Head of Wisconsin parole agency quits at behest of governor

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Parole Commission Chairman John Tate has resigned, a month after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers made a hasty appeal to Tate in the midst of Republican criticism over parole plans for a convicted murderer. Evers asked Tate to step down. Tate had come under fire from GOP gubernatorial candidates when Douglas Balsewicz appeared to be on his way to freedom last month after serving less than 25 years of his 80-year sentence for stabbing his wife to death in 1997. Tate changed his mind after the governor said the family hadn’t gotten a chance to fully respond to the move. Tate did not mention the Balsewicz case but said in his resignation letter he has done his best to be “fair, just and understanding.”