Associated Press
TOM LoBIANCO,Associated Press
Updated: Feb 6, 2012 9:06 PM
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A Marion County judge ordered Indiana House Republicans to return fines levied against House Democrats in the right-to-work battle last year and blocked $1,000-a-day fines levied this year.
Marion County Superior Court Judge David Dreyer ordered Monday that the fines against the Democrats who walked out be returned. Dreyer also issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily halts collection of $1,000-a-day fines levied in this year's boycotts.
Attorney General Greg Zoeller said Monday that the state will ask the Indiana Supreme Court to review the decision. The state's highest court agreed last month to review the underlying issue of whether the legislature can fine lawmakers and force the state's auditor to withhold those fines from paychecks.
"We disagree with the trial court's prolonging this internal dispute and the precedent it would establish, and we will respectfully ask a higher court to redirect the dispute promptly and conclusively to the place it belongs: the Legislature," Zoeller said in a statement.
Mark GiaQuinta, a lawyer for the House Democrats, said Dreyer's orders reinforce the Democrats' argument: House Republicans cannot arbitrarily order the state to withhold money from lawmakers. The 31 House Democrats who signed onto the lawsuit filed by Rep. Bill Crawford, D-Indianapolis, should all see their money returned, GiaQuinta said.
House Democrats boycotted the House for eight days this session and five weeks last session in an effort to block right-to-work legislation. The move had denied Republicans the number of members needed to conduct any business and also spurred Republican House Speaker Brian Bosma to levy fines against Democrats who walked out.
Last week, Gov. Mitch Daniels made Indiana the 23rd state to ban unions from collecting mandatory fees for representation when he signed the right-to-work legislation.
Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
bluecollarmike | February 16 2012 10:38pm
OMFG!!!....LMFAO!!! I give up!!! I cant explain it any clearer!!! I cant dumb it down any more!!! One of these days I will explain to you how I was FORCED to join the union if I wanted to keep my job because it was a CLOSED shop. Whereas RTW does not allow CLOSED shops, therefore no one can be FORCED to join the union. Maybe its my fault for not explaining it better....I dont know.
hunter480 | February 14 2012 7:25pm
RTW is a WONDERUL measure, and it`s going to benefit all Hoosiers with it`s passage. I wish it would have been passed many years ago when I had part of my check extorted to pay union thugs. Thankfully, it`s been many, many years since I had to be dirtied by participating in a union, but now no one has to deal with that if they don`t want to. Good for Indiana, good for Hoosiers.
fortheride | February 14 2012 6:04pm
Easy Bluecollarmike you must be a bitter person. You were not forced to work at a union shop, you chose to. You chose to stay employed there! Why didnt you go some where else if you were so miserable? Didnt you say that only 12 percent were union. If this is true you had many options for work.
wwsd | February 14 2012 3:40pm
Sadly he does not understand
bluecollarmike | February 13 2012 8:23pm
FOR THE RIDE....YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!!!! TALKING OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF YOUR MOUTH!!! NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT!!! I HAD TO JOIN THE UNION IN ORDER TO WORK. NOW WITH RTW, NO ONE IS FORCED TO JOIN A UNION IN ORDER TO ACCEPT OR KEEP THEIR JOB!!! ARE YOU NOT GETTING THIS POINT?!?!?!
fortheride | February 13 2012 7:34pm
No I made the choice to leave a nonunion shop and go to a UNION SHOP. I had a choice and made it just like you could have
bluecollarmike | February 12 2012 10:21am
YOU HAD TO CHANGE JOBS TO GO FROM UNION TO NON UNION!!! THATS THE POINT!! I DIDNT HAVE THAT CHOICE, IF I WANTED TO KEEP MY JOB IN LAFAYETTE I HAD TO BE PART OF THE UNION. WITH RTW, YOU DONT HAVE TO JOIN A UNION TO KEEP YOUR JOB
fortheride | February 9 2012 7:53pm
I chose to work in a non-union shop for 15 years. Then I dedcided to work in a union shop for 17 years. The same options have been available to all hoosiers. You didnt know that?
bluecollarmike | February 8 2012 9:22pm
Thats funny, I didnt have the RTW when I was forced to join the UAW for 10 years in Lafayette. How did you have the RTW for 30 years?
fortheride | February 8 2012 8:28pm
Bluecollormike. I have had the right to work for 30 years. Right here in Indiana. In fact I have had the right and offers to work in many states. I am sorry you havent been able to figure it out.
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