Wisconsin's Republican legislators were forced last June to exchange blood in a ritualistic pact of loyalty, a new report revealed Thursday.
GOP lawmakers received flack Monday when it was revealed they had taken a pledge of secrecy during the map-making process for the state's redistricting.
None of the current Republican legislators agreed to comment on the pact, but recently recalled state Sen. Dan Kapanke recounted the harrowing experience.
"There was just a lot of blood, booze and speaking in tongues, you know what I mean?" Kapanke said before showing a scar running the length of his hand. "This one is never going to fade."
Kapanke said the rites were required to make the legislators prove their loyalty, each vowing to never speak to the public about anything except specific items listed on a memo produced by a staffer of Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Horicon.
The memo lists a handful of safe terms, including "on the right track," and "abstinence." Those banned from being spoken in public by the majority party include "250,000 new jobs," "budget repair bill" and "Scott Walker's bald spot."
The bottom of the memo reads, "If ye dare to break the sacred bonds of brotherhood, ye will be thrown from the top of the Capitol to your death, and any member of the brotherhood who sheds a tear will meet the same terrible fate."
When approached about the pact, former State Sen. Randy Hopper, R-Fon du Lac began to weep uncontrollably and screamed, "Don't let them get me, please! I'll do anything!"
Democratic Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha, condemned the pact as anti-democratic and poorly-handled.
"I mean, all of us in government have our freaky cults," Barca said, "but you have to make sure your minions can keep it together, you know?"
