Issue divides caucus
A lawmaker who harassed a Capitol staffer seeks reelection with support from 2 female colleagues.
MADISON - A state lawmaker who sexually harassed a Capitol staff member and was asked to resign by his party’s leaders is getting public support from two female colleagues — but with others saying he should leave the Capitol, the issue has divided his caucus.
Rep. Staush Gruszynski, a Democrat from Green Bay, was barred from serving on legislative committees and caucusing with his colleagues in December after an internal investigation revealed he sexually harassed a female staff member at a Madison bar.
Gruszynski apologized, promised to “rebuild what I’ve broken” and refused calls to resign by Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz and Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Ben Wikler.
Now Gruszynski is running for a second term in the Legislature and getting the backing from Democratic Rep. Amanda Stuck, who is challenging Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher in the 8th Congressional District; and 6th Congressional District candidate Jessica King.
Both are featured speakers at Gruszynski’s reelection kickoff event in March, according to a flyer for the gathering.
But Stuck, who says she was sexually assaulted twice, said she supports Gruszynski because he’s an effective lawmaker who understands environmental issues better than others in the Legislature — and because she believes in redemption.
“He was certainly in the wrong and deserved the punishment that came to him,” Stuck told the Journal Sentinel. “I also believe in second chances.”
But other female Democratic colleagues say Gruszynski violated the security a workplace should provide for all staff and shouldn’t run for reelection.
“I am disappointed that he didn’t resign — I think that would have been the right thing to do,” Rep. Lisa Subeck, DMadison, said. “I am even more frustrated to see him running for reelection and running with the support (from) women who are elected.”
And Rep. Chris Sinicki, D-Milwaukee, said she was withdrawing her support of Stuck’s congressional bid over Stuck’s support of Gruszynski.
“I’m extremely disappointed in Representative Stuck’s decision to endorse Staush Gruszynski,” Sinicki said in an email. “I stand with Rep. Subeck calling for Gruszynski to resign. There is no room in State Government for those who harass and disrespect others.”
Subeck said in any other workplace,
Gruszynski would have been fired for his actions.
“This sends a message not just to her but all of our staff that somehow we are above the law,” Subeck said.
“Our obligation is not to the elected official, it’s to the victim,” Subeck said. “We have to provide safety and security and a workplace free from sexual harassment and I’m not sure we can provide that if he comes back into the caucus.”
Stuck said she wants the woman who was sexually harassed to know she acknowledges what Gruszynski did was wrong.
“This is not anything that is against them, or what happened to them, by any means — I do support consequences for his actions,” she said.
She spoke with Gruszynski about his actions and believes what he did was a mistake, and a redeemable one.
“I have a problem with treating all cases like they’re exactly the same. As somebody who has been assaulted, I know it’s not the same as other instances that are not assault.
“People can change, they can take responsibility,” she added. “I think we need to be very careful about treating human beings so casually because everybody makes mistakes.”
Stuck said she’d support Gruszynski being reinstated to full involvement in the Caucus if he wins in November.
Hintz said in a statement he has no plans to change his mind on Gruszynski’s legislative privileges.
“Our position on the seriousness of Rep. Gruszynski’s behavior and its harmful impacts on maintaining a safe and accountable workplace for the Assembly has not changed,” he said in a statement.
Gruszynski did not respond to a request for an interview.
The Legislature last grappled with sexual harassment allegations against a lawmaker in 2017 when Democratic Rep. Josh Zepnick of Milwaukee was accused by two female colleagues of kissing them against their will.
Hintz also called on Zepnick to resign and stripped him of privileges, but Zepnick stayed on. He lost his reelection bid in 2018.
Legislative leaders held training for lawmakers and staff in 2017, too, as governments and other powerful institutions came under newfound scrutiny for how they respond to sexual misconduct.
Subeck said the Legislature needs new rules for how it handles sexual misconduct allegations and other workplace issues.
In the Legislature, staff work on an atwill basis for lawmakers and can be fired for any reason. Lawmakers also have a say in the employment of legislative staff in charge of receiving sexual harassment and assault complaints.