Civil Trial Counsel of Wisconsin - Political Tidbits November 15, 2002

November 15, 2002

Earlier this week, the Assembly Republicans unanimously chose Rep. John Gard as the new Speaker. The selection of Gard, Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer, and Assembly Minority Leader Jim Kreuser almost completes the unparalleled transfer of power within the Legislature and governor’s office. The key remaining slots to be filled are the senate minority leader, gubernatorial appointments, and legislative committee posts.

When the 2003-04 Legislative Session convenes in January, both houses will be under Republican control for the first time since 1995. With their majorities, they control the appointment of legislative committee chairs, hold a majority in each legislative committee, and control which bills get scheduled for committee and floor action. Moreover, Republicans will control important joint committees such as the budget-writing Joint Finance Committee.

The Republicans gain additional leverage if the two houses coordinate their legislative agenda over the next two years. It also will be interesting to see how the two houses work with Governor-elect Jim Doyle, who can mold legislation by exercising one of the most powerful veto authorities in the nation. At this time, Doyle and Republican leaders in both houses are sending strong signals they wish to work together to craft bipartisan solutions to the State’s budget mess.

Coupling his no-tax-increase pledge with the close to $3 billion budget hole gives Doyle little fiscal leverage to help key constituents by creating or expanding programs. Given the tight budget and Republican control of the Legislature, the regulatory arena may be the most fertile ground for the governor-elect to advance policy initiatives. Interest groups are already focusing on the gubernatorial appointment process. The announcement of Doyle’s transition team (discussed below) launched the effort to select over 700 appointees to various agencies, boards, commissions, and councils to serve in the new administration. The process begins with high-level Cabinet appointees who serve at the pleasure of the governor.

Wisconsin Politics
Assembly Republicans Pick Gard as Speaker; Foti as Majority Leader
Earlier this week, Republicans unanimously selected John Gard (R-Peshtigo) as Assembly Speaker. His only challenger, Rep. Scott Gunderson (R-Town of Norway), stepped aside the day of the caucus vote.

Gard was first elected to the Assembly in a special election in 1987 and has been reelected since 1988. He served as the Assembly Chair of the Joint Finance Committee during the 1999-2000 and 2001-02 legislative sessions. The 39-year-old Gard is married to Cate Zeuske, who served as Department of Revenue Secretary during the Thompson Administration in the late 1990s.

Immediately after his election, Rep. Gard welcomed Governor-Elect Jim Doyle to the Republican caucus. Doyle told them he looks forward to working with a Republican legislature. Keeping with the bipartisan theme in his acceptance speech, Gard emphasized the need to share the responsibilities for change with the new Administration. He also noted that the budget deficit would be the biggest challenge the Legislature faces next session.

In other caucus elections results, Rep. Steven Foti (R-Oconomowoc) was re-elected to his position of Majority Leader. Foti out-polled Reps. Sheryl Albers (R-Reedsburg), Luther Olsen (R-Berlin) and Frank Lasee (R-Bellevue) for the post. Other leadership positions acted on include:

Speaker Pro Tempore – Rep. Steve Freese (R-Dodgeville)
Assistant Majority Leader – Rep. Jean Hundertmark (R-Clintonville)
Caucus Chair – Rep. Dan Vrakas (R-Hartland)
Caucus Vice Chair – Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend)
Caucus Secretary – Rep. Carol Owens (R-Oshkosh)

Kreuser Elected Assembly Minority Leader
Assembly Democrats also picked their new leaders for the next legislative session, naming Rep. Jim Kreuser (D-Kenosha) Minority Leader, and Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee) Assistant Minority Leader. Kreuser, who defeated Rep. Dave Travis (D-Madison) for the top Democrat post, replaces Rep. Spencer Black (D-Madison), who announced his decision to step down as Minority Leader last week. Kreuser has served as Assistant Minority Leader since 2001.

Recount in 9th Senate District in Court
Sen. Jim Baumgart (D-Sheboygan) has officially requested a recount in the 9th Senate District. The recount was scheduled to begin today; however, a last minute complaint was filed in federal court seeking to delay the recount. The complaint was filed by attorney Jim Troupis (Michael, Best and Friedrich) on behalf of Senator-elect Joe Liebham. The suit challenges the hand recount procedures of Sheboygan County.

The official tally, which was certified by the State Elections Board this week, shows Leibham with 27,720 votes compared to 27,700 for Baumgart. If and when the court gives the go-ahead, the recount is expected to take 7-10 days. The results of the recount will not affect the control of the Senate, which currently has Republicans with a two-vote majority.

