The name of Nick Hurtgen, a former aide to Gov. Tommy Thompson and Chicago investment banker, has surfaced again, this time in a gossipy item in The New Yorker about the woman credited with kick-starting the federal investigation into corruption in Illinois state government.
Democrats who took control of the Assembly today retained a Republican appointee as their top administrator.
Patrick Fuller will remain chief clerk of that house, Assembly Spaker Mike Sheridan said. Fuller, a former Marine and Army soldier, was first hired to that job by... >>MORE
Senate Majority Leader Russ Decker said he opposes key elements of legislation under development that would crack down on drunken driving across the state, although his chamber would give... >>MORE
At least one state lawmaker says he'll accept the 5.3 percent pay raise scheduled for 2009-11.
Sen. Alan Lasee, R-De Pere, said he's earned the $2,530 annual increase, to $49,943, which over a two-year period is comparable to increases offered state workers. He also said he... >>MORE
Six weeks after announcing his candidacy for state Supreme Court, Jefferson County Circuit Court judge Randy Koschnick has unveiled a campaign Web site -- and a new political team.
Out is campaign manager Todd Allbaugh, an... >>MORE
Rep. Robin Vos, R-Racine, will take over as the top Assembly Republican on the powerful Joint Finance Committee during the 2009-11 legislative session.
The committee is headed by Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, and Sen. Mark Miller, D-Monona.
A Madison-area lawmaker said today he will donate his 5.3 percent pay raise for the 2009-11 session to local charities.
"I do not think it is fair that elected officials get a raise when many folks are facing slimmer family budgets," Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, said... >>MORE
Citing in part the perspective of Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine is calling in a Washington Post column for a federal economic stimulus package of at least $1 trillion, with much of that money going to beleaguered state budgets.
Incoming Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, said President Bush's decision to loan $17.4 billion to Detroit automakers gives him hope that his home city's General Motors production plant has a future.
"I think it's going to help them bridge the gap in... >>MORE
With Democrats in control of state government, the state's business lobby is taking a new approach to developing a legislative agenda for next two-year session.
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce has typically supported conservative and Republican candidates in state... >>MORE
Senate Minority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, has announced his committee assignments. Among the key appointments of ranking Republican committee members are:
Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, Joint Finance
Special interest groups spent a record $7.1 million on ads, mailings and phone calls during the 2008 legislative races, a campaign watchdog group said today.
The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said the state teacher's union spent the most, $2.1 million on television ads to back... >>MORE
The Government Accountability Board will start doing retroactive voter registration checks in May, under a proposal presented to the board today by its staff.
The board is expected to formally vote on the proposal in January.
Federal law requires states to cross-check... >>MORE
A record 39,000 calls were made to the state's Tobacco Quit Line in 2008, officials said Wednesday.
"This is a true public-health success story," said Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary Karen Timberlake. "For the first time in Wisconsin history, our... >>MORE
Constituents of Rep. Tammy Baldwin who've asked her help in obtaining tickets to the January inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama in Washington, D.C., may want to adjust their expectations.
In an e-mail today, the Madison Democrat said she has received so many... >>MORE
Gov. Jim Doyle said today he's creating an advisory council to study the quality and availability of early childhood education and recommend improvements.
Those include finding ways to increase the number of children who receive early education through state and federal programs... >>MORE
The real election for president will occur in a little-known process today in state capitals across the United States as voters chosen by their state Democratic and Republican parties cast 538 ballots as part of the Electoral College process. In Wisconsin, a winner-take-all state, 10... >>MORE
The lawmaker arrested this weekend for drunken driving won't accept Democrats' offer of a committee chairmanship, incoming Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, said in a statement today.
Democrats who'll control the Assembly next year picked Rep. Jeff... >>MORE
First Lady Jessica Doyle and the Governor's mansion had hip-hop in the house today.
A non-profit hip-hop group from Milwaukee, Figureheads, got an invite to this most unusual of venues from First Lady Jessica Doyle. Doyle, who liked the group's positive message to youth,... >>MORE
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen has asked the state Court of Appeals to affirm a Dane County Circuit Court judge's decision upholding the legality of a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
Voters approved the amendment in November 2006. But a UW-Oshkosh... >>MORE
Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz will trade the rough and tumble of local politics for the thespian life in a cameo appearance in Children's Theater of Madison's 33rd run of "A Christmas Carol" at 7:30 p.m. today at Overture... >>MORE
A $131 million passenger rail line between Madison and Milwaukee, more than $245 million in renovations and maintenance at state universities and $135 million to build a new UW-Madison research tower are among the projects Gov. Jim Doyle says could start within months if federal lawmakers pass... >>MORE
In anticipation of a federal stimulus bill for the states, the American Public Works Association has identified 164 Wisconsin infrastructure projects totaling more than $139 million it says are ready to go.... >>MORE
Former Madison School Board member Nancy Mistele officially launched her campaign for Dane County executive Wednesday, highlighting recent problems at the 911 center.
Mistele connected this year's two mishandled calls related to Madison homicides with staffing and technology... >>MORE
Democratic Sen. Judy Robson wants to keep regional transportation authorities on the agenda for the coming legislative session, after the Republican chairman of a special committee on RTAs said last month he planned to mothball the committee.
If the federal government passes an economic stimulus bill to help states, Wisconsin could receive more than $1.6 billion between January and September 2011, according to one analysis.
The sum would include money for highways, mass transit, and Medicaid, and a grant that would... >>MORE
A UW-Whitewater professor will oversee the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee, and he's expected to provide a dramatic contrast to his predecessor.
The governor's lobbyist has been named to a new post as the head of the state's purchasing division, the administration said today.
Ron Hermes was named the administrator of the state Division of Enterprise Operations, said Hermes' new boss, Department of Administration secretary... >>MORE
There may not be much good news out there for Detroit car makers. but Gov. Jim Doyle offered up a little for car owners today.
Speaking to reporters, the Democratic governor said he would be reluctant to raise the cost of state vehicle registrations to help balance the state's... >>MORE
Gov. Jim Doyle is preparing a wish list of repairs to highways, bridges and university campuses around the state that could draw massive funding to Wisconsin as part of... >>MORE
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin is looking forward to working with a Democratic Congress and a Democratic president to further the equal treatment of gays and lesbians.
Baldwin, D-Madison, the only openly lesbian member of Congress, is a national leader on those issues. She served as a... >>MORE
Scott Walker, the Milwaukee County executive, says he's been receiving encouragement from Republicans around the state in recent weeks to consider running for governor in 2010.
