Assembly Democrats strip Milwaukee lawmaker of power in Capitol maneuver

MILWAUKEE – For the second time in five months, Assembly Democratic leaders are stripping power from one of their own members.

Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz has requested to remove state Rep. Leon Young from his committee assignments, Assembly Speaker Robin Vos’ office confirmed to FOX6 News on Monday.

It’s unclear what sparked the infighting between the Democrats this time. Friday, Young appeared on Milwaukee radio station WGLB and said Democratic leaders were taking away his committee assignments and one part-time staffer because he tried to bring an assault weapons ban amendment to the Assembly floor during a debate last week.

Hintz’s spokesman, Aaron Collins, hasn’t returned a phone call seeking comment about why Hintz was punishing Young. Young represents parts of Milwaukee’s north side and was first elected to the Assembly in 1992.

“It’s disappointing, and then it hurts the people of the 16th Assembly district. We represent over 55,000 people,” Young said on the radio Friday. “We won’t be able to reach our constituents like we normally do as a result of that.”

Late last year, Hintz stripped another Milwaukee Democrat, state Rep. Josh Zepnick, of his committee assignments and kicked him out of Democrats’ private caucus meetings after two women accused Zepnick of drunkenly kissing them at parties.

Hintz became Democratic leader last year as Democrats staged a coup to oust state Rep. Peter Barca from the role.