Another Tough Shot At Doyle From Wisconsin Conservationists

Earlier today the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation blasted away at Gov. Jim Doyle and his sustained veto of legislation to return the appointment of the Department of Natural Resources Secretary to the DNR board.

Now it's the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters, weighing in, below, and giving more evidence of the regrettable split between Doyle and a big piece of his constituency.

DOYLE ANTI-CONSERVATION LEGACY UPHELD

Despite overwhelming support and 200 conservationists present in the Capitol, the measure to override Governor Doyle’s veto of AB 138 – The Independent DNR Secretary Bill - failed to receive the necessary two-thirds majority required. The final vote count was 58 'ayes' and 38 'nays' - a bipartisan majority of the Assembly stood-up for conservation yesterday, but a small minority of legislators sided with Governor Doyle and killed the bill.

First, we want to thank YOU for all you've done in recent years, months, weeks and days to move this issue forward. We couldn't have gotten this far without you.

We are extremely disappointed that the Assembly chose not to listen to the overwhelming public support for an independent DNR Secretary. It’s time Wisconsin brought integrity back to natural resource decision making, and yesterday a historic opportunity to do that was lost. By not overriding this very popular bill, the legislature has not restored the faith of the people in one of the most important institutions in our state.

Governor Doyle cemented his anti-conservation legacy when he vetoed this bill.

Yesterday, members who supported Governor Doyle’s veto tied their legacy to his.

We applaud the members of the Assembly – Republicans and Democrats alike – who stood up for natural resources yesterday. For those who did not, we know they will continue to hear from the sportsmen and women, environmentalists and others in their districts who believe this is an imperative step for protecting Wisconsin’s natural resources.

Kerry Schumann, Executive Director WLCV

Take Action now and THANK your representative for their courageous“yes” vote in favor of the veto override:

Deadline for responding: Please take action by [Friday, March 5].

Voting in favor of the veto override were : Barca, Benedict, Berceau, Bernard Schaber, Bies, Black, Clark, Colon, Cullen, Danou, Dexter, Fields, Garthwaite, Grigsby, Hebl, Hilgenberg, Hintz, Hixson, Hraychuck, Hubler, Jorgensen, Kaufert, Krusick, Mason, Meyer, Milroy, Molepske, Mursau, Nelson, Nerison, Parisi, Pasch, Pocan, Pope-Roberts, Radcliffe, Richards, Ripp, Roth, Roys, Schneider, Seidel, Sheridan, Sherman, Shilling, Sinicki, Smith, Soletski, Spanbauer, Staskunas, Tauchen, Toles, Turner, Van Akkeren, Van Roy, Vruwink, Mary Williams, Ziegelbauer, Zigmunt

Voting against the veto override were: Ballweg, Brooks, Davis, Fitzgerald, Friske, Gottlieb, Gunderson, Gundrum, Honadel, Huebsch, Kerkman, Kestell, Kleefisch, Knodl, Kramer, Lemahieu, Lothian, Montgomery, Murtha, Nass, Newcomer, Nygren, Al Ott, Jim Ott, Petersen, Petrowski, Pridemore,Rhoades, Steinbrink, Stone, Strachota, Townsend, Vos, Vukmir, Wood, Young, Zepnick, Zipperer

Paired Votes: Annette Williams (for) and Fred Kessler (against) - Excused Members - Scott Suder, a cosponsor and a past supporter of the bill, did not vote due to his active duty deployment in Afghanistan.