Democratic Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan is defending his relationship with a lobbyist for the payday loans industry, saying it has not compromised his integrity even though a bill regulating the industry is pending in the Legislature.
Sheridan told the Janesville Gazette in a story published Saturday that he had dated a lobbyist for the payday loan industry, but he was not improperly influenced by her to stop a bill that would increase regulations on the industry.
The bill has been stalled in committee since October.
“I have dated a gal who is a lobbyist,” Sheridan said in the article. “It’s not been a conflict, and I have no problem saying that. I understand that my integrity is being questioned at this point, but I would not compromise this bill for a personal relationship. It will be a strong bill.”
Sheridan supported a similar proposal during a previous legislative session, but he changed his position last year. He said in September that the current bill goes too far because it would wipe out the payday lending industry and kill jobs. That’s the same claim industry groups have been making in trying to kill the proposal.
source here.
