The Wisconsin Assembly House Speaker Pro Tempore allowed Democratic Assembly member Hebl to finish speaking and quickly called for a voice vote on the "Budget Repair" bill at 1:07am CT on 2/25/11 even though there were 15 Democratic Assembly members still waiting to speak. The Republicans had quietly gathered, but not all of the Democratic Assembly members were aware of what was happening. Not everyone present was able to vote.
The vote was 51 Yea to 17 Nay with 28 Not Voting
The vote was taken to chants of "Shame, Shame" coming from the Democratic Assembly members and the audience in the gallery. The Republican Assembly members quickly left the room and are escorted from the building by police.
Democratic Assembly members are going to caucus while the Protesters cheer "Thank you, Thank you."
It is now all up to the 14 Democratic State Senators to hold the line against this bill passing. The 14 Democratic State Senators are currently staying outside of WI to keep the Senate from getting quorum.
I am going to stay up a while longer and monitor things. I am afraid the police will clear the Capitol now that the vote has been taken.
update: Protesters are chanting "We aren't leaving". I feel sorry for the parents who just got their kids asleep.
update 2: Protesters are now singing the national anthem in the capitol rotunda.
Update 3: Protesters chanting: "Forward, Forward" (the Wisconsin state motto)
Update 4: BUDGET REPAIR BILL Vote Count
Update 5
Slate reporter David Wiegel has posted a video of the moments after the vote.
4 Republicans voted against the bill : Dean Kaufert, Lee Nerison, Richard Spanbauer, and Travis Tranel.
Updated by Sand Hill Crane at Fri Feb 25, 2011, 04:00:06 AM
Police are allowing protesters to stay the night.
Update 7 Mamabigdog also has a diary on the vote
Updated by Sand Hill Crane at Fri Feb 25, 2011, 04:33:04 AM
There is discussion that some of the Republican State Senators are "weak" links for their vote and even Gov. Walker talked about them during his spoofed call from "David Koch". I have heard a little bit about the fate of those Senators from people in the know. I have heard that Walker warned those Senators that if they vote against the bill, he will run and fund a primary candidate against them in the next election. I have also heard that if they get recalled by their voters due to their "yes" vote that they don't have to worry about unemployment because they will get a "good" job in the Administration. This is all hearsay, of course.
Update 9:
Wispolitics.com has posted Speaker Fitzgerald's press release
2/25/2011
Contact Representative Jeff Fitzgerald (608) 266-2540
Madison – Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald (R-Horicon) released the following statement regarding Assembly passage of Governor Scott Walker’s budget repair bill:
“This is one of the toughest votes this body has taken in decades. But we are, without question, in one of the toughest economic times our state has ever seen.
“After the longest debate in the history of this body, we took the necessary steps we had to get Wisconsin’s fiscal house in order. We did it in the way voters in November told us to, without raising taxes.
“Make no mistake, we are out of money. This bill will not only close the $137 million budget gap, but also get us started to closing the massive $3.6 million dollar gap in the next budget.
“I applaud the Democrats in the Assembly for earnestly debating this bill and urge their counterparts in the State Senate to return to work and do the same.”
Updated by Sand Hill Crane at Fri Feb 25, 2011, 09:05:13 AM
Now added More video of the Assembly vote taken by someone in the Gallery.