The Republican-controlled Wisconsin Senate on Tuesday fired eight of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ appointees, including two on the UW Board of Regents whose rejection came after they voted last year against a divisive deal that gives the UW system additional state funding in exchange for scaling back diversity efforts.
Four others were rejected from the Wisconsin Judicial Commission after Republican senators questioned whether they would protect recently elected liberal Justice Janet Protasiewicz, who they say has violated the judicial ethics code by promising how she would rule on cases.
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“The Senate takes its role in the advice and consent process seriously,” Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, said in a statement. “Appointments must prove that they are qualified, capable, and that they will follow the law in their capacities.”
Democrats criticized the votes.
“Senate Republicans are continuing their unprecedented efforts to baselessly fire capable, qualified Wisconsinites who are volunteering their skills, time, and energy to serve our state, and for no reason other than petty, partisan politics,” Evers said in a statement.
Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein, D-Middleton, called the action to fire the Regents a “disgrace” and told Senate Republicans instead to spend more to fund the UW system.
Republicans didn’t discuss firing the Regents on the Senate floor, but they said in the past that their votes would be determined by the appointees’ actions on a sprawling, controversial deal struck by UW system President Jay Rothman and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, that gives about $800 million in funding to the UW system in exchange for changes to the public university system’s diversity, equity and inclusion programming.
The rejected appointees, John Miller and Dana Wachs, were two of the six Regents to vote against the deal.
The vote to reject them was 21-11 with all Republicans except Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Green Bay, voting to fire them.
Evers immediately appointed two replacements: attorney Haben Goitom and longtime teacher Amy Traynor.
“I’m incredibly grateful to John and Dana for their leadership and service to the UW System and its students, faculty, and staff — they’re exceptional human beings, and I have great respect for them,” Evers said. “I likewise have full confidence that Haben and Amy will bring the same level of expertise and dedication to the Board and the UW as they assume these roles.”
Their rejection continues the chamber’s trend of firing many of Evers’ appointees. Republicans say it’s their right to use discretion in weeding out overly political appointees, but Democrats say GOP lawmakers are making the confirmation process an inappropriately political one.
A Senate committee voted 5-3 against recommending Miller and Wachs last week.
Miller and Wachs said before voting against the DEI agreement that they had concerns about creating a precedent that the UW system would need to give up its values every time it needs funding or buildings.
“What’s it going to be next year? What will happen in the next budget? What’s the political game going to be at that point?” Wachs said before the Dec. 13 vote. “This time, there’s a political game that was pushed into our court. We have bipartisan support at darn near everything we do on this board.”
Wachs is an Eau Claire attorney and former member of the state Assembly. He was appointed by Evers to a term set to expire in May 2029.
Miller, the founder of a Milwaukee venture capital fund, was appointed to a term set to expire in May 2028. He also serves as the UW system representative on the Wisconsin Technical College System board, meaning a new Regent will need to be appointed to that board.
Senate Republicans have now fired 21 of Evers’ appointees since 2019, including picks to the Department of Natural Resources policy board, Wisconsin Elections Commission, UW Hospital Board and Wisconsin’s utility regulation commission.
Other picks rejected
The Senate also rejected Yulonda Anderson, Judy Ziewacz, Janet Jenkins and Jane Foley as members of the Wisconsin Judicial Commission, a group that investigates complaints against judges and court commissioners. The Senate voted 22-10 along party lines to reject Anderson, Ziewacz and Jenkins; and 21-11 to reject Foley, with Cowles joining Democrats voting in favor of confirming her.
Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, said he doubted that the appointees would uphold the rule of law over favoring the judges and justices aligned with their political views.
Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, said “blind partisanship” was guiding Republicans’ actions Tuesday, adding that it was retribution for Protasiewicz winning the Wisconsin Supreme Court contest in August, handing the court majority to liberals.
Evers replaced the four fired judicial commission appointees with former longtime state Rep. Barbara Notestein, former Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development secretary Roberta Gassman, Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin communications director Analiese Eicher and retired educator John Hendricks.
The Senate also rejected Terrance Craney as a public member on the Deferred Compensation Board, which oversees a savings plan for state and university employees. The vote was 22-10 along party lines.
Evers replaced him with retired financial consultant Timothy Graham.
Additionally, the chamber voted 22-10 along party lines to reject Mildred Gonzalez on the Governor’s Council on Domestic Abuse. Evers replaced her with Elizabeth Lucas, who directs the Office of Victim Services and Programs at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.
“While I am glad to be appointing another round of exceptional appointees today who I know will do good work on behalf of the people of our state, I am apoplectic that Republican Senators continue to fire qualified, dedicated Wisconsinites for no reason whatsoever,” Evers said.