While the state House has voted to take a four day recess later this month, the Senate voted to shoot down the idea. That is until House Majority Leader Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville, stormed into the upper chamber Wednesday in an effort to make Senators think twice.
According to eyewitnesses, Weissmann, who sponsored HJR 1009, disregarded legislative decorum by stepping into the Senate Chambers, where House members are usually allowed by invitation only. He then demanded that the Senate reconsider its decision to vote down his resolution, saying that in the absence of such reconsideration, certain legislators might see their bills killed in the House.
According to a lobbyist who spoke to Face The State, Weissmann "later marched into Senator [Scott] Renfroe’s office – using his outside voice – and once again said that he would not let Renfroe’s bills out of committee in retaliation for his ‘no’ vote."
By Thursday morning, however, the tone of both the Senate and of Weissmann had changed dramatically. On the desk of each Senator an apology memo from Weissmann appeared (PDF).
It read: "First, let me apologize to anyone who I showed perhaps a little too much anger toward, after the failure of HJR 09-1009. I realize that I might have been inappropriate in my outbursts." Might have?!
Perhaps realizing that it's best for all involved that Weissmann take a few days off, Sen. Brandon Shaffer, D-Boulder, introduced a motion allowing the Senate to reconsider the resolution. While the Senate will not take part in the recess, approval by its members is still required under the state Constitution.