Johnson Pledges To Halt Senate Debt Talks

The Huffington Post reports:

Freshman Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) declared that as long as the debt ceiling negotiations are held behind closed doors, he will block all unanimous consent calls, effectively putting a stop on Senate business Tuesday in a one-man filibuster.

Johnson criticized the move to "decide the fate of America's ... financial future" in private.

"Unless we receive some assurance from the Democrat leadership that we will actually start addressing our budget out in the open, in the bright light of day -- I will begin to object," Johnson said on the Senate floor. "I will begin to withhold my consent."

When there was a request to relinquish a quorum call, Johnson objected, bringing several senators, including Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and aides of Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) over to discuss procedural moves.