ROCKFORD TEA PARTIER, DAVID HALE, LOCATED AWOL WISCONSIN SENATORS, JOINS ANDREA SHEA KING FOR A REPORT

Yesterday, when the Wisconsin legislature had a scheduled vote on a controversial budget item--union benefits--some of the democrat senators decided to head for the hills...of Illinois, that is. The Rockford Register Star reports.

Here's the deal: If the democrats aren't on the floor for the vote, the vote can't take place. Hence the travel plans.

The Wisconsin senators took to the highway, southbound to the Illinois-Wisconsin state line, crossed into Illinois and found a hideaway in the cozy "resort" city of Rockford. Once there, they were safe and sound. Or so they thought.

Enter one David Hale. A local Tea Party member, Hale heard that the AWOL legislators were holed-up in a Rockford motel. Hale traveled to the site and was able to locate, confront and shoot video of the lawmakers as they made a dash for the parking lot. The video is on it's way to going viral.

Tea Party Express III made a tour stop in Rockford back in April 2010. David Hale attended and was able to meet the entire TPX crew, headed up by Amy Kremer and Sal Russo. John Ruberry of Marathon Pundit attended and reported on the Rockford rally HERE and HERE. Teressa Monroe-Hamilton of NoisyRoom filed this report too. Andrea Shea King was there as well. *More on the developing Wisconsin situation at her site, The Radio Patriot.

Wisconsin state lawmakers making a mad dash across state lines to avoid a crucial vote on the state's fiscal problems is no laughing matter, especially to the tax payers of Wisconsin. But it does seem comical that a group of professional lawmakers would go to this extreme to avoid doing the job they were elected to do--to protect the interests of the tax payers of their state. In this case, however, it appears the union's interests are what the lawmakers are protecting.

This is a developing story. As of this writing, law enforcement officials have been sent to the home of Wisconsin's minority leader to make sure he attends the day's session. More on that as it becomes available.

*TONIGHT--THE ANDREA SHEA KING SHOW--9 PM ET

*GUEST: David Hale, Rockford Tea Party Member. Hale will walk us through the events that led up to his confrontation with the AWOL Wisconsin lawmakers at the soon-to-be infamous Rockford motel. As a Tea Party Member, Hale should get a medal for a job well done!

UPDATE: Jesse Jackson has arrived in Madison.

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