Wisconsin Republicans reject Evers appointees, includes most of DNR board
MADISON, Wis. - Republicans who control the Wisconsin Senate voted Tuesday, Oct. 17 to fire eight state board appointees from Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' administration, including a majority of the panel that sets the state's environmental and wildlife policies.
A local political expert calls the firing of those Evers appointees unusual.
Governor's appointees can work in their positions before being confirmed – and that is what the appointees have done, some for months or even years, without the Senate taking up their nomination.
"It’s insanity. It’s insanity," said Gov. Evers. "They’re completely appropriate people to serve in those positions."
Gov. Tony Evers
"The State Senate takes its responsibility to provide advice and consent seriously. No appointee is considered on the floor without being invited to appear before a Senate Committee to defend their candidacy," Senate Majority Leader Devin Lemahieu said in a statement.
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"I think this is an indication of how bad politics has gotten, that one party treats the other party as essentially illegitimate," said Mordecai Lee, UWM Professor Emeritus.
Mordecai Lee
Lee said generally, it is accepted a governor will choose appointees who match their political party.
"I think what we’re seeing is a kind of a partisan ideology that we will only confirm people who will agree with us," Lee said.
Wisconsin Capitol, Madison
"That’s the only reason they gave is they didn’t like some of my tweets and some of my tweets were critical of Republican lawmakers," said Melissa Baldauff, former governor's appointee to Domestic Abuse Council.
Baldauff was one of those fired Tuesday.
"While we’re seeing women and children murdered, they are voting down people that they just don’t like," Baldauff said. "It’s just, I think, a terrible message to other survivors: Watch what you say because if we don’t like it, we’re not going to let you be part of these things."
Melissa Baldauff
The senate also fired an appointment to the medical examining board, who is one of the plaintiffs trying to overturn the state's abortion ban.
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In addition, senate Republicans also voted to fire an appointee to the Wisconsin Elections Commission. In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Devin Lemahieu said that appointee broke the law by refusing to "promptly and properly" appoint an election administrator.
Wisconsin Senate
"The objection was that this nominee Joe Czarnezki, the former Milwaukee county clerk, had participated in the democratic maneuvering to keep Wolfe in office, based on a precedent set by a republican appointee to the DNR board. Things are really getting out of hand in the sense of, we in Wisconsin believe in sort of basic fairness, believe there shouldn’t be double standards for things," Lee said.
The Senate also fired the majority of the Natural Resources board. Lemahieu said in a statement that multiple of the governor's picks to the Natural Resources board indicated they would not comply with laws.
The governor has already appointed replacements for the appointees fired on Tuesday.