Indianapolis—
Minority Leader Pat Bauer told Fox59 News that Democrats will be in exile in Urbana, Illinois, Monday plotting strategy. They will not be on the floor of the Indiana House of Representatives where they will begin receiving $250 per day fines."We'll just have to see what Monday brings," said Bauer. "Let me say this…if we have to be fined in order to help people keep their jobs -- keep schools functioning -- then I guess that's the pain we'll endure."
After Bauer met face-to-face with Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma on Wednesday, Bosma and the Republicans in attendance voted to begin leveling fines against Democrats who are about to start their third week away from the statehouse.
"It was a whole 180 turn," said Bauer. "A complete flip flop, so that's hard to navigate when you take a sudden 180 turn."
Bauer said some progress was made in identifying the problems Democrats had with Republican legislation regarding school vouchers and prevailing wages. Bauer said issuing fines against Democrats has set back attempts to break the logjam "a day or two."
Bauer said that while the impasse could be resolved by mid-week, "we just have to figure out how to not get knocked down a day after we work something positive out."
