Gov. Tony Evers angered by Republican senators` vote to oust agriculture secretary

Republican state senators have voted to oust Democratic Gov. Tony Evers` agriculture secretary, the first cabinet pick the chamber has rejected in at least three decades. 

The chamber shot down Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary Brad Pfaff`s nomination on a 14-19 party-line vote Tuesday, a move that came after Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald last week signaled Pfaff`s impending rejection when he urged Evers to withdraw the selection.  

Pfaff drew the ire of Republicans after he targeted the Legislature`s powerful budget committee this summer over the release of farmer mental health funding. But Fitzgerald`s office pointed to other issues, including a proposed rule change for livestock siting operations that`s faced criticism — though DATCP on Friday announced it was postponing a plan to pursue the tweaks.

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Ken Notes: Attention Wisconsin reporters -- FOLLOW THE MONEY! There are dollars on the table for those opposing new siting rules, you may want to write about where it is coming from! This is politics at its worst!