Michael Huebsch

Michael "Mike" Huebsch (born July 19, 1964) is a Republican politician and former legislator from Wisconsin.

Michael Huebsch
76th Speaker of the Wisconsin Assembly
In office January 1, 2007 – January 5, 2009
Preceded by	John Gard
Succeeded by	Michael J. Sheridan
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 94th district
In office January 2, 1995 – January 3, 2011
Preceded by	Virgil Roberts
Succeeded by	Steve Doyle
Personal details
Born	July 19, 1964 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Alma mater	Oral Roberts University (failed to graduate)
Profession	Former marketing director, politician

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Huebsch graduated from Onalaska High School and attended Oral Roberts University. He served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1995 through 2011. From 2007 to 2009, he served as Speaker of the Assembly. Huebsch, his wife, and family live in West Salem, Wisconsin.[1]

While in the State Assembly, he and fellow Republican representative and future governor Scott Walker were involved in the "Wisconsin witch hunt" in 2001–02, in which they attempted to terminate the employment of state employee Jamyl Witch because of her beliefs as a Wiccan.[2][3] Walker claimed that Witch's hiring as a prison chaplain raised "both personal and political concerns" because she "practice[d] a religion that actually offends people of many other faiths".[4] Huebsch likewise said that "Taxpayers shouldn't be forced to accept this hocus-pocus," proposing to delete the state appropriation which funded Witch's position.[5] Walker and Huebsch were ultimately unsuccessful in terminating Witch's employment.[2]

Huebsch resigned from the Assembly after Walker, having been elected governor in 2010, appointed Huebsch as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration on December 30, 2010.[6][7] In a special election on May 3, 2011, the District 94 Assembly seat he had held for eight terms went to Democrat Steve Doyle.

In early 2015 Huebsch was moved to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. His position as Secretary of Administration was filled by Scott Neitzel until Walker was defeated for re-election in 2018. [8] Huebsch will serve six years as one of three commissioners.[9]

References

1. "Huebsch, Michael D.", Dictionary of Wisconsin History, Wisconsin Historical Society website. Retrieved May 3, 2011.
2. "Wiccan prison chaplain sparks controversy in Wisconsin," Americans United Bulletin, February 2002 Archived 2009-05-12 at the Wayback Machine
3. Toosi, Nahal. "Wiccan Rev. Witch raises some brows at Wisconsin prison." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, reprinted December 9, 2001 in Seattle Times
4. prison chaplain sparks controversy in Wisconsin. (Around The...-a083794867 Wiccan prison chaplain sparks controversy in Wisconsin. (Around The States)
5. Simon, Stephanie. The two were called out for their blatant hypocrisy of promoting so-called religious freedom, but seeming to limit such freedoms to religions that their big government could sanction. "Wiccan Chaplain Brews Storm: Religion: Some taxpayers want the Rev. Jamyi Witch removed from her state job counseling prisoners." Los Angeles Times January 7, 2002
6. http://www.wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=13762505%5B%5D
7. http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=13782077%5B%5D
8. http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/scott-walker-shuffles-cabinet-moves-mike-huebsch-out-at-administration-b99446241z1-292115651.html
9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-10-08. Retrieved 2009-10-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)