GOP Wisconsin lawmaker chased down by protesters

Pro-union Wisconsin protesters were effectively locked out of the Madison capitol building ahead of Republican Gov. Scott Walker's budget address Tuesday night -- so they directed their anger at a Republican lawmaker who happened to get stuck outside with them.

Republican state Sen. Glenn Grothman was chased down and surrounded by protesters yesterday evening as he tried to enter the capitol. The video at left shows protesters chanting "Shame! Shame!" as they followed him. They followed Grothman until he was stuck at a locked entrance, at which point some started chanting "Peace!" to calm the crowd down.

The crowd numbered close to 200, according to the Capital Times. Democratic state Rep. Brett Hulsey, who was speaking to the protesters, ultimately assisted Grothman inside the building with the assistance of firefighters.

"This guy and I disagree on everything, but we're friends," Hulsey told the crowd, the Capital Times reports. "This is a peaceful protest. You need to back away."

Walker effectively kept the protesters outside by imposing a policy that restricted access to the capitol, arguing that the state has a responsibility to keep the building safe, clean and open for official business. A court order handed down said that the building must remain open to protesters, and hearings continue today over whether the state has inappropriately restricted access.

The din of thousands of protesters could be heard through the thick walls of the Assembly chamber during Walker's speech, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Grothman told the Capital Times he wasn't worried about walking through the crowd.

"I really think if I had had to, I could have walked through the crowd and it would have been okay," he said. "They're loud, they'll give you the finger, and they yell at you, but I really think deep down inside they're just mostly college kids having fun, just like they're having fun sleeping with their girfriends on air mattresses. That's the guts of that crowd."

Demonstrators have taken to the streets for days now in Wisconsin over Walker's "budget repair bill," which would, among other things, scale back public workers' benefits, as well as their collective bargaining rights.

On MSNBC Tuesday night, Grothman described the protesters as "a bunch of slobs taking up the building."

Observers outside of the capitol told the Capital Times they were surprised by the lack of law enforcement officers present during the dust up with Grothman.

Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney said yesterday that his deputies were ordered to keep people from entering the capitol, but that the duty was turned over to the Wisconsin State Patrol because "our deputies would not stand and be palace guards."

"I asked them to step aside. We were not there to prevent (citizens) access to the Capitol," Mahoney said, Wispolitics.com reports. "I refused to put deputy sheriffs in a position to be palace guards."

He added that he thought public safety was put at risk by limiting access to the capitol.

"I am confident having talked with our staff on the capitol grounds that we still have a peaceful demonstration," he said. "But it's crucial that individuals have a voice and access to their lawmakers."

21 Photos

Wisconsin protests

[aaoo1]

Anyone else would have been in jail for a stunt like this.

Even if it weren't for this latest, it's just a little bit of a stretch for me to view a group of people who for the most part make more money than I do, pay a fraction of what I do for their benefits, have been virtually guaranteed a job (with automatic raises) for as long as they wanted it and a generous retirement once they decided they didn't--all on the public's dime, by the way--as poor, downtrodden working folk. Simply because they might, horror of horrors, have to live just like the rest of us. Cry me a river.

[GetTheTruth]

The only reason he was chased down was because they were banned from the capital. Besides from reading these comments it is obvious this guy is a toad that shouldn't even be representing the people of Wisconsin. How dare he call Wisconsinites slobs and "another breed of people" where the hell does he think he came from and who elected him. What a moron!!!! It shows the caliber of our Wisconsin Republican Senators at this time as well as some of the Assembly. This is especially true of the Governor who lies through his teeth and uses bullying tactics to pressure the 14 democrats to come back. I for one hope they stay away so that spoiled scotty doesn't get his way - he needs to grow up and work with the people before he alienates even more people, he is losing face fast.

[pr_boxer]

I have a solution, we (Libs) ask all Democrats to leave Wisconsin and give Republicans the entire state on condition they never step across the state line.

[Interloper111]

As a non-American, I am curious why there was no ruckus raised when congress gave a tax break to the richest in the land, in effect giving them a bigger slice of the pie. Yet, there seems to be much resentment, as in this comments page, over the meager pay of public workers.

Is it because they are the guys next door? It is ok for the wealthy have more to splurge on luxurious frivolity but woe to those struggling to make a living. Having public workers spend more on daily necessities may have a bigger impact on the economy than waiting for the much touted 'trickle down effect.'

[pr_boxer]

interloper, its either because we know its futile to protest when the richest are legally able to rob the bank, or possibly because we're just stupid.

