Ladwig was one of several Wisconsin legislative leaders convicted of crimes for using state resources for political purposes in the wide-ranging 2002 "caucus scandal".
She was raised and educated in Milwaukee, graduating from Shorewood High School.
[1] In the fall of 2002, Ladwig and other bipartisan legislative leaders were ensnared in a scandal over use of state employees and state resources for political purposes, known in Wisconsin as the "caucus scandal".
Ladwig was charged with one misdemeanor count for using Capitol staff to work on Republican campaigns.
She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, which she served at home using electronic monitoring.