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12/16/2010
Russ Decker, taxpayer hero and Not over ‘til it’s over
Yesterday, mouth agape, I asked why Russ Decker might diss longtime Dem and union buddies by opposing approval of state labor contracts in a lame duck session of the legislature. Wow.
Indeed, both (now former) Majority Leader Decker and fellow Dem Senator Jeff Plale voted no yesterday, leading to tie votes in the Senate and no passage for state labor contracts.
Decker said he was not comfortable voting for the contracts now that the "people have spoken" and voted him and other Democrats out of office. He blamed Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle and unions for not reaching an agreement on the contracts before the Nov. 2 election.
AFSCME Marty Biel wasn’t at all happy.
AFSCME Council 24 exec director Marty Beil, who is in the Capitol today to follow the vote on public employee contracts, had a very concise statement about his feelings on the outcome.
Why “former” Majority Leader Decker? More from the Journal Sentinel:
Democrats quickly deposed Decker as majority leader in favor of Sen. Dave Hansen (D-Green Bay), who will serve for the next two weeks until his party gives up power. Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) angrily called for Decker to resign and speculated that Decker had made his vote in the hopes of lining up a job after he leaves office.
Jauch and other Democrats said Decker, a longtime member of a bricklayers union, would not tell his Democratic colleagues how he was going to vote before senators took the floor. Increasing the surprise, Decker had voted for the contracts earlier Wednesday in a committee that handles state labor agreements.
"In 28 years I've never seen a leader stick it to his members like this," Jauch fumed. "Psychologists probably write books about this type of behavior. It's a disorder that's probably now being named."
…. Marty Beil, executive director of the Wisconsin State Employees Union, criticized Republicans for their votes but laid a special fury on Decker.
"He'll never ever hold a seat as a Democrat (again)," Beil said of Decker.
But fear not, it’s not over ‘til it’s over. Via WisPolitics,
Senate President Fred Risser said today's session was adjourned until 10 a.m. tomorrow, and the bills containing the contracts are still in the Senate.
That means they could be brought back for reconsideration. On a tie vote, anyone can move reconsideration, he said.
"A lot can happen overnight," he said. Still, Scott Fitzgerald's chief of staff John Hogan sent Republicans an e-mail late tonight telling them Sen. Mark Miller, the incoming Dem leader, and his chief of staff informed Fitzgerald's office that the chamber will not be on the floor tomorrow.
Still, Hogan warned Dems can pull the chamber back any day to take up the contracts.
The real reason Decker and Plale opposed the contracts? Well, certainly no love lost there for Doyle. And it’s a pretty sure bet both felt deserted (retribution?) by the Democratic Party after brutal losses in November. Ed Garvey says it's a promised job in the new administration. Your thoughts?
Again, I say wow. Fireworks in, over and under Madison. Stay tuned.
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
Hi Jo:
Notice the vitriol and acrimony of liberal Dem Jaunch and Beil, the Union Chief. This is what happens when one does not, "March to their Drummer"! They miss entirely the point of the Nov. election. They have absolutely no concern for the Taxpayer. GLS
GL Schilling (Thu Dec 16 10:43:43 2010)
The state senate has adjourned for the year? WOW!! The assembly even had to talk a judge into letting rep wood out of jail to cast the decding vote to spend $150 of the taxpayers money for new state contracts. The senate blocked the contracts. Unbelievable!
Jay Schroeder (Thu Dec 16 12:09:53 2010)
Beil's name is Marty, but he's really a Dick!
guido (Thu Dec 16 14:59:21 2010)
Wasn't Russ Decker holding out for a pardon for Chuck Chavla? I believe (could be wrong here) Chavla's wife works for Sen. Decker. Had Doyle promised a pardon, the unions get there contract. Plale is easier to figure out, the Dems knocked him off in a primary and the unions supported his opponent, Larson. For Plale this was just screw you time.
Rohn W. Bishop (Sun Dec 19 08:05:14 2010)
Actually, the unions, including AFSCME, endorsed Plale in the primary. He is the one expected to get a job from Walker in return for his vote.
xoff (Mon Dec 20 10:13:46 2010)
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