Walker shouted down over GOP attempt to weaken his successor
MA D I SON, WI S . » Demonstrators booed outgoing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Tuesday during a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, at times drowning out a high school choir with their own songs in protest of a Republican effort to gut the powers of his Democratic successor.
The governor, wearing a Santa tie, appeared unfazed as he flipped the switch while one protester shouted “Hey, Walker! Go home!” He left without taking questions from reporters about the bills being considered in the rare lame-duck legislative session. Walker, who has signaled support for the measures, later tweeted that he “can handle the shouts,” but he urged protesters to “leave the kids alone.”
Stung by their election loss last month, Republicans treated the lame-duck session as a final opportunity to use their political clout to weaken the next governor before time runs out. Democrats, who won every statewide constitutional office after nearly a decade-long GOP hold on power, derided the session as a cynical attempt to preserve the party’s waning strength.
“If he wanted to put a stop to this, he could,” said Russ Hahn, a 53-year-old attorney holding a sign that stated “GOP Grinch Steals Democracy.”
The fact that Walker was making no attempt to halt the effort “clearly indicates he wants to be able to control things outside the governor’s office for the next four or eight years,” Hahn said.
At one point Tuesday, the public was ordered removed from Senate galleries after repeated warnings to be quiet. Spectators shouted “Shame!” and hurled complaints at senators, temporarily halting debate. Less than an hour later, Republicans said they would let people back in.
The GOP proposals would weaken the governor’s ability to put in place rules that enact laws and shield the state jobs agency from his control. Republicans also want to limit early voting to no more than two weeks before an election.
Republicans were still working to reach final agreement on what exactly they would pass.