State Reaches $75,000 Settlement In Capitol Arrest Case

The State of Wisconsin has reached a $75,000 settlement with one of the people arrested in a crackdown of Capitol protests two years ago.

The State Department of Justice settled with Dominic Salvia, one of the co-hosts of the Madison-based radio show “The Devil’s Advocate.” Salvia was present when arrests began in the Capitol rotunda in 2013, though he was observing, not demonstrating.

At the time, the Walker administration argued it was merely enforcing the rules of the Capitol, but Salvia’s arrest and many others were thrown out in court.

During Salvia’s radio show yesterday, his attorney, Jeff Scott Olson, said 150 to 200 people were arrested around the same time.

“And about 75 of them have contacted my firm and indicated that they want to go ahead with damages claims,” Olsen said.

Noon hour protest singalongs have been a regular feature of the capitol since shortly after Walker introduced his collective bargaining bill in 2011.