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Democrat Zamarripa wants Democrat Krusick kicked out of caucus
MADISON- Democratic lawmakers are blasting fellow Democrat Peggy Krusick for offering up a controversial amendment to a college grant bill that prompted a marathon Assembly session.
A furious debate that pitted Democrats against a fellow Democrat over college grant applications.
Milwaukee Representative Peggy Krusick's amendment to a bill that removes race as a factor in college grant applications that has fellow Democrat JoCasta Zamarripa furious.
"I believe it's divisive and certainly mean-spirited and I think what it's going to do is make it more difficult for promising young Wisconsinites to access a higher education," Zamarripa told Newsradio 620 WTMJ's Dan O'Donnell.
Zamarripa, the only Latina in the State legislature even goes so far as to say that she would support removing Krusick from the Democratic caucus.
Zamarripa added that Krusick's amendment, "Basically it discourages young Wisconsinites from going to one of our wonderful UW schools or technical colleges."
But Krusick counters by saying that her amendment isn't racist, but rather elevates achievement and need in determining who receives grant money.
"I firmly believe that this bill treats all students that are poor equally."
In fact, she calls her amendment "color blind."
"I'm very grateful for the inclusion of this amendment to include all ethnicity's as far as being eligible to apply for the college incentive grant program."
But Zamarripa is unmoved.
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