As Wisconsin Republicans voted to plow ahead with a sweeping package of legislation that would allow outgoing Gov. Scott Walker to strip significant authority from Democratic governor-elect Tony Evers, outraged Wisconsinites flooded the state capitol Monday night to denounce the GOP's brazen attempt to subvert the will of the voters and "undo democracy itself."

"This isn't a bill. This is a coup," Randy Bryce—aka the "Iron Stache"—said before Wisconsin's Joint Committee on Finance, which deliberated and ultimately voted along party lines to advance the Republican plan, which seeks to transfer many of Evers' crucial executive powers to the GOP-dominated legislature. A final vote on the plan is expected as early as Tuesday.

Apparently lacking the courage to speak on behalf of their legislation—or fearing the immense grassroots backlash—the bill's Republican sponsors didn't bother to show up to the lame-duck hearing.

Unlike some of their representatives, thousands of Wisconsinites braved the freezing weather and turned out in force, crowding the inside of the capitol building with chants of "Respect our vote!" and rallying outside to denounce the Republicans' last-ditch power grab.