Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (WRN image)
The Wisconsin legislature’s Republican leaders tore into Governor Tony Evers staff on Wednesday, for recording a telephone meeting with them.
They were not told ahead of time, and in statements, state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald called Evers “Nixonian,” while Assembly Speaker Robin called the move “unprecedented and clearly outside the norm.”
We learned that the governor’s office secretly recorded a meeting with legislative leaders. At a time when state leaders should continue to find ways to work together, this decision is unprecedented, clearly outside the norm and shameful.https://t.co/SQ81oImDTS
— Speaker Robin Vos (@SpeakerVos) June 10, 2020
Evers spokeswoman Melissa Baldauff told The Capitol Times that Evers was not aware the May 14 meeting to discuss next steps for a statewide COVID-19 response was being recorded, and that he’s directed staff that it won’t happen again. But Baldauff did not apologize for the recording, and said the files were intended “for internal use only.”
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has posted the audio on its website.