Leaders of both parties in the Wisconsin Senate agree with their Assembly counterparts, by affirming that sexual harassment complaints by lawmakers should stay secret. G-O-P Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald says the most “appropriate course of action” is to keep employees’ conversations with human resource workers confidential — and in the meantime, Fitzgerald says he and Democratic leader Jennifer Shilling are updating Senate policies on reporting sexual harassment and will start mandatory training to prevent it. Shilling’s office says victims come forward assuming their complaints will be confidential — but open government advocates say voters should have the right to decide whether their legislators deserve to be reelected based on their behavior. Shilling says she’ll continue to support victims who choose to publicize their stories.
