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As state Rep. Robin Vos (R-Rochester) tried to drum up support for a provision in the state budget that would pay the salaries of fired Milwaukee police officers until their appeals were exhausted, he told the story of an officer he claimed was unfairly fired after a fender-bender.

With Republicans controlling the state Legislature and the governor's office, the budget provision - which would have reversed a 2009 reform that had saved city taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars - seemed on the fast track for approval in June.

But Vos hadn't done his homework.

He didn't know the name of the officer.

"My information is from the police union. I believe what they tell me, but I have to be upfront about that," Vos said of the union, which has often supported Republican candidates in recent elections.

The bill passed both chambers of the Legislature and was awaiting Gov. Scott Walker's signature when the Journal Sentinel identified the officer Vos had referenced as James Morsovillo. He previously had been suspended for incidents involving domestic violence, hit-and-run and drunken driving.

The same newspaper article pointed out that fired officer Ladmarald Cates - who has since been charged with two federal felonies after a woman accused him of rape in the wake of her 911 call - also would continue to draw his salary as he pursued his appeal before the Fire and Police Commission.

The day after the story appeared, state senators and city officials asked Walker to veto the provision. Among those calling for a veto was Fire and Police Commission Executive Director Michael G. Tobin. He also wrote a letter to Vos and state Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) - who had helped write the provision and defended it on the floor - asking them to reconsider their position.

Darling reversed course and added her name to the list of officials asking Walker for a veto. She said she changed her mind after talking with Tobin.

Five days after the newspaper's initial report about Morsovillo, Walker announced he would veto the police pay provision.

Inspired by Jude case

The veto left intact reforms that were initiated after the 2004 beating of Frank Jude Jr. by off-duty police officers at a Bay View house party. The three officers with central roles in the beating appealed their firings and collected nearly half a million dollars in pay and benefits while they awaited trial. They were not removed from the payroll until they were convicted and their appeals were dismissed because of a state law that says felons cannot be police officers.

Under the old law, fired Milwaukee officers remained on the payroll for an average of nine months, in part because of lengthy appeals by the politically connected police union, according to a Journal Sentinel investigation in 2006. Some fired officers collected full paychecks for years.

Legislators first modified the law in 2008 - cutting off pay only for officers fired for conduct that also resulted in felony or serious misdemeanor charges. The following year, lawmakers cut off pay for all fired officers. Officers who win their appeals get back pay.

Walker's veto prevented the law from being rolled back to the 2008 version.

Cates had been fighting his dismissal but dropped his appeal the week the story on the police-pay measure broke.

Morsovillo's appeal remains pending before the commission. A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 14.

Shortly after the budget item was vetoed, Vos said he would address the police pay issue again, with stand-alone legislation. But last week his spokeswoman, Kit Beyer, said Vos had changed his mind and had no immediate plans to introduce such a bill.

"He's going to focus on jobs this fall," she said.

John Diedrich of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.