GOP Rep. Rob Brooks told WisPolitics.com this afternoon he is resigning as assistant majority leader, but won’t step down from his southeastern Wisconsin Assembly seat, rebuffing a call from Gov. Scott Walker.
“I’m going to step down from leadership to focus on my district,” Brooks, R-Saukville, said in a phone interview.
Walker earlier today tweeted Brooks “should resign from office, period.”
Meanwhile, Assembly GOP leaders this afternoon condemned Brooks’ comments to several colleagues during an off-site caucus in the Wisconsin Dells and the position of assistant majority leader will remain vacant for the rest of the session.
Walker issued his call for Brooks to resign following a report the GOP lawmaker made inappropriate comments to three Republican lawmakers following a caucus meeting in the Wisconsin Dells.
Walker tweeted today Brooks’ “comments are offensive and disrespectful. They have no place in our society and are inconsistent with the high standards that must be held by those in public office. He should resign from office, period.”
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, citing sources, reported Brooks told Rep. Jessie Rodriguez during an Assembly GOP meeting in the Wisconsin Dells that he was buying drinks for everyone except her because the Oak Creek Republican is Hispanic. Brooks also made sexual comments to GOP Reps. Cindi Duchow, of Delafield, and Amy Loudenbeck, of Clinton, the paper reported.
Assembly GOP leaders said the three reported the July incident to the Assembly chief clerk, who “dealt with it immediately.”
“We believe the issue had been appropriately resolved but respect Rep. Brook’s decision to resign his leadership post,” Assembly GOP leaders said in the statement. “The position will remain vacant for the rest of the session. The caucus will select new leadership positions in November following the election.”
