UPDATE: Sen. Zipperer Responds to Email Threat

As other Republican senators in Wisconsin have reported receiving death threats, state Sen. Rich Zipperer, R-Pewaukee, who represents Brookfield, Waukesha, Sussex and part of Menomonee Falls, confirmed he received similar e-mails.

“There was one very specific threat,” Zipperer said Thursday afternoon. “… I know law enforcement is specifically investigating that.”

Zipperer’s e-mail accounts have been flooded with support and criticism. The threat was in the midst of those e-mails, he said.

The efforts to intimidate Zipperer aren’t working, he said.

“I think in our democratic society there is no room for that,” the senator said.

Zipperer said he was elected to do his job, which is what he did Wednesday night when voting for a bill that would strip public employees of most collective bargaining rights.

“Thankfully” the senators were able to safely leave the Capitol building last night and continue to do their work, he said. Zipperer’s office in Madison remains open and it is important to not be intimidated by the threats of harm.

“You can’t allow attempts at intimidation from doing the job you are there to do,” Zipperer said. “I have confidence law enforcement is handling the concerns.”

Earlier Thursday, Zipperer said he voted in favor of the budget repair bill because union restrictions were needed to balance budgets and prevent layoffs. His statement:

"I voted in favor of the repair bill that puts our state on a path to finally fix our budget woes without raising taxes and with the flexibility necessary for state and local governments to avoid major layoffs. 

"This legislation saves jobs, protects vital services and recognizes that if we are to have a strong, growing economy we cannot increase the burdens on state taxpayers any further.

"Three weeks ago, the right of the people of the 33rd District to have their Senator represent them and vote on their behalf on the Senate floor was taken away by the unconstitutional actions of the 14 Democrat Senators who fled Wisconsin. While they may have been able to delay democracy, they were not able to obstruct it.”