The Death of Ethics Reform: How About an Explanation?

It's been about 17 hours since Republicans in the Assembly killed any chances for meaningful ethics reform this year, and we have yet to hear an explanation from any of them as to why.

I think press releases from Reps. Eugene Hahn (R-Cambria) and Terry Musser (R-Black River Falls) are particularly in order. I mean, how often is it that legislators vote against the very bill they co-authored?

And Rep. Steve Freese (R-Dodgeville) should speak-up, too. It was just last week that he threatened to leave his leadership position in the Assembly if the bill wasn't brought up for a vote, and now he turns around and votes against bringing it back to the floor for a vote.

Having any second-thoughts about that "party of the people" comment, Rep. McCormick?

UPDATE: Here's one explanation, although it happens to come from Rep. Terri McCormick (R-Appleton) who was one of only four Republicans to vote to bring the bill to the floor.

She explains the way her colleagues voted by stating: "The voting record of our party membership was not accurately portrayed by that vote due to the fact that pulling motions are procedural maneuvers, not votes for or against a bill based on its merits."

So it was just a "procedural maneuver," not a real vote. Yeah.