TPM Reporter Eric Kleefeld is in the Wisconsin state Assembly chamber live-tweeting as they debate the budget and union-busting bill late into the night.
The budget and union-busting bill just passed the state Assembly a short time ago in Madison, with yet more controversy as many present didn’t even get a chance to vote and shouts of “Shame, Shame, Shame.” Our report from in the hall to be published momentarily.
Roughly an hour ago, after 61 hours of debate, the Republican state Assembly Speaker unexpectedly called a vote and then left the voting open for only seconds until a bare majority present had cast yes votes and then closed the voting, too quickly for most of the Democrats in the chamber to even get a chance to vote. Democrats erupted into cries of “Shame, Shame, Shame” as Republicans filed out of the hall. Here’s our report from the scene.
Responding to the now notorious prank call and the Koch brothers involvement in the Wisconsin drama, Koch Industries respond to the latest developments: We Won’t “Back Off”.
We’re here! We’re big money funders! Get used to it! Huh!
Fox’s Shepherd Smith tells it like it is: Wisconsin Gov. Walker’s bill is about union-busting, not the budget deficit. Watch.
You’ve already heard that earlier this week an attendee at a townhall event asked Rep. Paul Broun got asked “Who’s gonna shoot Obama.” We now have two witnesses who tell TPM that Broun’s reaction was to laugh.
After chuckling he told the questioner, in essence, yeah we’re all frustrated.
Even the chop-shop Dick Morris instapoll has Gov. Walker (R-WI) losing the public opinion battle in his state. Morris makes lots of effort to lead with the best stuff for Walker. But on the core issue of collective bargaining Wisconsites disagree with Walker 54% to 41%. When even bamboozlement polls show you’re losing, you know it’s bad.
Basically where we are now is that independent and union-sponsored polls show Walker losing badly. Polls by conservative activist organizations show him either in a tie or losing not quite as badly as the real polls show.
Several states have now outlawed placing state governments or the courts under Sharia Law. But Tennessee has now upped the ante, considering a bill to outlaw even the personal practice of “Sharia Law” with prison time as the punishment.
Not clear whether this may lead to citizens being forced into pork-eating loyalty munches.
The House is still paying those two Ethics Committee lawyers who were suspended last year with no public explanation, Susan Crabtree reports, while the committee remains completely stalled.
Ryan Reilly just sent in this shot from the residence of Libya’s ambassador to the United States here in DC, where the ambassador in a very unusual move took down the Libyan flag and raised the country’s old flag from pre-Qaddafi days:
More soon…