[aaoo1]

I have my own theories about why there hasn't been more outrage over the tax breaks to the wealthy, but it's not hard to see why some people are less than sympathetic to these people. Public employees for the most part do not "struggle to make a living." Public service jobs, while they won't make you wealthy, are notoriously cushy jobs from which it is virtually impossible to be dismissed no matter what your performace. In most states they either make more than their private-sector counterparts, or have much more generous benefits that they pay little or nothing for (while those of us in the private sector may have to contribute as much as 50% of the cost on our own, depending on which state we live in), much more generous pensions (if you're lucky enough to have a pension in the private sector at all), and a host of other non-monetary benefits. There's nothing "meager" about it at all. Quite the opposite.

If people are lucky enough to enjoy a privilege long enough, after a while they begin to see it as a "right," and are outraged when their luck simply runs out and they have to live just like the rest of us.

[Freedom_Citizen]

I know the beautiful Wisconsin Capitol. There are many accessible entrances to this building. representative Grothman could very easily have phoned to find an entrance for hin ingress. It was reported this less than erudite legislator had been on television before Tuesday night branding these Citizens "slobs" and saying that all it was about for them "was sleeping on air mattresses with their girl friends". I'll just bet those young Citizens had a few words for such a calloused state representative. No one hurt him, no one tried to hurt him even though it appeared he put himself in a position to be challenged and challenged he apparently was. Shame on representative grothman.

[Charlesmconn]

You need to remember that Walker is a product of the WI educational system and that is why he can't add or Subtraction for that matter. Math 101 - If you deduct $100 million dollars from your revenue before you pay your bills, you will have a deficit! I fault his upbringing for this. His parent should have made him do his homework and the voters of WI should not have let his propaganda machine fool them into voting for him. Looks like the education in WI sucks and is only going to get worse!
Justsan

[Minonker]

Senator Glenn Grothman is better than us, that's why he doesn't have to listen to the public. He won't listen to protesters snuffing them as slobs, he won't listen to orderly public input during testimony on the bill, but he says he has many more constituents calling him on the phone telling him to stick with Walker. Senator Grothman, hiding behind his office door only listening to those he wants to listen to. No wonder the Democrats left and went to Illinois. They are just playing the same game that the Republicans started!

[Minonker]

Senator Glenn Grothman calls Wisconsin taxpayers slobs and "another breed of people". He is tired of hearing their chants and drums. Well guess what Senator Grothman, when the citizen of Wisconsin were testifying on this bill in an orderly and calm matter, you and most of your fellow Republicans were no where to be found, whereas the Democratic lawmakers went well into the night, some until 7 am the next day. You and your fellow Republicans were the first to turn your backs on and walk away from Wisconsinites that took the time to give their input through the public input process. You don't care. You think you are better than those, what you call, "slobs" and "other breed of people" because you are an arrogant, money-hungry Republican. I am glad that the Democratic lawmakers turned their backs on you and your fellow Greedy MONEY SLOBS and left for Illinois! What, you big bullies can't take your own medicine?!

[lawkwfl]

Wow, sounds like you might have a touch of "hostility" towards the Senator....whatever happened to the civility that was supposed to happen after Arizona? It's been what, 10 weeks? Guess people do have short memories. Glad you think the Senators who have left their state instead of making a stand for what they believe in (for or against) I personally call them "bottom feeders" not worthy of political cred - they are the ones who should be recalled. Do you think by them staying away the situation is just going to go away? If it were that simple no one in Washington would have a job. Get real.

[Minonker]

Senator Glenn Grothman calls Wisconsin taxpayers slobs and "another breed of people". He is tired of hearing their chants and drums.
Well guess what Senator Grothman? When the citizen of Wisconsin were testifying on this bill in an orderly and calm matter, you and most of your fellow Republicans were no where to be found, whereas the Democratic lawmakers went well into the night, some until 7 am the next day.
You and your fellow Republicans were the first to turn your backs on and walk away from Wisconsinites that took the time to give their input through the public input process. You don't care. You think you are better than those other breed of people because you're an arrogant, money seeking Republican. I am glad that the Democratic lawmakers turned their backs on you and your fellow Greedy SLOBS and left for Illinois! What, the big bullies can't take their own medicine?!

[TessTyFy]

Some "friend" Brett Hulsey? The man lies about the guts of the protesters being boys sleeping with their girlfriend on air mattresses in the capitol, as well as other inuendo and you can be "friends" with this man who works against the people and all of humanity? You man need to be friendly with those of which you work with, but to call him a "friend" sort of insinuates that the people he harms, including the protesters, must look at him and savagery as a friend.