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Gard delays vote on concealed weapons
Doyle says GOP lacks support for veto override
By STEVEN WALTERS
[email protected]
Posted: Jan. 27, 2004
Madison - Republican Assembly leaders blocked a Tuesday override vote on Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of the concealed weapons bill - a delay Doyle said proved that sponsors of the measure lacked sufficient support to force it into law.
Assembly Speaker John Gard (R-Peshtigo) first put the Assembly override vote on Tuesday's Assembly agenda, but then late in the day rescheduled the vote for Thursday.
"I want to win," Gard said.
Gard's statement unofficially verified claims by Doyle and Assembly Democrats that they were ready Tuesday to block the override of Doyle's veto of the bill.
If the Assembly votes to override the veto on Thursday, the bill would become law over Doyle's objection and let residents obtain permits to carry concealed handguns and other weapons.
Gard said he wanted to delay the vote so all Assembly members could be present. At least one Republican was absent Tuesday because of a family matter, one GOP leader said.
In a statement, however, Doyle said Republicans did not have enough votes to override his veto. The governor accused Republicans of not having "the courage to take this vote" in front of dozens of uniformed law officers, who returned to the Capitol for a second straight day to lobby against the bill.
Doyle said Assembly Republicans should stop using "political games" to run from the override vote.
"The public and every single member of the Assembly knew the vote was scheduled for today," he said.
"We're ready to go," added Assembly Democratic Leader Jim Kreuser of Kenosha, who pushed for a final vote Tuesday and who is working closely with Doyle to ensure that the concealed weapons bill doesn't become law.
Numbers game
Republican leaders predicted Tuesday that all 59 Assembly Republicans will vote to overturn the Democratic governor's veto, even though two of them voted against the bill in November.
With 59 Republican votes, it would take votes from seven of the 39 Democrats to override the governor's veto. One Assembly seat is vacant.
Although seven Democrats voted for the bill in November, one or two of them are expected to vote with their party's governor on Thursday, killing the override, which requires a two-thirds vote.
One Democratic official, who asked to not be named, said Rep. Gary Sherman (D-Port Wing) was ready to back Doyle, although he had voted in favor of the bill in November. That change alone would be sufficient to block the override.
Sherman on Tuesday twice rebuffed reporters asking him how he would vote on the issue.
"I'm not answering any questions," said Sherman, who co-sponsored the concealed weapons bill. But as an assistant leader of Assembly Democrats, he has a political duty to support his party's governor as much as possible.
A second Democrat who may change his vote, Rep. John Steinbrink of Pleasant Prairie, also twice refused to say how he would vote on the override.
Historic vote
The Assembly vote will decide whether Wisconsin becomes the 47th state to allow the carrying of concealed weapons. The state Senate overrode Doyle's veto last week on a 23-10 vote, with five of the 15 Senate Democrats voting to overturn the veto.
Democratic officials charged that Republicans postponed a final override vote until Thursday to give Republicans more time to "bribe, threaten and cajole" Democratic legislators to vote to repeal the state's 1870 ban on concealed weapons.
If the override fails, the proposal will be reintroduced next year, said Darren LaSorte, an official with the Washington, D.C.-based National Rifle Association who is coordinating the push for the measure in Wisconsin.
Also Tuesday, state Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) made public an e-mail he said that he received after his second vote against the concealed weapons bill last Thursday.
The author of the e-mail called Jauch an "enemy of the state" and a "marked man."
Although another legislator Tuesday called the e-mail to Jauch a "death threat," Jauch disputed that characterization.
"I don't consider it a death threat; I consider it a threat," Jauch said, adding that he had never received a similar threat in his 21 years in the Capitol.
Jauch said that he had not turned the e-mail over to any law enforcement agency.
He said the threat would not change his opposition to the concealed weapons bill. "It'll make me work harder to stand up to the people who don't respect democracy," he said.
