Wisconsin legislative feud erupts in public with lawmaker accused of threatening fellow legislators

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MADISON, Wis. (AP) — 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 caucus.

The news website Wisconsin Right Now and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported that Ortiz-Velez had left the caucus. In the interviews, she denied leadership's allegations that she threatened colleagues.

Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, Assistant Minority Leader Kalan Haywood, Minority Caucus Chair Lisa Subeck and other caucus officers said in their statement Saturday that they could not ignore Ortiz-Velez's comment in light of the assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband in June. The Democratic leaders said they referred the matter to the Legislature's human resources office and reported it to the Capitol Police.

Ortiz-Velez hung up when an Associated Press reporter tried to contact her by phone Thursday. A voicemail message seeking comment was left for her on Monday morning.

The Milwaukee lawmaker also told Wisconsin Right Now and the Journal Sentinel that the Legislature's human resources office barred her from the state Capitol building on Wednesday. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos's spokesperson, Luke Wolff, said Ortiz-Velez shouldn't have been banned and that her access was restored on Thursday.

Two voicemails and an email message seeking comment were left for Amanda Jorgensen, director of the Legislature’s human resources office. An email seeking comment was also sent to a spokesperson for the state Department of Administration, which controls the Capitol Police.

Ortiz-Velez won her third term representing central Milwaukee in November. She told Wisconsin Right Now that she has endured years of “unacceptable, very vicious, vile and cruel” treatment from members of her caucus and leadership has allowed it. She told the Journal Sentinel that her comment was “poorly worded hyperbole” and said she wouldn't use such language in the future.

She's currently embroiled in a feud with Rep. Priscilla Prado, a Democrat representing Milwaukee's west side. In emails from Ortiz-Velez to Prado that were shared with the full Legislature on Aug. 29, Ortiz-Velez complained to Prado about putting out a resolution honoring Hispanic veterans. Ortiz-Velez noted that her late husband was a Hispanic veteran.

“Priscilla, you are a big liar!!!!!!! Your envy is so apparent! Everyone sees what you have done here!! Its sick!” Ortiz-Velez wrote, according to a copy of the exchange shared with The Associated Press.

Asked Thursday after a news conference whether Ortiz-Velez had threatened her, Prado walked away from an AP reporter, mumbling over her shoulder that there were “various” targets.

Ortiz-Velez told the Journal Sentinel that she plans to remain a Democrat, so leaving the caucus doesn't affect the balance of power in the Assembly. Republicans control the chamber 54-45.

Vos, the Assembly's majority leader, plans to kick off a floor session on Thursday with a vote on an Ortiz-Velez resolution recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month. Prado has authored a similar resolution, but Vos left it off the agenda.