Speaker Robin Vos granted a request from Assembly Dems to add one of their members to each of the three committees that Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez serves on after the Milwaukee lawmaker left the caucus.

Ortiz-Velez, D-Milwaukee, continues to serve on the Consumer Protection, Housing and Real Estate, and Judiciary committees.

Along with adding new Dem members, Vos, R-Rochester, also appointed new Republican members to two of the committees.

Adam Wigger, a spokesperson for Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, said the request for new members was made last week. Wigger noted Vos allotted Assembly Dems a set number of spots on each committee at the start of the session.

“We asked him to honor that allotment for our caucus members,” Wigger said.

Vos’ office and Ortiz-Velez didn’t immediately return messages seeking comment.

The additions were published in the Assembly Journal last week. The committee additions are:

  • Rep. Lori Palmeri, D-Oshkosh, to Housing and Real Estate.
  • Reps. Ben DeSmidt, D-Kenosha, and Todd Novak, R-Dodgeville, to Consumer Protection.
  • Reps. Ryan Spaude, D-Green Bay, and Shae Sortwell, R-Two Rivers, to Judiciary.

With the changes, Housing and Real Estate has 10 Republicans and five Dems, along with Ortiz-Velez. The other two are both 5-2 for Republicans, along with Ortiz-Velez.

Ortiz-Velez told WisPolitics earlier this month she had left the Assembly Dem caucus over her treatment by other members and had been barred from the building after allegedly making a threat involving an AR-15. 

Assembly Dem leaders later alleged she had threatened to shoot three caucus members, calling it “unacceptable behavior” after the murder of a Minnesota lawmaker. Vos said Capitol Police found the threat wasn’t credible.

The Department of Administration this month denied WisPolitics’ request for Capitol Police records related to the alleged threat, citing “an ongoing investigation” into her comments.

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