The Democrats managed to find 50 votes in the Assembly to pass their budget at 5:20 AM yesterday morning. Among the 50, State Representative Jeff Wood (I-Bloomer).
Wood is a former libertarian. Later, as a Republican member of the legislature, Wood was co-author of TABOR, the proposed Taxpayer Bill of Rights. He quit the Republican Party after a clash with party leadership and became an independent.
He also became a three-time drunk driver caught with marijuana in his car and has lied to his constituents ever since.
His constituents might want to ask the former libertarian how he could vote for the most radical, anti-business, tax-raising budget in state history. They might want to ask what deal was cut in the dark night behind closed doors.
Then they might remember Wood's statement that he culd not resign from the Assembly because he needed to represent them during the budget process. Some representation they received.
Wood, of course, could prove to his constituents he did not cut a deal with the Democrats just to protect his own seat. He could promise to resign after the budget passes.
It's not going to happen.
Update! Just reading through the Budget Blog by Greg Bump at WisPolitics. If you want a measure of Jeff Wood's quality representation, his changed votes are a good start. How convenient to change his vote on Amendment 4 after the roll call so it would not be decisive, but if he had voted correctly at the time of the roll call it would have made the difference.
