While he wasn't mentioned by name, Milwaukee Co. Exec. Scott Walker was the target of Dem barbs by JFC members who ripped him for the mismanagement of the Milwaukee County Income Maintenance program.

Sen. Taylor and Rep. Colon authored a motion to request the state Department of Justice to investigate administrative fraud in the program. The motion passed 16-0.

Most outspoken was Rep. Grigsby, who said the state had to take over because of the poor way the program had been run by a "very incompetent administration that allowed abysmal statistics to result."

The state is poised to take over the program from the county at a cost of $14 million in 2009-10, and the federal government has filed a lawsuit over the execution of the program.

"If we had better oversight in Milwaukee County we wouldn't be here now," Grigsby said.

Walker is a declared GOP candidate for governor.

To deflect the blame off Walker, Rep. Vos said he was voting for the motion because he wanted to hold the Milwaukee County Board responsible for mismanagement because they are ultimately the ones responsible. He repeated "board" multiple times.

The program is dealt with in budget paper 440. The committee passed alternatives A1 and B1 on a 14-2 vote.

-- By Greg Bump