Friday, July 20, 2012
4:34 PM
Senate Org approves office swaps; GOP leaders vote against moves
The Committee on Senate Organization has approved a series of room moves to reflect the new Democratic control of that house, though GOP leadership opposed the measure.
Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said in a statement that while he supported the moves into new Senate President and Senate Majority Leader offices, that he voted to oppose the rest of the moves because those only usually take place after November elections and usually stay in place for two years.
Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, also opposed the moves, saying they were a waste of taxpayer money and there would still be moves after November, regardless of who controls the chamber.
" I will point out there will be another round of moves in November no matter the results of the election because Senators Coggs, Holperin and Zipperer are leaving the Senate," Grothman said in a statement. "Everyone anticipated a change in the Majority Leader and President’s offices, but for Senator Hansen et al to ask for changes puts the Sergeant’s staff, as well as the legislators’ own staff, through two moves in four months. This is discourteous at best and therefore I oppose the motion.”
Other than the aforementioned swaps by leadership, some of the changes are as follows:
- Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, the new co-chair of Joint Finance Committee, will swap with Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills.
- Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, will take former Sen. Pam Galloway's office. Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, will take Hansen's office.
- Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, will take Lazich's old office. Sen. Frank Lasee, R-De Pere, will take Larson's old office.
- Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, will take Lasee's office. Sen. Rich Zipperer, R-Pewaukee, will take Vinehout's office, though he will eventually resign his office on Aug. 5.
- Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Green Bay, will take Zipperer's old office. Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, will take Cowles office. Sen. Jerry Petrowski, R-Marathon, will take Lassa's old office.
-- By Jason Smathers
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