Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Cell Phone Discrimination in the Assembly?

As the state Assembly failed to overide any of Governor Doyle's vetos today there was an episode of apparent cell phone discrimination. The blow by blow is given by Rep. Mark Pocan on his blog:

One funny thing that did occur, however, was when I stood up to ask which anonymous Republican member of the assembly objected to funding for a position in the Dane County District Attorney's office. While I was speaking, my cell phone went off. Dumb.

But State Rep. Carol Owens, one of the more conservative members of the GOP caucus, saw it as an opportunity to bash me. Carol, ah, doesn't apparently like "gay" people. And to her, I'm one big homo. Carol wont even ride the elevator with me. Too bad for Carol.

But she demanded an apology for the ringing of the cell phone, and asked that it be taken away from me while I'm on the floor. As she ranted and raved, I went to her desk and gave her my cell phone. Problem solved? Nope, instead she asked the Sergeants' office staff to come and get the "gadget" from her desk. Gadget. You know you're out of touch with your constituents and for that matter the 21st century, when a cell phone is a "gadget". I have to wonder what she calls her computer.

Addendum: A few hours later GOP Rep. Phil Montgomery's cell phone went off on the Assembly floor. Owens was silent on the ringing of the gadget. At the very end of session, so did Democratic Rep. Jim Kreuser. Again, nothing from Owens.

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