WI Senate Dems Leave State

This is a disgrace.

Rather than doing their jobs and letting the wheels of democracy turn, the Wisconsin Senate Democrats reportedly are in hiding out of state to avoid voting on the budget repair bill.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Law enforcement is now searching for Democratic senators boycotting a Senate vote on Gov. Scott Walker's budget-repair plan Thursday in an attempt to bring the lawmakers to the floor to allow Republicans to move forward with action on the bill.

One Democratic senator said that he believed at least most of the members of his caucus are in another state. At least one, however, Sen. Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) said he was still in his Capitol office listening to constituents.

...Sen. Tim Cullen (D-Janesville) confirmed Thursday that Democrats are boycotting the Senate action on the bill in efforts to block a quorum and keep the measure from passing. Because 20 senators of the 33-member house are needed to be present to pass a fiscal bill, the body's 19 Republicans will not be enough to pass the budget repair bill without at least one Democrat present.

"They can't pass this bill if there's not a Democrat in the chamber," Cullen said.

Cullen said he believed at least most of the Democrats were now outside Wisconsin, though he declined to say where.

"I think they're all out of state. I am anyway," Cullen said.

Speculation in the Capitol pointed to Illinois as the state where Democrats had headed.

This isn't how democracy works.

Elected officials don't run away like this.

What an embarrassment for Wisconsin Democrats!

Man up, Democrats!

From Jay Sorgi, Newsradio 620 WTMJ:

The State Senate has convened in Wisconsin to discuss, debate and possibly vote on Governor Scott Walker's controversial budget bill, but not all the Senate members are there; all Democrats in the Senate are absent.

Law enforcement officials are looking for at least one Democratic senator to bring in for a quorum required for a fiscal measure, but River Hills Republican Senator Alberta Darling claimed to Newsradio 620 WTMJ that all the Democrats got on one bus and left the state.

What are the Dems doing in Illinois? Shopping at Gurnee Mills? Hanging out at the food court?

Truly disgraceful.