Molly Beck and Patrick Marley

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

MADISON - A top Assembly Republican who made racial and sexual remarks to female colleagues is stepping down from his leadership post but is refusing to leave the state Legislature despite a call to do so from Gov. Scott Walker.

Rep. Rob Brooks (R-Saukville) resigned from his position as assistant majority leader Wednesday, hours after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported offensive remarks he made to three female lawmakers over the summer, prompting an internal review.

Brooks' self-demotion came after Walker called for Brooks to leave office.

"Representative (Rob) Brooks' comments are offensive and disrespectful. They have no place in our society and are inconsistent with the high standards that must be held by those in public office. He should resign from office, period," Walker tweeted.

Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Majority Leader Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna) issued a statement Wednesday following Walker's call, saying the Assembly GOP caucus members "condemn the offensive remarks" and said the "issue had been appropriately resolved" and suggested they did not call for Brooks to leave his leadership post.

Meanwhile, the three female lawmakers subjected to the remarks said Brooks’ decision to step down from his leadership role is “beyond what we expected or even wanted.”

“Rep. Brooks’ comments were out of line in July and we made our views immediately known to him and the Assembly chief clerk,” state Republican Reps. Cindi Duchow of Delafield, Amy Loudenbeck of Clinton and Jessie Rodriguez of Oak Creek said in a statement. “We were satisfied with the Assembly response this summer and have fully accepted Rep. Brooks’ apology. While we respect his decision to resign his leadership position and appreciate the seriousness with which he takes the issue, it is beyond what we expected or even wanted. We have put the incident behind us; we would ... kindly ask others to do the same.”

Brooks, who has a $500-per-person fundraiser on Thursday, did not respond to phone calls and text messages on Wednesday.

In July, at a restaurant after an Assembly GOP caucus in Wisconsin Dells, Brooks said he would buy drinks for everyone but Rodriguez "because she's Hispanic." He then kept his word and bought drinks for others but not Rodriguez, the only Hispanic Republican in the Assembly.

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During the same event, Brooks made sexual comments to Duchow and Loudenbeck.

Rep. Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam) intervened during the episode, prompting Brooks to stop making the offensive remarks. Soon after, the three female lawmakers reported his comments to Assembly Chief Clerk Patrick Fuller and asked Fuller to discuss the matter with Brooks.

Brooks later apologized, the three lawmakers said. A source said Brooks has maintained that he doesn't recall what he said to the women.

During an interview Wednesday on WFAW-AM with host former Democratic Rep. Andy Jorgensen, Assembly Speaker Pro Tem Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva) indicated no further action was needed because the three female lawmakers were satisfied with the outcome.

"That was my main concern — was making sure that those three were comfortable with the outcome," August said.

Brooks was elected assistant majority leader by his Republican colleagues in 2017. Also in leadership positions are Rodriguez, who is caucus secretary, and Loudenbeck, who sits on the Legislature's budget-writing committee.

Brooks said in a statement Tuesday he'd made the "stupid" remarks after he had been drinking.

"I regret that I made some stupid comments while under the influence of alcohol after our caucus in the Dells," his statement said. "I take full responsibility for my behavior and have apologized for my actions. I am ready to move on from this incident and fully support and will adhere to the Assembly policies to maintain a safe workplace for legislators and staff."

Brooks faces Democrat Chris Rahlf of Cedarburg in November.

"Sober or drunk, it's not OK to make these remarks," Rahlf said in a statement. "I'm glad the women involved are satisfied that the correct course of action was taken. We must keep striving for a society where everyone is respected all the time."

When asked for records related to the harassment and its resolution, the chief clerk said there were none.

The Legislature came under scrutiny in the fall of 2017 over its policy to keep most details and records related to sexual harassment in the Legislature private. The questions were raised amid a national wave of accusations of sexual misconduct against powerful men and lawmakers.

A Vos aide also did not respond to questions about whether Brooks attended training offered to Assembly lawmakers and their staffs intended to prevent harassing behavior.

Walker's call for Brooks' resignation came a day before President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will face a Senate panel along with a woman who is accusing Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her in high school.

State Democrats on Wednesday called on Walker to oppose Kavanaugh's confirmation in light of the allegations and Walker's reaction to Brooks' comments. They also said Walker was acting hypocritical because he did not publicly rebuke Trump in 2016 when he said he had sexually assaulted women.

"For Walker to call on Rep. Brooks to resign and be silent on Kavanaugh and be silent on President Trump when he was running (for president) is really kind of the height of hypocrisy," Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison) said at a news conference. "It shows that he acts only in his own political interests."

A spokesman did not respond to questions about whether Walker still supports Kavanaugh and Trump.

State schools Superintendent Tony Evers, the Democrat challenging Walker in November, said in an interview he didn't know enough about the situation to comment on whether Brooks should leave office.