Amid calls for his resignation and an attempt to expel him, state Rep. Jeff Wood, I-Chippewa Falls, was picked up by the Tomah Police Department under suspicion of operating while under the influence.
Wood had been arrested Sept. 23 on a similar offense. He was taken into custody Wednesday after a citizen called reporting erratic driving.
The former Republican was also charged with bail jumping for violating the conditions of his original bond.
This arrest marks Wood’s fifth for some form of operating while intoxicated.
In response to the September arrest, Rep. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, introduced a measure Oct. 14 to kick Wood out of the Assembly.
Nass spokesperson Mike Mikalsen said Nass is encouraging Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, to pull together a meeting of the Committee on Ethics and Standards quickly so the Assembly can vote on the expulsion as soon as possible. Two-thirds of the Assembly, or 66 members, must be in favor of the measure to remove Wood.
“Based on what we know, we have a situation where Wood could have been involved in an accident,” Mikalsen said. “Wood is a menace to public safety and should not be allowed to conduct himself in the Assembly as he does in public.”
Nass previously asked for Wood to resign his post in a letter Sept. 25.
Wood had been under treatment for substance abuse in Minneapolis, but it was unclear why he was in Tomah. Tomah police Sgt. Chris Weaver said Wood told an officer that he was coming from a local veterans hospital.
Wood’s office declined comment Wednesday.
Nass has requested a meeting today with Sheridan and Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, to ask them to retract earlier statements saying they did not think Wood’s actions merited dismissal from the Legislature.
“Speaker Sheridan and Rep. Pocan wanted to stall the expulsion because they were not convinced [Wood’s] conduct level was cause to expel him,” Mikalsen said. “Wood sent a clear message as to how unfortunate their statements are.”
Neither Sheridan nor Pocan could be reached for comment as of press time.
— Jacquelyn Ryberg contributed to this report.
