Breaking: 14 Democrats given until 4 p.m. to return or be 'apprehended ... with or without force'

News of the north ^ | 3-3-11 | Editorial Staff

[Mozilla]

MADISON -- The 14 missing Senate Democrats have until 4 p.m. today to return to the Capitol or face apprehension tantamount to arrest “with or without force."

GOP Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau) ordered the apprehension of the senators who fled the state two weeks ago to Illinois to avoid a vote on Gov. Scott Walker's budget repair bill.

Republicans voted 19-0 to give the Democrats until 4 p.m. Thursday to appear before the Senate.

"They have pushed us to the edge of a constitutional crisis," Fitzgerald said. "We simply cannot have democracy be held hostage because the minority wants to prove a point."

The Senate also voted for a "call of the house," which is the mechanism used to compel senators to return to the chamber.

That means the Senate sergeant at arms Ted Blazel can "with or without force" and with or without the help of any law enforcement officers in the state to take them into custody and bring them to the state Capitol.

[Windflier]

"They have pushed us to the edge of a constitutional crisis," Fitzgerald said. "We simply cannot have democracy be held hostage because the minority wants to prove a point."

About damn time someone in the state house stood up and said the obvious. Kudos to the legislators for putting their feet down, and demanding that the 'fleebaggers' stop holding Wisconsin's government hostage.

[arderkrag]

Still at work. What’s the gist of the presser?

[caww]

Thank you Starwise....so good seeing you on the threads!

What a mess this is and it isn’t going to be resolved soon. I can imagine the games which will be played once they do return...you can expect they’ll have something up their sleves to counter them returning and being arrested....a crooked judge might be on order.

[American Constitutionalist]

14 Democrat fugitives crossing over state lines who have warrants for their arrest.

[Jack Hydrazine]

Wisconsin held hostage! Day number 14.

[American Constitutionalist]

Will the Unions pay for their bail money ? or will the state accept that bail money from the Unions ?

[Jack Hydrazine]

I call them the Felonious 14 Fleebaggers!

[USAHOME]

Thanks! I have no idea what’s going on now. I’m watching it online and seeing it on our TV (we live near Green Bay). I wonder if the governor is out hunting for them, himself? :)

[USAHOME]

Have you seen it yet? I’m also keeping an eye on FB to see if they announce a new time...they keep announcing new times.

[airborne]

Maybe the Gov. needs to put a bounty on their heads!

[Birdsbane]

“Yes, you will have to admit it on your next job application.”

...and you will not be receiving Unemployment Benefits.

[Mozilla]

The gist is that Governor Scott Walker wants to negotiate a way to get at least some of the Democrats back to Madison, but he is not caving in on anything in the bill. However, he sense the frustration of the people across the state and says if they don’t come back starting tomorrow he will start sending out pink slips to government workers and then they will be laid-off April 1st. As such, he says that people in the state senate are getting less and less patience so they voted 19-0 to take matters into their hands and hunt down and arrest the 14 missing democrats. But Governor Walker is hoping something can be done before that happens. He says he is managing to talk to some of the 14, but so far he hasn’t been able to meet their demands. So he says it is sad if it comes to taking force to bring them back, but if it comes to that so be it. But he didn’t authorize the Senate to pass the resolution to arrest them. But whatever happens it is not his fault. The Democrats were responsible.

[USAHOME]

I know of quite a few people in this state who would hunt them down WITHOUT a bounty. :)

[Jack Hydrazine]

I’m sure a creative FReeper or three could make some wanted posters. LOL!

[Ronin]

Hypothetically speaking, of course, I wonder what would happen if one of those flee-baggers were to be “abducted by persons or parties unknown”, driven to Wisconsin, and dumped in front of a state police barracks.

[caww]

Well we can only hope they are arrested IMO. This country’s falling apart at the seams and these people are now part of the problem.

[Girlene]

And yet absolutely NOTHING has happened.

You make good points, Fishtalk. Yet, "something" has happened. Legislator rules/state constitutions up to this point have been based on men/women of honor doing their constitutional duty and showing up to vote. We are entering a new era in which statesman are not honorable....they are beholdin' to their payers (unions, whatnot). They are desperate and have left the citizens of their states held hostage to their payees' whims.

Other states are watching. Hopefully, they will amend their legislator rules as needed to try to deflect some of the holes that assumed statesmen/women would act honorably. Other than that....states have to follow their rules/laws. We are entering a new era were honor is not paramount in a legislative process.

At this point, Indiana, which has the same problem with absent legislators who fled to Illinois, has enacted a fine of $250/day for legislators who don't show up by Monday. Why they didn't set the date for tomorrow is beyond me! I guess they are trying to show their good faith, be compromisers. But should the Indiana legislators not show up next week....that's $1,250 for the week. I seriously doubt they are willing to risk that much of their own money to pay for it. Currently, their stay in Illinois is being funded by the state democrat party. Nice vacation, huh?

[Mozilla]

He just spoke at 6:02 pm. Was rather a fast presser. Ended after 13 minutes.

[arderkrag]

Fitting that the fools will be fired on April Fool’s Day. I actually kind of feel for the guy, in a way.

[USAHOME]

I missed it??? Oh man...and I kept flipping around the dial to find it, and had it on the Internet. What did he say?