Senator: Wis. Dems to stay away for days, weeks

February 18, 2011

By SCOTT BAUER, Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Democrats who fled Wisconsin to block a vote on a sweeping anti-union bill could stay in hiding for days or even weeks.

Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach spoke to The Associated Press at a Chicago hotel on Friday. He and fellow Democratic senators left Wisconsin on Thursday to delay the near-certain passage of a bill backed by Republicans and GOP Gov. Scott Walker.

Thousands of protesters have also flocked to the Capitol in Madison, Wis., to demonstrate against the bill.

Erpenbach says there's no fixed date for Democrats to return to Wisconsin. He say all 14 Senate Democrats will meet somewhere in Illinois on Friday. He would not say where or exactly when.

(More here.)