Wisconsin's Democratic senators work from afar for deal

[steve2470]

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/192561/

(Second of two part article, first part in next post)

WOODSTOCK, Ill. — Wisconsin’s Democratic state senators bridle at the suggestion that their exodus to Illinois is a stunt.

Sitting on the bed in a motel room in suburban Chicago on Friday morning, state Sen. Tim Cullen, D-Janesville, noted that it was his 67th birthday.

“This is not my idea of celebrating my birthday, not being with my family,” Cullen said as he joined state Sen. Bob Jauch, D-Poplar, for an interview. “This is not a stunt. This is an extraordinary step which probably none of us anticipated a few weeks ago.”

Cullen stopped by Jauch’s room for a few minutes ahead of another interview he had scheduled with a radio station. After that, they would be caucusing elsewhere in the motel to talk strategy. Even during the hourlong interview, each of their cell phones rang.

[steve2470]

1. A first-hand look at Wisconsin lawmakers' life on the lam

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/192461/

First of two parts

WOODSTOCK, Ill. — Bob Jauch was here.

The Democratic state senator from Poplar and the rest of the 14 senators who escaped from Wisconsin spent parts of several days last week in this charming northern Illinois town of 22,000 where the movie “Groundhog Day” was filmed.

That movie, in which Bill Murray’s character was stuck in a single day, resonates with Jauch, who has been stuck for more than a week on an unplanned odyssey in his native state.

“It is the same thing,” Jauch said in an interview on Friday morning in a motel room in suburban Chicago. “You take the same precautions. You look in the rear-view mirror. You wonder who’s watching you.”

Day after day, since Feb. 18, Jauch, 65, has been waking up somewhere in Illinois, avoiding any possibility of being forced to vote on Gov. Scott Walker’s budget-repair bill, which Jauch considers an outrageous assault on working people.

[LiberalAndProud]

2. Thanks for this, Steve.

The action the 14 are taking is not the easy way. Holding them in my thoughts and sending all the good vibes I can muster.

[steve2470]

3. you are very welcome ! They are being actively harassed, too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x528470