Parties already sparring before local hearing starts

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ^ | April 10, 2011 | Daniel Bice

[Sopater]

This is how you pour gasoline on what is already expected to be an explosive hearing at State Fair Park on Monday over Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget:

You do what state Rep. Tamara Grigsby did this weekend.

The Milwaukee Democrat accused the leaders of the Joint Finance Committee of taking steps, in advance, to shut down debate early on the budget bill - and then claimed they are doing this because they don't want to be near Milwaukee too late.

"They're scared to death of Milwaukee," Grigsby said. "They don't want to be here after dark."

Without naming names, she said some of her fellow lawmakers share a "real fear about being in Milwaukee." Asked if she felt the committee leaders were acting on racist concerns, she said, "If it looks like a duck."

Grigsby quickly added, "I didn't use those words," referring to the notions of race or racism.

Joint Finance co-chairman Robin Vos said he was stunned by her remarks, saying Grigsby was leveling a baseless accusation.

First, he noted that the budget hearing, which is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., is in West Allis, not Milwaukee.

In addition, the Rochester Republican said he and his wife had spent Saturday night at the Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee, enjoying a good time in the city after dark.

"People can make up any lies they want," Vos said. "I just think it's stupid."

[Sopater]

When are people finally going to stop responding to these baseless accusations of racism? This has gone far beyond the level of utterly rediculous.

[NTHockey]

She’s a RAT; therefore, she is a child molester. Drilling a hole in a baby’s skull and sucking the brain out is child molesting. RATs must preserve funding for abortions, but not the troops.

[TrueKnightGalahad]

Racist much?????

[JPG]

Rats, union thugs, leftists, lib professors and students, Trumka, Obama, Holder and the entire socialist universe is absolutely apoplectic that all of their money, and all of their efforts have come to naught in the WI SC election. They have no options left and no tricks to employ that wouldn't’ be immediately detected. They've had their asses handed to them and they don't like it one single bit.