Indiana Democrats Join Wisconsin Counterparts In Fleeing to Illinois

By aaroncynic in News on Feb 23, 2011 7:30PM

Indiana House Democrats joined their Wisconsin counterparts in fleeing their borders for Illinois yesterday. In order to block a right to work bill that would’ve severely impaired the collective bargaining rights of union workers in Indiana, the majority of Indiana Democrats fled to Champaign-Urbana to keep the House from reaching a quorum. Today, the bill died in the House and Republican leaders say they will not revive it.

The House Democrats however, still refuse to return to the state, citing four other labor laws and six other education bills. Rich Miller at Capitol Fax reports the Democratic caucus in Indiana released a statement saying they “will remain here until we get assurances from the governor and House Speaker Brian Bosma that these bills will not be called down in the House at any time this session.”

Meanwhile in Wisconsin, Ian Murphy, editor of the Buffalo Beast, punked Governor Scott Walker by calling him and posing as David Koch a billionaire financier. After Murphy got Walker on the line, the Governor said he’d considered “planting troublemakers” among the protesters around the capitol and revealed he planned to trick Democrats into heading back to Wisconsin and distract them, allowing Republicans to vote on his bill.

Finally, an Indiana Deputy Attorney General is under review for an incendiary Tweet on Saturday night. In reference to a report that riot police might attempt to clear the Wisconsin capitol building, Jeffery Cox suggested over Twitter police should “use live ammunition.” Mother Jones reports the Indiana Attorney General’s office issued a statement saying they’re conducting a review of Cox and will take “appropriate personnel action” if they deem it necessary. No word as to how Cox feels about Indiana House Democrats, who are essentially fighting for the same thing as their Wisconsin brethren.