Update: Democratic legislators leave Wisconsin to block anti-union bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Democratic Wisconsin lawmakers blocked passage of a sweeping anti-union bill Thursday by ignoring orders to attend a vote and instead left the state to deny a quorum and to force Republicans to negotiate over the proposal. Protests of anti-union bill swell to 25,000 people at Wisconsin state Capitol | StarTribune.com:

[As an estimated 25,000 people protested anti-union legislation at the Wisconsin state Capitol] for a third day, the 14 Democrats disappeared from the Capitol. They were not in their offices, and aides said they did not know where any of them had gone.

Hours later, one of them told The Associated Press that the group had left Wisconsin.

Sen. Jon Erpenbach said Democrats fled to slow down consideration of the bill in the hopes that Republican Gov. Scott Walker and GOP lawmakers would discuss changes.

"The plan is to try and slow this down because it's an extreme piece of legislation that's tearing this state apart," Erpenbach told the AP in a telephone interview.

He refused to say where he was. Other Democratic lawmakers sent messages over Twitter and issued written statements, but did not say where they were.

The Democrats failed to show up when the Senate started its business around midday Thursday, and the sergeant at arms began looking for them. If he's unable to find them, he's authorized to seek help, including potentially contacting police.

Democratic Minority Leader Mark Miller released a statement on behalf of all Democrats urging Walker and Republicans to listen to opponents of the measure and seek a compromise. His statement did not address where Democrats were or when they planned to return.

* * *

Senate rules and the state constitution say absent members can be compelled to appear, but it does not say how.

Republicans hold a 19-14 majority, but they need at least one Democrat to be present before taking a vote on the bill.

 

Andy Manis, Associated Press – AP

Protesters of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's bill to eliminate collective bargaining rights for many state workers pack the rotunda at the State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Thursday, Feb. 17, 2011.

UPDATE: Talkingpointsmemo.com says the Democrats have been found:

Milwaukee TV station WISN has tracked down some of Wisconsin's Democratic senators at the Clock Tower Resort and Conference Center in Rockford, Ill.

We couldn't help but notice that the hotel bar there is the "Tilted Kilt," whose logo features a St. Pauli girl gone bad.

Fancy digs.