Wisconsin Ethics Commission administrator Brian Bell
Members of the Wisconsin Ethics Commission are asking the state Senate to hold a public hearing on the future of their current administrator.
The request for a hearing on interim administrator Brian Bell’s nomination comes after Senate Republican Leader Scott Fitzgerald said earlier this month his chamber would vote on the issue unless Bell resigns, indicating that there are doubts about there being enough votes right now to confirm his appointment.
Bell, along with Elections Commission interim administrator Mike Haas, have been facing calls to resign in the wake of a Department of Justice report that was critical of their agency’s response to an investigation. Republicans have argued it’s a sign they might be biased against them in future investigations, a claim both Haas and Bell have denied.
Commission members say they want a chance to speak to lawmakers about Bell’s qualification before the Senate votes on whether to confirm his nomination.