MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Democrats are accusing one of their own of threatening to kill three of her colleagues, an allegation that the lawmaker has told local media stems from “poorly worded hyperbole.”

Democratic leaders said in a statement Saturday that state Rep. Sylvia Ortiz-Velez made a comment about shooting three caucus members with whom she’d had disagreements. The statement followed one Thursday announcing that Ortiz-Velez was leaving the Democratic caucus.

The news website Wisconsin Right Now and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel first reported that Ortiz-Velez had left the caucus. In the interviews, she denied leadership's allegations that she threatened colleagues.

Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, Assistant Minority Leader Kalan Haywood, Minority Caucus Chair Lisa Subeck

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