State lawmakers are gone from the Statehouse but a couple of issues remain.  State Senate Democrats are upset that majority Republicans forbid them from videotaping the final budget debate.  They had videotaped only the Democratic speeches throughout the Special Session, or so they say.

Republicans, meantime, are upset with one of their own.  Senator Jean Leising voted against the budget (one of 3 Republicans to do so) but sent a memo to President Pro Tem David Long asking why Senators didn’t get per Diem payments on days during the Special Session when the Senate didn’t convene.  Whether Senators deserve the pay is a point that is unclear in the law.

Absolutely clear is the fact that fellow Senators leaked the memo to make Leising look bad.

Former state Senator and current state Senate candidate Jean Leising raised some eyebrows with an e-mail fundraising solicitation.

It was sent to members of the Republican majority in the state Senate at their government e-mail addresses (sent from her personal address.)  It asks for donations to her campaign which, she says, needs to raise another $20,000.

It concludes with the line, “Thanks for any kind words with lobbyist, etc.” 

So much for that freedom from lobbying influence that Barack Obama talks about so much.