Illinois Tea Party members confront Wisconsin Democrat Senators who had fled their state to avoid a vote on budget-cutting measures. Senator Jim Holperin (D) is featured in this video.

Rockfordteaparty

via YouTube – IMG_0052.

WI State Sen. Jim Holperin (D) to Candy Crowley:  Gov. is trying to destroy public unions

Wisconsin Democratic State Sen. Jim Holperin spoke with CNN’s Candy Crowley about state budget cuts and public unions. This interview aired in the 5 p.m. ET hour of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer. Crowley also spoke with Mary Bell president of Wisconsin Education Association Council, in the 6 p.m. ET hour. Both transcripts are after the jump.

FULL TRANSCRIPT: Wisconsin Democratic State Sen. Jim Holperin

Read the interview at  CNN Press Room.

Lawmakers at Rockford Illinois hotel

Gov. Scott Walker says he’s confident Democrats who skipped town to avoid voting on a bill removing union rights will return within a day or two, calling the boycott a “stunt.”

Sen. Jon Erpenbach tells 27 News that Democrats are leaving Rockford, Illinois right now. He would not say their destination.

They were at the Clock Tower Resort and Conference Center in Rockford Thursday.

Our sister station in Rockford, WREX spoke with lawmakers there. WREX reports one lawmaker said, “It’s kind of everyone for themselves.”

Democratic Sen. Tim Cullen said, “We felt that this was our only way to delay the legislation for at least a couple days to get people to better understand it; people of all walks of life to understand it.”

Democratic Sen. Jim Holperin said, “This is something we’ve felt needed much more time for the state of Wisconsin to understand, to absorb, debate and discuss. And we felt we just couldn’t vote only after three days of having the bill available for discussion.”

via UPDATE: Lawmakers at Rockford hotel – WKOW 27: Madison, WI Breaking News, Weather and Sports.

Biography: Jim Holperin, Wisconsin State Senator: District 12

Elected to the State Senate in November, 2008, Jim Holperin is Chair of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Tourism, Natural Resources and Forestry, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules, and a member of two other Senate Committees: Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Workforce Development, Technical Colleges and Consumer Protection; and, Rural Issues, Biofuels and Information Technology.

Jim was born and raised in Eagle River, attending local schools there. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater in 1973 and began a career in politics and nonprofit work in 1974 as a legislative analyst for the Wisconsin State Assembly.

via Jim Holperin, Wisconsin State Senator: District 12.

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