MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on state Sen. Lena Taylor (all times local):
1:55 p.m.
The Wisconsin Senate clerk and human resources manager have determined that state Sen. Lena Taylor retaliated against an employee and bullied that person and other staff members.
Taylor, a Milwaukee Democrat, has been ordered to undergo training with the Legislature’s human resources manager related to anti-harassment, anti-retaliation and anti-bullying policies. Taylor was also ordered to undergo interpersonal communication and management coaching.
Details of the complaint made against Taylor and the resolution were released Tuesday in response to an open records request.
Most of the details about the complaint, including the name of the person who made it, were redacted.
Two other charges made against Taylor that she discriminated against the employee because of their lighter skin color and retaliated against them for not helping with her campaign were determined to be unfounded.
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1:20 p.m.
Democratic state Sen. Lena Taylor says one of her former employees was paid $80,000 by taxpayers as part of a resolution of a complaint that had been made against her.
Taylor does not detail allegations made in the complaint, which she says came from a “disgruntled employee.”
News of the complaint comes as Taylor fights a disorderly conduct ticket given to her following an incident last month at a Milwaukee bank where she used offensive language during a dispute with a bank teller.
Taylor was removed from the Legislature’s powerful budget-writing Joint Finance Committee on Tuesday.
Taylor says she was concerned with the way the employee dispute was handled and it’s unfortunate that she’s been removed from the budget committee.
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1:08 p.m.
Democratic state Sen. Lena Taylor has been removed from the Legislature’s powerful budget-writing committee after she used offensive language during an incident at a Milwaukee bank and a separate complaint from a former employee.
Wisconsin Senate Democratic Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling on Tuesday announced that Taylor would be replaced on the committee with Sen. LaTonya Johnson, also of Milwaukee.
Taylor says it is unfortunate that Milwaukee will lose an experienced and relentless voice on the committee.
She is one of two Democratic state senators who serve on the committee that is tasked with writing the state budget every two years. Slots are very competitive and give lawmakers one of the biggest platforms in the Legislature.
Taylor was cited for disorderly conduct following the incident at the bank. She says the complaint came from a “disgruntled” employee who was unable to perform duties of the job.
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