees during a lame-duck legislative session.
The party-line vote was indicative of the ongoing divide amongst state Republicans and Democrats during this highly contested session.
The Wisconsin Senate gallery had to be cleared at one point Tuesday afternoon as outbursts persisted and warnings to remain quiet were ignored.
Democratic Senator Jon Erpenbach tried to get several of the appointees put through committee for vetting, something he claims Democratic appointees have often done.
“Democrats had to take a couple steps back and go through the proper process to make sure that whether it was a nomination or a piece of legislation it was properly before the Senate,” he says.
In addition, Senator Erpenbach had questions about a pair of appointees to the UW Board of Regents that don’t have financial conflict filings on record. He claims those concerns aren’t personal, but rather it’s simply proper protocol.
“It’s not because we want to slow things down or take something away from Scott Walker as he’s walking out the door like his parting gifts,” he explains. “That’s not what we’re trying to do, they are just not properly before the Senate.”
Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos again stated that at its core this is a balance of powers issue.
“I respect the fact that Tony Evers is the governor and he’s going to be starting on January 7, but he’s not the governor today,” he says. “That’s why we’re going to make sure that the powers of each branch are as equal as they can be.”
While in regards to the possibilities of legal challenges coming from Democrats, he’s not concerned.
“They have every right to go to the courts, ask the courts if what we have done is constitutional,” he explains. “I believe, and the advice I’ve been given is, everything that we have done has been within the bounds of the constitution and I think it’ll be found that way.”
One of the appointees was Ellen Nowak, Walker’s top aide, who was appointed a position on the state Public Service Commission.
