Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Says Discussions Are Underway Allowing Lawmakers to Use Tax Dollars for Personal Security

Wednesday, September 24th, 2025 -- 2:00 PM

(Rich Kremer, Wisconsin Public Radio) Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos says discussions are underway to allow Wisconsin lawmakers and the state Supreme Court to use tax dollars for security at their homes amid an uptick in political violence.

According to Rich Kremer with Wisconsin Public Radio, the comments from the speaker follow the June assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband and the Sept. 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk.

Vos said he doesn’t see a need for additional security at the Capitol because the Wisconsin State Capitol Police has it covered. “If you’re inside the Capitol, you are safe,” Vos said.

But the speaker said he’s not against allowing lawmakers and members of other government branches to use discretionary office budgets, typically used for mailings or outreach, on safety measures at their residences.

“We had talked about but haven’t yet adopted the idea of saying that if somebody wanted to install a security system into their home, so that somebody couldn’t break in, or a panic alarm, we’d certainly be open to discussing that idea,” Vos said.

“The concept of having our own police force or doing something that’s way outside the norm probably isn’t going to fly, but we certainly wanted to make sure that people are safe, no matter where they are.”

When it comes to political dialogue in Wisconsin, Vos said there’s been a “pretty good relationship” between Gov. Evers, the Legislature and the state supreme Court.

“As far as making sure that we tone down the rhetoric, there are certainly things I disagree with Tony Evers on,” said Vos. “But I think he’s a good, decent person. We don’t go after each other personally. And I think that, yes, the rhetoric gets heated sometimes, but it’s nowhere near the level that we’re seeing perhaps in some other places.”

During an appearance on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today,” Vos was asked about the state of security at the Wisconsin Capitol after Rep. Jerry O’Connor, R-Fond du Lac, received multiple death threats.

O’Connor said the threats were made after he spoke in favor of his bill that would ban LGBTQ+ pride flags and others from flying at state buildings. “I don’t believe we want to make the Capitol into an armed fortress,” said Vos, R-Rochester.

“If you look at what happened to my colleague, Rep. Hortman in Minnesota, that happened in her home. If you look at what happened to Charlie Kirk, that happened on a college campus. So the idea that we’re going to make a single building in the state into a fortress and somehow make people feel safer gives them a false sense of security.”

Earlier this year, the Republican-led state Legislature rejected a second request from the Supreme Court and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers to create a new security force for the court amid a rise in threats against judges in recent years.

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