New Group Aims to Restore Wisconsin’s Good Government Image
A group of lawmakers led by former Governors Lee Sherman Dreyfus (R) and Anthony S. Earl (D) have announced the creation of a bipartisan New Patriotism Caucus. The group intends to push for new legislative rules that assures better conduct, creates accountability, strengthens relationships across party lines, and creates an ongoing forum for legislators to revive the Legislature as the foremost democratic institution of the state. The Caucus is an offshoot of the New Patriotism Project, an initiative of The Harwood Institute for Public Innovation.

Policy Developments
Doyle Announces Transition Team Leaders
On Nov. 14, Governor-Elect Jim Doyle announced his transition co-chairs. Susan Goodwin, Doyle’s gubernatorial campaign manager, will be the transition director and Thad Nation will be the transition team’s communications director. Others named to head the transition team include: David G. Walsh of Foley & Lardner; Eileen Connolly-Keesler, Executive Director, Oshkosh Area Community Foundation; Reverend Rolen L. Womack Jr, Pastor, Progressive Baptist Church, Milwaukee; and, Charles R. Pruitt, A.B. Data Group, Shorewood.

Goodwin indicated that while the remainder of the transition team would be named shortly, cabinet appointments and other key appointments to state agencies would not likely take place for 4-6 weeks.

In a related development, the Joint Finance Committee on Monday approved an $87,500 appropriation to pay for costs associated with the transition effort. The money will be used to finance 11 positions, supplies, travel and equipment.

Speaker’s Task Force Continues to Meet on Agency Budgets
The Speaker’s Task Force on State Budget Review continues to meet and study specific agency budget requests. This week, the Committee heard from the Dept. of Health and Family Services. The Committee next hears from the Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. That hearing will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 417 North. On December 3, the Committee will hear from the Dept. of Employee Trust Funds, Dept. of Employment Relations and the Commissioner of Insurance. That hearing will take place at 10:00 a.m. in Room 417 North.

Assembly Task Force on Identity Theft to Meet Next Week
The Assembly Judiciary Committee’s Special Task Force on Identity Theft will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 225 NW in the State Capitol. The Task Force will consider and discuss changes to WLC:0012/2, which makes certain revisions to the identity theft statute.

The Task Force, which has been meeting since this summer, was convened by Rep. Mark Gundrum (R-New Berlin) to consider ways to update and strengthen Wisconsin’s laws on identity theft.

Governor’s Task Force on Terrorism Preparedness Unveils Recommendations
Gov. Scott McCallum has released the final report of the Governor’s Task Force on Terrorism Preparedness, which was chaired by Dept. of Health and Family Services Secretary Phyllis Dube and Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Ed Gleason. The Task Force, formed in response to the 9-11 attacks, is charged with preparing an overview of state and local terrorism preparedness efforts and providing related recommendations.

Recommendations forwarded by the Task Force include:

Promoting the use of the Incident Command System by emergency response agencies.
Creating a Regional Trauma System.
Ensuring that all primary care providers have formal training to enhance their ability to recognize smallpox, cutaneous anthrax and other infections.
Coordinating the federal, state and local response capability to prevent or respond to terrorist events involving agricultural resources, animal health and the food supply.
Determining what assessments have been or need to be performed and what protective actions are necessary to safeguard Wisconsin’s critical infrastructure.
Training the state’s emergency responders to appropriate readiness levels so they are better prepared to respond to a terrorist incident.
Improving communications and intelligence sharing among federal, state and local agencies.
Implementing an intrastate mutual aid agreement that would allow local emergency response agencies to provide needed assistance to other Wisconsin communities in the event of an emergency.
Promoting the coordination of public safety communications so emergency agencies can be in contact with each other during emergencies.

Click here to view the full report.

Federal Developments
U.S. Chamber Adopts New Broadband Policy
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce board of directors adopted a broadband policy. The 10-Point Plan encompasses a regulatory and legislative to-do list, including calls for boosting demand for high-speed Internet services, crafting a comprehensive spectrum-management strategy, clearing public rights-of-way procedures at all levels and supporting diversified technology to ensure national security.

Sen. Feingold Leads Opposition to Senate Pay Raise
The U.S. Senate, without debate, voted 58-36 to reject a measure by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) that would have denied the congressional pay raise. With the slumping economy and financial markets, job layoffs and federal budget deficits, "this is the wrong time for Congress to give itself a pay hike," Feingold said in a statement.

