FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                     CONTACT:

August 8, 2019                                                                                    Senator Tim Carpenter

                                                                                                            (608) 266-8535

                                                              Where’s Robin?

(MADISON)—Today, Senator Tim Carpenter issued the following statement regarding Speaker Robin Vos’ absence from the Senate Committee on Transportation, Veterans and Military Affairs:

“Today at the Senate Committee on Transportation, Veterans and Military Affairs public hearing, Speaker Robin Vos didn’t even bother to testify on his own bill, AB249, about honorary designations of state highways or bridges.

“This is right after Speaker Vos refused to allow Representative Jimmy Anderson to occasionally phone in for some Assembly committee meetings. Rep. Anderson is wheelchair bound after a drunk driver crashed into his family’s car, killing both of his parents and his brother.

“Vos was quoted as saying, ‘I think it’s disrespectful for someone to be asking questions over a microphone or speakerphone when individuals are actually taking the time out of their day to come and testify in person.’

“I find it disrespectful that Speaker Vos didn’t even bother to testify on his own bill at a prescheduled public hearing so committee members or the public could ask him questions.

“It’s hypocritical for Vos to deny Representative Anderson the small and reasonable accommodation to occasionally phone in to a committee meeting while the Speaker has absolutely no medical reason not to appear to testify on his own bill.”

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