Amendment ASA1-AR14

AR14-ASA1,6,16 Whereas, Representative David Opitz was fined $356 in 1983 for a hit-and-run accident; and

AR14-ASA1,6,18 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,6,20 Whereas, Representative Robert Behnke was charged in 1982 with two counts of second-degree sexual assault; and

AR14-ASA1,6,22 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,6,24 Whereas, Representative Behnke was convicted in 1982 of disorderly conduct stemming from an argument over a state capitol parking spot; and

AR14-ASA1,7,2 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,7,5 Whereas, Representative Walter Ward was convicted in 1981 of a felony and a misdemeanor for the sexual assault of his legislative aide which occurred in June 1980; and

AR14-ASA1,7,7 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,7,8 Whereas, Representative Ward was sentenced to four years in prison; and

AR14-ASA1,7,10 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,7,11 Whereas, Representative Ward was convicted in 1980 of OWI; and

AR14-ASA1,7,13 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,7,15 Whereas, Representative Ward was convicted in 1980 of two misdemeanors for election law violations relating to misuse of campaign funds; and

AR14-ASA1,7,17 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,7,19 Whereas, Representative Richard Pabst was charged in 1980 with misdemeanor fourth-degree sexual assault; and

AR14-ASA1,7,21 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,7,22 Whereas, Representative R. Michael Ferrall was convicted in 1979 of OWI; and

AR14-ASA1,7,24 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,8,2 Whereas, Representative Ferrall was charged in 1978 with misdemeanor misuse of a state telephone credit card. The case was dismissed; and

AR14-ASA1,8,4 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,8,5 Whereas, Representative John Shabaz was convicted in 1979 of OWI; and

AR14-ASA1,8,7 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,8,9 Whereas, Representative Joseph Looby was charged in 1978 with misdemeanor misuse of a state telephone credit card; and

AR14-ASA1,8,11 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,8,13 Whereas, Representative Marcel Dandeneau was convicted in 1977 of misdemeanor violation of campaign finance laws; and

AR14-ASA1,8,15 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,8,17 Whereas, Representative Dandeneau was charged in 1976 with felony misconduct in public office; and

AR14-ASA1,8,19 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,8,21 Whereas, Representative Paul Alfonsi was convicted of a felony in July 1967 for bribery in Dane County Circuit Court; and

AR14-ASA1,8,23 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,8,24 Whereas, Representative Willis Hutnik was charged with felony bribery; and

AR14-ASA1,9,2 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,9,4 Whereas, Representative Earl Elfers was charged in 1966 with assault and battery; and

AR14-ASA1,9,6 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,9,8 Whereas, Representative Glen Pommerening was convicted in 1965 of OWI; and

AR14-ASA1,9,10 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,9,11 Whereas, Representative Fred Schleuter was convicted in 1965 of OWI; and

AR14-ASA1,9,13 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,9,15 Whereas, Representative Schleuter had been charged in 1963, but his case was delayed due to legislative immunity; and

AR14-ASA1,9,17 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,9,19 Whereas, the people of Representative Schleuter's district responded by not reelecting him in 1964; and

AR14-ASA1,9,21 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,9,23 Whereas, Representative Cecil Brown, Jr. was charged with larceny in 1956 after being accused of taking a $75 insurance policy payment; and

AR14-ASA1,9,25 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,9,26 Whereas, Representative Ray Kuhlman was convicted in 1956 of OWI; and

AR14-ASA1,10,3 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,10,5 Whereas, Representative Robert Lynch was convicted in 1954 of careless operation of a motor vehicle resulting in a four-car crash; and

AR14-ASA1,10,7 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,10,10 Whereas, Representative Harold Gade was convicted in 1952 of six felony counts of embezzling a total of over $36,000 entrusted to him as treasurer of a credit union; and

AR14-ASA1,10,12 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,10,14 Whereas, Representative Gade was sentenced to concurrent one-year to five-year prison terms on each count; and

AR14-ASA1,10,16 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,10,18 Whereas, Representative Richard Steffens was charged in 1949 with intentionally making false statements about his election campaign opponent; and

AR14-ASA1,10,20 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,10,22 Whereas, Representative Frank Schaeffer, Jr. was charged in 1946 with violating the corrupt practices act; and

AR14-ASA1,10,24 Whereas, the Wisconsin state assembly had taken no action on this matter under article IV, section 8, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,11,2 Whereas, over 20 members of the Wisconsin state senate have been charged with crimes and violations of the ethics and campaign finance laws; and

AR14-ASA1,11,5 Whereas, at no time in the history of the Wisconsin state senate has action of any kind been taken against legislators for crimes and violations of the ethics and campaign finance laws; and

AR14-ASA1,11,8 Whereas, despite all of the state assembly legislators charged with crimes and violations of ethics and campaign finance laws, this is the first time in the history of the Wisconsin state assembly that this rule has been exercised; and

AR14-ASA1,11,9 Whereas, Representative Wood has not been convicted of any crime; and

AR14-ASA1,11,10 Whereas, Representative Wood has not violated any assembly rule; and

AR14-ASA1,11,12 Whereas, Representative Wood's alleged conduct did not occur while the assembly was in session; and

AR14-ASA1,11,14 Whereas, Representative Wood's alleged conduct was not related to his legislative duties; and

AR14-ASA1,11,17 Whereas, the people of the 67th Assembly District in Wisconsin have the option under article XIII, section 12, of the Wisconsin Constitution to recall a state representative; and

AR14-ASA1,11,19 Whereas, the people of the 67th Assembly District have chosen not to exercise their rights under article XIII, section 12, of the Wisconsin Constitution; and

AR14-ASA1,11,22 Whereas, a recent poll conducted by the Chippewa Herald reported that a majority of respondents with 1,079 votes or 57 percent, said that the Wisconsin state assembly should not expel, reprimand, or censure Representative Wood; and

AR14-ASA1,11,24 Whereas, Representative Nass does not reside in the 67th Assembly District; and

AR14-ASA1,12,2 Whereas, no other legislator other than Representative Nass has elected to sponsor this resolution; and

AR14-ASA1,12,4 Whereas, Representative Wood is the only legislator in the history of Wisconsin to be elected as an independent; now, therefore, be it

AR14-ASA1,12,8 Resolved by the assembly, That Representative Jeffrey Wood not be held to a different standard than partisan legislators within this institution and based on the facts of this controversy the assembly takes no further action and the special committee on ethics and standards of conduct is hereby disbanded.

AR14-ASA1,12,9 (End)