No, not the chicken dance, or chicken run. It's called the chicken walk.
I had an e-mail this weekend pointing something out to me where a reader remarked to me "did you see how Nancy Turbak did the chicken walk on the death penalty bill?"
Sure enough, it looks highly suspicious that it may have occurred.
What's the chicken walk? It's legislative slang for when a lawmaker can't or won't vote on a bill of some controversy. Symptoms include being mysteriously busy for a single vote, while being there for the non-controversial votes immediately before, and after.
In this case, it was the Senate's vote on House Bill 1175:
Read that here in the Senate Journals. Now, you'll note that I'm not including Ryan Maher in that same category. He was gone for several votes, which was likely attributable to the flu which was going through the Senate last week.
Unlike Nancy Turbak, who found herself conveniently gone from the chamber for one of the most important votes of the session. And only on that vote.
Almost as impressive as Scott Heidepreim's flip-flop on the issue between Senate State Affairs where he opposed the bill, before he decided to cast a vote in favor of it on the Senate Floor.
Sure enough, it looks highly suspicious that it may have occurred.
What's the chicken walk? It's legislative slang for when a lawmaker can't or won't vote on a bill of some controversy. Symptoms include being mysteriously busy for a single vote, while being there for the non-controversial votes immediately before, and after.
In this case, it was the Senate's vote on House Bill 1175:
The question now being "Shall HB 1175 pass?"
And the roll being called:
Yeas 26, Nays 7, Excused 2, Absent 0
Yeas:
Abdallah; Albers; Apa; Bartling; Dempster; Duenwald; Gant; Garnos; Gray; Greenfield; Hansen (Tom); Hanson (Gary); Hauge; Heidepriem; Hoerth; Hunhoff;
Kloucek; Knudson; Lintz; McCracken; McNenny; Napoli; Olson (Ed); Peterson (Jim);
Schmidt (Dennis); Smidt (Orville)
Nays:
Hundstad; Jerstad; Katus; Koetzle; Nesselhuf; Sutton; Two Bulls
Excused:
Maher; Turbak
Read that here in the Senate Journals. Now, you'll note that I'm not including Ryan Maher in that same category. He was gone for several votes, which was likely attributable to the flu which was going through the Senate last week.
Unlike Nancy Turbak, who found herself conveniently gone from the chamber for one of the most important votes of the session. And only on that vote.
Almost as impressive as Scott Heidepreim's flip-flop on the issue between Senate State Affairs where he opposed the bill, before he decided to cast a vote in favor of it on the Senate Floor.
Comments
Wow. I bet if you couted up the number of excused votes so far, you'd find Sutton was at the top of the list, for obvious reasons.
Next would probably be Abdallah. Is he a chicken? If you think that, say that to his face.
In fact, if you think Nancy is a chicken, say THAT to her face.
She could kick your ass, PP.
Are you really suggesting a sample of ONE vote suggests causality that Nancy is a "chicken"?
Maybe talk to Donkey Kong, who seems to have actually put some time and effort into the topic, before you throw out random accusations. It is called political SCIENCE for a reason.
Then again, maybe you do have evidence. Maybe Senator Turbak is prone to such "chicken walks". But showing one vote and then calling a senator out is discouraging for someone who thinks himself to be a decent political blogger.
Your biased-laziness in assuming the Republican had a legitimate excuse (which he did, but it wasn't the reason you "thought") is also unacceptable.
Bottom line: I know a relatively baseless attempt to tear down a Harvard educated Democrat when I see one.
This post lost my continued readership.
Vote=Day in paragraph 1 and 3.
Jerry Apa took the "chickenwalk" on HCR 1006. (present for the votes before and after).
Jerry Apa later took the "chickenwalk" on SB 132 - the Zaniya Project bill regarding a study of how to implement universal health coverage. (again present for the votes before and after).
Abdallah and Gant took the "chickenwalk" on HB 1078. (both were present for the votes before and after).
Gant took the "chickenwalk" on HB 1099. (again present for the votes immediately before and after).
So many GOP "chickens". Where's the outrage, PP?
Abdallah "chickenwalked" on SB 173 (the 150% rule bill - controversial property tax bill) - he was present for the votes immediately before and after.
Abdallah, Dempster and Gant "chickenwalked" on SB 206 - a bill to issue death certificates to stillborn infants (a controversial bill with abortion overtones). All were present for the preceding vote, and this was the last vote of the day.
Abdallah "chickenwalked" on SB 180, then later on SB 56, then later on SB 219 (in each case he was there for the votes immediately before and after these bills).
Then Abdallah apparently decided he had done enough for the day, and just left - missing votes on the last 3 bills of the day: HB 1235, HB 1019, and HB 1075. (Call that the "nonfeasance walk")
He couldn't possibly need the bathroom that much or a cigarette that bad, could he?
You're getting pounded a lot these days but your logic is still precise and your view clear. Keep your chin up and don't let the goofballs get you down.
What? You can't handle a little fair and balanced?
Here is the list you mentioned, all of which are basically non-contested with only one being a possible high profile bill that one would consider a chickenwalk.
1006 34-0
1099 31-1
1078 31-1
132 31-1
173 28-5 the except. 150% rule
206 30-1
180 34-0
56 33-1
219 33-0
1235 29-5 trapping bill
1019 32-2
1075 34-0
Not chickenwalk material here, you are grasping at straws.
I think your point is, look at Democrats who miss one lopsided vote, not Republicans who miss multiple votes.
There a advocates on both sides of the death penalty, on all aspects of it, that are just as passionate about it as there are on the abortion ban.
So Turbak didn't want any vote on her record dealing with this topic, hence the chicken walk.
Now Scimitar tell us which bill you listed that could come anywhere near the stature of the controversy that surrounds bills dealing with the death penalty
Here is your quote.
"Abdallah, Dempster and Gant "chickenwalked" on SB 206 - a bill to issue death certificates to stillborn infants (a controversial bill with abortion overtones). All were present for the preceding vote, and this was the last vote of the day."
SB 206 is a bill to give certificates of BIRTH resulting in stillbirth to parents of stillborns, and where do you find it to be controversial or have anything to do with abortion?
Just wondering.