A special Senate Democratic caucus Monday afternoon elected state Senate President Fred Risser, D-Madison, and state Sen. Russell Decker, D-Schofield, to share the position of Senate Majority Leader.
Risser and Decker will replace embattled state Sen. Chuck Chvala, D-Madison, who said he would step down as Senate Majority Leader as soon as a replacement was found.
Chvala was charged with 20 felony counts related to the extortion of money from lobbyists and illegally using caucus employees for private campaigns.
This is the first time two people will share the post, which controls committee appointments, when bills will appear before the Senate, and other administrative duties. Decker and Risser will serve jointly until a new caucus convenes Nov. 7 to elect all new officials, including a new Majority Leader.
\Two heads are better than one. We're going to work twice as hard,"" Risser said. ""Our main goal is to see that Democrats stay in the majority of the senate.""
Chvala praised his successors while he fielded reporters' questions about his investigation, which he said he legally could not discuss.
""It's a great selection. They are good leaders,"" he said.
Risser and Decker are ""two very highly respected individuals"" who will probably lend sorely lacking dignity to the Senate body, according to UW-Madison political science Professor Dennis Dresang. However, Jay Hecht, Executive Director of the independent watchdog group Common Cause Wisconsin, said substantial change will require more tangible reform.
""It's not enough to just change leaders,"" Hecht said. ""The problem is not just personalities'it's the way we elect members of the legislature because of huge unregulated finances and large contributions from special interest groups.""
Decker was the early favorite to replace Chvala, Hecht said, but was considered too closely associated with Chalva since Decker's wife is Chvala's chief of staff.
""There was concern that there wasn't enough distance,"" he said.
However, Dresang said he was not concerned Drecker's own ethics.
""It's an insult to Chvala's wife,"" he said. ""Russ Decker has been in the Senate a long time and he will stand or fail on his own.""
The appointment drew attention to concerns that the Senate Majority Leader wields too much power. Prior to Chvala's patronage, the position was much weaker, Hecht said.
""Chvala consolidated all the power ... [but] we can't have it all in the hands of one individual,"" he said.
The two new leaders are trying to move beyond the past Risser said.
""The most important thing is to put this behind us and move forward,"" he said.
