The Democratic lawmaker from northern Wisconsin who was tackled by police as he tried to get into the state capitol Thursday night wasn't injured and doesn't expect an apology. But Rep. Nick Milroy, D-South Range, says the tight security is frustrating.
Milroy said he had gone out to dinner with staff member Marylou Kelleher and some Superiorites on Thursday evening, and went back to the Capitol to get some personal things before heading to his motel.
"I didn't realize there was a situation in the building" that added to tensions, the South Range representative said. "I had my ID on the lanyard in my hand, and one of the officers said I wasn't going to be allowed in."
Nick Milroy of South Range says he showed his official state ID several times to officers as he tried to enter the Capitol after hours. He was shoved to the ground by an officer from Two Rivers as he tried to walk past instead of waiting.
"The law enforcement officers, there are hundreds of them," he said. "They've been doing a great job. I think things got a little bit out of hand on both sides. I was a little more aggressive than I needed to be trying to get into the building and I think the officer was obviously a little more aggressive than he needed to deal with me."
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No one was injured in the altercation. But Milroy says it's disconcerting that a state legislator has trouble getting into the Capitol Building. He later got inside the building by going to a different entrance.
"I served our country. I believe in freedom, I believe in open government. I think it's ridiculous that a state representative isn't allowed in a building that he or she is elected to serve in," he said.
Milroy said while security at the Capitol Building remained high today, he was hopeful that now that a Dane County Circuit Court judge ordered the building open during business hours, some of the tensions of recent days would end.
However, he said, the protests of the last three weeks have been peaceful and he wasn't aware of any incidents involving protesters challenging the governor's budget repair bill.
Milroy says he wasn't aware of any safety threat inside the Capitol rotunda that prevented admitting anyone from outside. The representative had no trouble getting into the building Friday and describes the previous night's scuffle as "no harm, no foul."
"I don't think it was called for to tackle a state legislator to the ground, but he was just doing his job. He was a young officer I told him I was stressed out; he said he was stressed out ."
The take down was caught on camera by a Milwaukee TV station. The incident has gotten Milroy a lot of attention: He says he's gotten more "Facebook friend requests" than ever.
Telegram editor Shelley Nelson contributed to this report.
