On the most turbulent day yet of demonstrations against Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill, Democratic state senators successfully delayed the controversial legislation by walking out of the Capitol Thursday and setting up camp across state lines.
The bill, which passed out of the Joint Finance Committee in a partisan vote of 12-4 late Wednesday night, was supposed to be taken up by the state Senate Thursday morning before moving to the state Assembly.
However, the state Senate is divided 19-14, and at least 20 senators must be present to vote on a bill. Republican senators left in the afternoon after it was clear their Democratic colleagues were not coming back.
At first the whereabouts of the rogue lawmakers were unknown, and clues from the senators were cryptic.
"Brb," read a Facebook status from state Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee. Taylor, through her work during the JFC marathon public hearing, emerged as one of the leaders of the fight against the bill.
It was later reported the senators were just over the border in Rockford, Ill. Gov. Scott Walker later implored them "to show up and do the job they're paid to do."
"They don't have to agree with everything we propose, but they should, on behalf of the people who pay their salaries, show up for work," Walker said.
However, state Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, accused Walker of being the one to fail at fulfilling his responsibilities.
"The governor is ignoring the citizens of Wisconsin who oppose his extreme plan and rightly expect him to assert leadership to bring us together and not tear us apart," Jauch said in a statement.
Walker said while he acknowledges the sentiments of the protesters, who filled the capitol rotunda to the brim and the surrounding streets Thursday, they do not represent the feelings of the whole state.
"Certainly the thousands of people here and outside the Capitol have every right to be heard, but I want to make sure that not for one moment are their voices drowning out the voices of the millions of tax payers all across the state of Wisconsin who … think while what we're doing is a politically bold move, it is a modest request of our employees at the state and local level," Walker said.
Tens of thousands of teachers, UW students, union workers and school children showed up at the capitol for the fourth straight day to challenge the budget repair bill, which would take away their right to collective bargaining and raise pension and health-care costs for state workers.
When Walker was asked whether he would be open to a bill that would include the increased costs but preserve bargaining rights, he said no, claiming the bargaining process would waste too much time during this fiscal crisis.
However, state Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, condemned the magnitude of the bill and the speed at which Republicans are trying to pass it in a statement.
"I could not in good conscience stand by while the Governor's Republican allies fast-tracked a bill in less than one week that will eviscerate 50 years of collective bargaining rights and labor peace in this state," Risser said.
State Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, said he stands by the senators' decision to walk out. When asked whether Democratic assembly members were planning on doing the same, he said they would continue to focus on drafting amendments to the bill.
Democratic assembly members showed their solidarity with the protesters and their senatorial colleagues throughout the day by wearing T-shirts reading, "Democrats: fighting for working families."
The Assembly is set to take up the bill Friday morning, and state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said in a statement Republican senators would also convene Friday to try and pass the legislation.
However, it is not yet known when the Democratic senators will return to Madison. Risser said they would not vote "before the concerns of the people of this state are heard."
