The Latest: Wisconsin governor lashes out at GOP Senate

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on firing of Wisconsin agriculture secretary (all times local):

3:40 p.m.

Wisconsin’s Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is lashing out at Republicans who control the state Senate after they voted to fire his agriculture department secretary.

Evers watched the debate Tuesday from the floor of the Senate, a highly unusual move for a governor. Minutes after the Senate voted to fire the secretary, Evers told reporters he was “p.o.’d” and described the vote using an expletive.

Evers says Republicans were trying to send a signal to other Cabinet secretaries who haven’t been confirmed to keep quiet. Evers says he won’t tell his Cabinet secretaries to remain quiet in order to protect their jobs.

Republicans were unhappy with the agriculture secretary, Brad Pfaff, because of critical comments he made about the Legislature and his efforts to change rules designed to lessen the impact of the stench of manure on neighbors of farmers.

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3:01 p.m.

The Wisconsin Senate has voted to fire the state agriculture secretary , who was appointed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

Evers watched the vote Tuesday from the floor of the Senate, a highly unusual appearance by the governor during legislative debate.

The move to oust Brad Pfaff is the latest skirmish in a series of battles between the Republican-controlled Legislature and Evers, who took office in January.

The Senate voted 19-14 to reject Pfaff’s confirmation. All 19 Republicans voted to fire Pfaff, while all 14 Democrats in voting to keep him on the job.

The Senate hasn’t voted to reject a governor’s Cabinet appointee since at least 1987, the farthest back the Legislative Reference Bureau has records. No one has cited any examples prior to that.

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5:38 a.m.

Wisconsin’s Republican-controlled Senate is scheduled to vote on whether to fire the state agriculture secretary appointed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.

The Senate was to vote Tuesday on the appointment of Brad Pfaff as agriculture secretary. Evers’ administration, industry groups and Democrats were urging Republicans to confirm Pfaff and allow him to continue in the job he’s held since January.

But Republicans who control the Senate show no signs of budging.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald has raised concerns with Pfaff pushing a new manure siting rule opposed by many agriculture industry groups that was designed to lessen the impact of the stench of manure.

The Senate hasn’t voted to reject a governor’s Cabinet appointee since at least 1987, the farthest back the Legislative Reference Bureau has records.