Evers' Natural Resources leader up for Senate approval

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Gov. Tony Evers' pick to lead the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources was scheduled for a confirmation vote in the state Senate on Wednesday, 14 months into the job he began last year.

Preston Cole, along with Department of Children and Families Secretary Emilie Amundson, were the latest two Cabinet secretaries scheduled for confirmation votes. The Republican-controlled Senate has been slow to confirm Evers' Cabinet picks, and even rejected one, breaking the the tradition of typically pro forma votes for whoever a governor wants to be on their team.

Democrats have alleged that Republicans are trying to thwart the work of Evers' administration by not confirming the Cabinet secretaries, thereby keeping their job status in limbo. All of the secretaries are working and getting paid while the confirmation votes are pending.

If Cole and Amundson are approved, that would leave five Cabinet secretaries pending confirmation.

The Senate in November fired Evers' agriculture secretary, Brad Pfaff, following a series of disagreements over policy and critical statements Pfaff had made about Republicans.

Cole has largely won bipartisan praise for his work leading the DNR. The Department of Children and Families was in the news this month after it tried to stop a journalist from publishing information from a confidential child abuse investigation.