US EditionWisconsin legislative feud erupts in public with lawmaker accused of threatening fellow legislators
State Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez denies threatening colleagues despite caucus removal and Capitol ban amid concerns tied to a recent political assassination, Democratic leaders said.
- State Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, who represents central Milwaukee, won a third term in the November election and remains in the Wisconsin Assembly.
- The controversy began after Democratic leaders accused Ortiz-Velez of threatening to shoot three caucus members she had disagreements with, leading to official referrals and a Capitol access ban.
- Ortiz-Velez rejected the accusations, describing her remark as exaggerated and acknowledged she would avoid using similar expressions going forward; her access was reinstated on Thursday.
- A spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos stated that Ortiz-Velez’s ban was unwarranted and mentioned that her access had been reinstated ahead of a planned floor vote on her Hispanic Heritage Month resolution scheduled for Thursday.
- Ortiz-Velez announced her departure from the Democratic caucus while affirming her continued affiliation with the Democratic Party, leaving the Assembly's 54-45 Republican majority intact amid ongoing tensions.
19 Articles
19 Articles
WJFW NewsWatch 12
Wisconsin ExaminerMKE Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez leaves caucus after alleged comments about shooting colleagues
Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez of Milwaukee is leaving the Assembly Democratic caucus — a decision that comes after leadership alleged that she made comments about shooting three of her colleagues. Ortiz-Velez has been at the center of several disagreements over the…
NBC Dallas-Fort Worth
NBC NewsWisconsin Democrats accuse ex-caucus member of threatening to kill colleagues
Wisconsin Democrats are accusing one of their own of threatening to kill three of her colleagues, an allegation that the lawmaker has told local media stems from “poorly worded hyperbole.” Democratic leaders said in a statement Saturday that state Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez made a comment about shooting three caucus members with whom she’d had disagreements. The statement followed one Thursday announcing that Ortiz-Velez was leaving the Democratic …
Associated Press News
Wisconsin legislative feud erupts in public with lawmaker accused of threatening fellow legislators
A Wisconsin legislator has left the state Assembly's Democratic caucus after being accused by fellow party members of threatening to kill three lawmakers.
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