Republicans boycott Senate as cap and trade heads to floor vote

With one final contentious committee stop Monday morning, cap and trade moved to the Senate floor, but the Republican leader said his caucus would boycott. Sen. Herman Baertschiger accused Democrats of holding a “rigged” vote, as Senate President Peter Courtney joined the Ways and Means Committee to support Senate Bill 1530 — but Senate Democrats had enough votes to advance the bill even without Courtney's. “Sen. Courtney’s actions leave no other option for Senate Republicans but to…