Under a 1989 law, congressional cost-of-living pay raises pegged to inflation go into effect automatically unless lawmakers vote to block them. The 3.1 percent pay raise will become effective in January.

Chances of Federal Energy Policy Overhaul Dims
Senate conferees rejected an offer by House Energy and Commerce Chairman Tauzin to adopt a "lite" version of the legislation. With time running out on the lame-duck session of Congress, the Senate chose to reject the House proposal and will wait till next year to try to get a better bill. Chairman Tauzin fashioned a slimmed-down bill that incorporated two elements - pipeline safety and nuclear-plant liability protection.

Congressional Leadership Announced
House Republicans anointed House Speaker Hastert, Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX ) and Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO) to their top three leadership positions and promoted Rep. Deborah Pryce of Ohio to GOP Conference chairwoman.

Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi D-CA) replaces outgoing Rep. Richard Gephardt as Democratic leader. Pelosi announced she is nominating Budget ranking member John Spratt,( D-S.C.), to serve as her designated assistant. Rounding out the Democratic leadership team is Robert Menendez of New Jersey as the next chairman of the Democratic Caucus and Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., a former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus as Democratic Caucus vice chairman.

In the Senate, Republicans named their leadership team in a closed session. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was elected majority whip, replacing Sen. Don Nickles of Oklahoma. Republicans also elected Minority Leader Lott to become majority leader and kept in place Republican Conference Chairman Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania and Vice Chairwoman Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas.

Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota will remain Democratic leader. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada will stay as whip, and Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland will serve another term as Conference secretary.

Political News
Many eyes on recount in Senate campaign: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nov. 15, 2002. Baumgart victory would reduce the GOP's margin.

AG will take swift legal action to block caucus bills: Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Nov. 15, 2002. Doyle will authorize Lautenschlager to sue to stop the use of taxpayer money for legal fees.

Panzer says campaign finance reform should occur next year: St. Paul Pioneer Press, Nov. 15, 2002. Senate's No. 1 priority under her leadership will be addressing the state's budget deficit.

New group will encourage state legislators to be polite: Wisconsin State Journal, Nov. 14, 2002. A third attempt in as many years to clean up personal conduct at the state Capitol.

Gard pledges changes to Assembly: Appleton Post-Crescent, Nov. 14, 2002. Republican says he will improve tone as speaker.

Recount of Senate race begins Friday: Sheboygan Press, Nov. 13, 2002. Each of the four counties in the Ninth District will be conducting a recount of their votes beginning Friday morning.

Push lawmakers on campaign-finance reform: Green Bay Press-Gazette, Nov. 13, 2002. Voters should demand lawmakers pass meaningful, enforceable campaign- finance reform measure.

Doyle, McCallum meet for first time since election: Stevens Point Journal, Nov. 13, 2002. Doyle will get to appoint a new member to the PSC.

Starting over in Madison (opinion): Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nov. 13, 2002. What's left is nothing but tough choices.

Baumgart to request vote recount in Senate race: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nov. 13, 2002. "I think everybody in the district deserves to know if every legal vote was counted," Baumgart said.

Chvala petition gaining names: Madison Capital Times, Nov. 12, 2002. “There's lots of angry people out there," said Voters for Ethical Government's treasurer John Finch.

Republicans believe they can work with Doyle: Appleton Post-Crescent, Nov. 11, 2002. Winners of Tuesday’s elections must and will break the party-line gridlock.

Already, GOP looks to 2006: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nov. 11, 2002. Governor list includes Green, Walker, Klug.

With office tainted, Hansen should resign (opinion): Appleton Post-Crescent, Nov. 10, 2002. There can be no more free passes for anyone. Pleading ignorance just doesn’t cut it.

Doyle faces many hurdles: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, Nov. 10, 2002. Experts: Budget, Legislature are just some.

Power shift in Madison may foster centrism: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Nov. 10, 2002. Lawmakers hope for better cooperation.

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Upcoming Fundraisers
Monday, Nov. 18:

Sen. Gary George (D-Milwaukee), Madison, 8:00 a.m.
US Sen. Russ Feingold (D), Milwaukee, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 21:

Rep. Bob Wirch (D-Kenosha), Kenosha, 5:00 p.m.
Sen. Elect Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee), Milwaukee, 5:00 p.m.

Details and a monthly calendar of upcoming fundraisers can be found on The Hamilton Consulting Group’s Web site.