Milwaukee State Lawmaker Sylvia Ortiz-Velez Charged with Disorderly Conduct for Alleged Threats Against Colleague
A state lawmaker from Milwaukee, Sylvia Ortiz-Velez, has been charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly making threats against a fellow representative. The charges stem from an incident in August 2025, where Ortiz-Velez is accused of threatening a Democratic colleague over the drafting of resolutions related to Hispanic Heritage Month and Latino veterans. She reportedly felt excluded from the process and made threatening statements towards the colleague. Capitol Police became aware of the situation in September 2025. In a separate incident in August, Ortiz-Velez was temporarily barred from the Statehouse after allegedly threatening a Democratic colleague with an automatic weapon. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos later reinstated her, stating that the claim was unfounded. Ortiz-Velez, who represents the 8th Assembly District on Milwaukee's south side, was elected to the state Assembly in 2020 after serving on the Milwaukee County Board.