(The Center Square) – A Democratic committee member has been removed from the Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs after a dispute over a bill on blocking state funds from being used toward health care for those in the country illegally.
Sen. Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee, said that he was removed after speaking out on Senate Bill 341, which he says contradicts the teaching of Jesus. During debate, Carpenter reached for the gavel of Committee Chair Sen. Chris Kapenga, R-Delafield.
Kapenga told The Center Square that he requested Carpenter’s removal from committee, it was not the first incident, and if there is “any future aggressive physical behavior, that the full Senate consider further action.”
The Wisconsin Assembly passed the bill 51-44 on Sept. 11. Carpenter’s objections came during a public hearing on Sept. 18.
Bill sponsors say it is aimed at preventing the state from adding undocumented immigrants to BadgerCare like occurred in recent years in Minnesota and Illinois, with Sen. Van Wanggaard, R-Racine, saying it would prevent the state from being the next “test dummy.”
But the bill goes further than those programs, as evidenced by fiscal notes from state departments including the Department of Corrections, which believes it could be unconstitutional to deny state-paid care to inmates who are undocumented.
Carpenter commented during the hearing that people are being detained under the guise of immigration officials going after violent criminals but that those who have not committed crimes are also being targeted.
“That is a small percentage compared to innocent people, on technicalities, that are being sent out to El Salvador, maybe some Middle East country,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter added during the public hearing that the intent of the bill was “wrong” and “immoral” and supporting it was “un-Christian” before Kapenga hit his gavel and said “you can not negatively talk about (Wanggaard).”
“If you’re going to speak out of line, I’m not going to allow it,” Kapenga added.
Kapenga then hit his gavel again while Carpenter spoke about immigration policy from the 1950s and Carpenter reach to grab the gavel, which was sitting on the table.
Carpenter cited his Catholic faith and responsibility to acknowledge right and wrong.
“I was wrongly accused of insulting the authors’ character when I was referring to the policy before us, which can be seen in the record,” Carpenter said in a statement. “I should not have been gaveled down for debating the morality of the bill.
“I was gaveled down again when I dared to speak about one of the saddest chapters in American history when over one million people of Mexican descent were deported, including thousands of U.S. Citizens. I have a right and responsibility to raise legitimate concerns about legislation that scapegoats people across Wisconsin.”
Kapenga said that his actions were about keeping the public hearing on topic.
“I like Tim personally, but professionally, we can’t have behavior like this in the Senate, and this is not his first instance of physical aggression,” said in a Monday statement to The Center Square. “Any physical aggression is completely out of line. We’re supposed to be setting the example for the public, and this is the exact wrong example; therefore, I had no choice but to address it with disciplinary action so it doesn’t happen again.”
Kapenga said that “focused debate is good” but continuing to speak off topic is not proper.
“It’s my job as Chair to set the boundaries,” Kapenga said.
“Public hearings are an opportunity to question and debate the legislation brought forward, not to act out and attempt to rip the gavel out of the Chairman’s hands,” Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu said in a statement to The Center Square. “Actions have consequences and due to Sen. Carpenter’s outburst and lack of decorum I have removed him from the Senate Committee on Licensing, Regulatory Reform, State and Federal Affairs.”
Carpenter noted during the public hearing that, while Republicans are trying to pass the bill, he believes that Gov. Tony Evers will veto it.
The Center Square was unable to obtain additional comment from Senate Minority Leader Diane Hesselbein.
