Tea Party Members and Union Supporters Protest Outside Indiana Lawmakers' Illinois Hotel

Protesters and news media have arrived at the 'secret' hotel hideout of the absentee Democratic lawmakers from Indiana.

At the Comfort Suites Hotel in Urbana, Illinois, dozens of Indiana House Democrats are meeting in a conference room for the third day of their Illinois sojourn.

Outside the hotel, demonstrators have popped up. A small group of Tea Party members from Champaign are carrying signs asking the wayward lawmakers to go home.

"We were contacted by some fellow Tea Party folks in Indiana to come out," organizer Fred Barham says.

And Barham apparently didn't need much encouragement.

"These people in [the hotel] are paid to do their job, not hang out in Urbana," says Barham.

Despite the fact that most of the Tea Party folks are senior citizens, local police were called to move the picketers away from hotel property and direct them to the sidewalk.

A larger group of demonstrators is backing the Indiana House members carrying signs reading, "Illinois Supports Indiana Unions".

Democratic House Minority Leader Pat Bauer is set to take questions from reporters Thursday afternoon.

One of the absent Indiana House Democrats, Charlie Brown of Gary, says there is an effort underway to get the two wayward caucus delegations -- Indiana Democrats here in Urbana, and the Wisconsin Senate Democrats -- together for a meeting in Illinois.

It's been reported the Wisconsin Senators have camped out in Rockford, Illinois.