After recently admitting to dating a payday loan lobbyist, state Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, said his relationship with the lobbyist will not influence the strength of pending payday loan legislation.
Rebekah Sweeney, Sheridan's spokesperson, said Sheridan has been dating a payday loan lobbyist whom he declined to identify. Sheridan filed for divorce in October.
According to Sweeney, three lawmakers—state Reps. Gordon Hintz, D-Oshkosh, Jason Fields, D-Milwaukee, and Donna Seidel, D-Wausau, are working with Sheridan on legislation that addresses payday loan regulations.
Despite questions about whether and in what way the legislation might be affected, Sweeney said Sheridan is working tirelessly to get a cohesive bill to the floor.
""Earlier in the year he sat down with different members who had different positions on the bill,"" she said. ""He formed a work group to sort of meld those ideas and create a bill that could get 50 votes and pass out of the Assembly.""
Sweeney said Sheridan's personal relationships will not affect his commitment to his responsibilities in the Assembly.
""He restated today that nothing in his personal life has or will impact his work as speaker or as representative to his district,"" she said.
Kristin Ruesch, communications director of the Republican Party of Wisconsin, said she is concerned about Sheridan's relationship.
""In the spirit of Wisconsin ethics rules, the appearance of impropriety exists, and the voters of Wisconsin deserve to know that there was an instance of impropriety,"" Ruesch said. ""That's why it's important that we look at this more closely.""
State Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, a member of the committee handling the payday loan legislation, said she is confident a strong bill will come forward with bipartisan support.
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin and Assembly Minority Leader Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, declined to comment.
