Wisconsin Dem. senators leave the state to block vote targeting unions

[the_future_modernes]

You read that right! This is epicness personified!!! The quorum needed is 20. Republicans have 19. Therefore the Dems have skipped town! ETA: Post edited for some accuracy Thanks laceblade!


Progressive Solidarity Movement Emerges In Wisconsin

Today, 14 Democratic Wisconsin State Senators walked out of the chamber holding up solidarity fists — denying Republicans the quorum to hold a vote on the Budget Repair Bill, which would strip public employees of their right to collectively bargain. According to reports, the State Senate Democrats have fled the state to avoid state troopers forcing them to come back into quorum. Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D) told WisPolitics this afternoon that “Senate Democrats left the state in an attempt to force Republicans to negotiate a compromise to proposed changes to the bargaining rights of public employees.”


Some state troopers have already told union leaders that, in a sign of support for striking workers, they are refusing to track down or arrest any state legislators that they encounter. Capitol Police already have refused to kick out of the State Capitol thenearly 5,000 protestors that the Wisconsin Department of Administration has announced are there. Early today, reports from Twitter and sources on the ground said that protesters were literally blocking members of the Wisconsin State Senate GOP from re-entering the chamber in case they tried to take a vote on the bill without a quorum being in place.
[laceblade says below that the GOP senators could not leave the Senate once the house call was made til Senate adjourned...see comments below]

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