State Sen. Pat Wiggins' latest loud and angry outburst during a committee hearing in Sacramento this week was met Friday with official silence.
Asked whether Senate leadership will be investigating Wiggins' behavior, a spokeswoman for Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg said Friday the Sacramento Democrat will have no further comment on the issue.
A spokeswoman for Assemblywoman Alyson Huber, D-El Dorado Hills, who chairs the Joint Legislative Audit Committee that was meeting Wednesday when Wiggins interrupted the proceedings, also turned down a request for comment.
A call to the Capitol offices of Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, who some observers feared was being threatened by Wiggins, went unreturned Friday.
Wiggins, through her staff, also turned down a request to speak about the outburst, which occurred after members of the committee returned Wednesday from their lunch breaks.
Witnesses said Wiggins got up to refill her water glass, but after finding the container empty began screaming, "When are you going to get that stupid stuff?" - apparently directing her ire at committee staff.
The 69-year-old senator also appeared to approach Wolk in a threatening way. Steinberg's office disputed that version of events, saying Wiggins was simply reaching for water in Wolk's vicinity.
Only after security staff and an aide for Wiggins intervened did she end the tirade that lasted several minutes.
The episode represented the latest disturbing outburst for Wiggins, whose odd behavior over the past two years has led to concern she is suffering from a serious mental decline.
Her outbursts and apparent inability at times to focus or remember things have been subject of discussion inside the state Capitol and in North Coast political circles, prompting questions whether she is suffering from a form of dementia.
Wiggins cited health problems in August when she abandoned her bid for a second four-year term. But she and her staff have steadfastly refused to detail those health problems even as they insist they do not prevent her from doing her job.
You can reach Staff Writer Derek Moore at 521-5336 or derek.moore@pressdemocrat.com.
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