Milwaukee Democrat splits from caucus after tensions boil over

Milwaukee Democratic state Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez is no longer part of her party’s caucus, following increasing intraparty tension and allegations of a violent threat.

Ortiz-Velez did not respond to WPR’s interview request. But according to reporting by WisPolitics and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, she temporarily lost access to the state Capitol building after allegedly making a threat of gun violence toward another Democrat — an allegation Ortiz-Velez denies. By Thursday evening, a spokesperson for Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told the outlets the threat made by Ortiz-Velez was “not credible” and her access to the building had been restored.

Earlier Thursday, Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, D-Racine, confirmed that Ortiz-Velez had asked to be removed from the Democratic caucus.

“Sylvia Ortiz-Velez informed us that she no longer wished to be a member of our caucus, and per her request, she is no longer a member of the Assembly Democrats. And that’s all I’ll say on it at this time,” Neubauer said.



https://www.wpr.org/news/milwaukee-democrat-ortiz-velez-splits-caucus-allegations-threats