From the Jan. 28, 2004 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Gard delays vote on concealed weapons
Doyle says GOP lacks support for veto override
By STEVEN WALTERS
[email protected]
Posted: Jan. 27, 2004
Madison - Republican Assembly leaders blocked a Tuesday override vote on Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of the concealed weapons bill - a delay Doyle said proved that sponsors of the measure lacked sufficient support to force it into law.
Assembly Speaker John Gard (R-Peshtigo) first put the Assembly override vote on Tuesday's Assembly agenda, but then late in the day rescheduled the vote for Thursday.
"I want to win," Gard said.
Gard's statement unofficially verified claims by Doyle and Assembly Democrats that they were ready Tuesday to block the override of Doyle's veto of the bill.
If the Assembly votes to override the veto on Thursday, the bill would become law over Doyle's objection and let residents obtain permits to carry concealed handguns and other weapons.
Gard said he wanted to delay the vote so all Assembly members could be present. At least one Republican was absent Tuesday because of a family matter, one GOP leader said.
In a statement, however, Doyle said Republicans did not have enough votes to override his veto. The governor accused Republicans of not having "the courage to take this vote" in front of dozens of uniformed law officers, who returned to the Capitol for a second straight day to lobby against the bill.
Doyle said Assembly Republicans should stop using "political games" to run from the override vote.
"The public and every single member of the Assembly knew the vote was scheduled for today," he said.
"We're ready to go," added Assembly Democratic Leader Jim Kreuser of Kenosha, who pushed for a final vote Tuesday and who is working closely with Doyle to ensure that the concealed weapons bill doesn't become law.
Numbers game
Republican leaders predicted Tuesday that all 59 Assembly Republicans will vote to overturn the Democratic governor's veto, even though two of them voted against the bill in November.
With 59 Republican votes, it would take votes from seven of the 39 Democrats to override the governor's veto. One Assembly seat is vacant.
Although seven Democrats voted for the bill in November, one or two of them are expected to vote with their party's governor on Thursday, killing the override, which requires a two-thirds vote.
One Democratic official, who asked to not be named, said Rep. Gary Sherman (D-Port Wing) was ready to back Doyle, although he had voted in favor of the bill in November. That change alone would be sufficient to block the override.
Sherman on Tuesday twice rebuffed reporters asking him how he would vote on the issue.
"I'm not answering any questions," said Sherman, who co-sponsored the concealed weapons bill. But as an assistant leader of Assembly Democrats, he has a political duty to support his party's governor as much as possible.
A second Democrat who may change his vote, Rep. John Steinbrink of Pleasant Prairie, also twice refused to say how he would vote on the override.
Historic vote
The Assembly vote will decide whether Wisconsin becomes the 47th state to allow the carrying of concealed weapons. The state Senate overrode Doyle's veto last week on a 23-10 vote, with five of the 15 Senate Democrats voting to overturn the veto.
Democratic officials charged that Republicans postponed a final override vote until Thursday to give Republicans more time to "bribe, threaten and cajole" Democratic legislators to vote to repeal the state's 1870 ban on concealed weapons.
If the override fails, the proposal will be reintroduced next year, said Darren LaSorte, an official with the Washington, D.C.-based National Rifle Association who is coordinating the push for the measure in Wisconsin.
Also Tuesday, state Sen. Bob Jauch (D-Poplar) made public an e-mail he said that he received after his second vote against the concealed weapons bill last Thursday.
The author of the e-mail called Jauch an "enemy of the state" and a "marked man."
Although another legislator Tuesday called the e-mail to Jauch a "death threat," Jauch disputed that characterization.
"I don't consider it a death threat; I consider it a threat," Jauch said, adding that he had never received a similar threat in his 21 years in the Capitol.
Jauch said that he had not turned the e-mail over to any law enforcement agency.
He said the threat would not change his opposition to the concealed weapons bill. "It'll make me work harder to stand up to the people who don't respect democracy," he said.
From the Jan. 28, 2004 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
