An Assembly committee failed Tuesday to decide what punishment, if any, state Rep. Jeffrey Wood, I-Chippewa Falls, should receive after he was charged three times for driving while intoxicated.
The committee voted along party lines, with the three Democrats voting for a reprimand and the three Republicans voting for Wood's expulsion.
State Rep. Joan Ballweg, R-Markesan, said she thinks Wood has ""failed to meet the norm"" of remaining faithful to his duties as a state lawmaker.
According to state Rep. Mary Hubler, D-Rice Lake, it would be an ""embarrassment"" to the Legislature to expel Wood if later he were found not guilty or his charges were dropped.
During the committee meeting, Wood said a new crime lab report shows he was within acceptable limits for some prescription drugs he was taking during the time of his September arrest. He said he was confident his charges would be reduced to inattentive driving because of these new findings.
