SPRINGFIELD | Mixing policy complaints with unusually harsh political and personal criticism, Senate Democrats on Wednesday stalled an effort to let voters weigh in this fall about recalling state lawmakers and top officials.

Senate President Emil Jones and most of his leadership team blasted the recall effort, targeted at Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and those pushing it.

Sen. Donne Trotter, a Jones ally, then decided to delay a committee vote on the recall measure, saying it needed improvement.

The bill's backers and Republicans promised to take their fight to the Senate floor. The proposed constitutional amendment wouldn't make the ballot if the Senate didn't act on it Wednesday, they said.

"Justice delayed is justice denied," said Rep. Jack Franks, the Woodstock Democrat pushing the idea who called the delay a "travesty."

Senate Democrats insisted they weren't trying to kill the measure and defended their stance.

"Too often we bend because of perception," Trotter said.

The raucous committee hearing showed again the flaring tensions between Democrats in the House and Senate.

Franks and Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn have made an increasingly public push for voters to weigh in on recall, an option that 18 other states have to boot out constitutional officers and lawmakers. The House, which has feuded with the governor for about a year, made it clear the measure was targeted at Blagojevich in approving it last week.

From the start, the legislation's fate was murky in the Senate, where Jones is Blagojevich's ally. Despite Franks' objection, Trotter sponsored the measure. That means he decides how it will advance, or if at all.

Jones and his leaders used the hearing to attack both the idea and its advocates, and a packed gallery gasped several times during shouting matches.

At one point, the Senate president demanded an apology from Quinn, who has toured the state recently urging the Senate not to prevent voters from deciding about recall. Quinn refused.

On the recall idea, Democrats said it could be improved by including all elected officials and judges, not just state officials. Franks and Quinn urged senators to advance the idea Wednesday so it could meet the May 4 deadline to land on the ballot.

Legislators have a weeklong break next week, so if the measure is changed the House might not have time to act on it again.

Jones and his leaders said it was unfair for the House to sit on the idea for months and then give the Senate so little time to consider the measure.