he New Jersey Supreme Court intervened today in the political wrangling over whether Democrats can name a replacement for Senator Robert G. Torricelli on the Nov. 5 ballot, saying that it will hear arguments in the case on Wednesday.Posted on 10/01/2002 1:56:34 PM PDT by Ed_NYC
he New Jersey Supreme Court intervened today in the political wrangling over whether Democrats can name a replacement for Senator Robert G. Torricelli on the Nov. 5 ballot, saying that it will hear arguments in the case on Wednesday.
Lawyers for the New Jersey State Democratic Party had filed a motion in Middlesex County Superior Court this morning in an attempt to remove Mr. Torricelli's name from the ballot and to appoint a replacement. But hours later, the Supreme Court issued an order saying it would hear the case directly instead of waiting for the lower court to act. A hearing set for this afternoon in Middlesex County Superior Court was canceled.
The Democrats had asked the high court to hear the case directly, citing the urgency of the matter. The Supreme Court scheduled a hearing for 10 a.m. Wednesday.
Republicans have said they intend to challenge the Democrats' efforts.
Democrats, meanwhile, spent much of the day scrambling to come up with a challenger to face the Republican candidate, Douglas Forrester, in five weeks. Governor McGreevey said he expected the party leaders to settle on a new candidate by Wednesday at the latest. County party chairman scheduled a meeting for tonight to try to settle on a new senatorial candidate.
One of the leading contenders to fill the Democratic slot, Representative Robert Menendez, removed himself from consideration today, saying that he want to remain in the House and to continue to fight for a Democratic majority. And former Senator Bill Bradley, another potential stand-in who was favored by Democratic leaders in Washington, reportedly rejected the idea, too.
With Mr. Bradley and Mr. Menendez out of the running, some state party leaders said this afternoon that Representative Frank E. Pallone had emerged as a frontrunner.
The congressman met with Governor McGreevey this afternoon.
Mr. Pallone, 50, is in his seventh term in the House of Representatives and is seeking re-election from his 6th District.
Mr. Torricelli's abrupt departure threw the race into chaos, and Democratic leaders even before his public announcement late Monday state party leaders were debating over possible candidates to replace him. Among others who have been mentioned as potential replacements are former Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, who retired in 2000; former Gov. Brendan T. Byrne; and Representatives Robert E. Andrews.
Mr. Lautenberg has said he would "seriously consider serving again if asked."
But Democratic leaders said privately that Mr. Torricelli is adamantly opposed to the party turning to Mr. Lautenberg, who he clashed with frequently when they were together in the Senate.
According to the political handicapping that was going on today, Congressman Andrews may be a long shot because his southern New Jersey-based power base makes him a rival to the northern faction of Democrats, which includes Governor McGreevey, who he challenged for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination last year.
The legal and political maneuvering came a day after Mr. Torricelli announced that he was ending his bid for re-election, acknowledging that his campaign had become overwhelmed by questions about improper gifts he accepted from a contributor.
Under New Jersey law, a political party can replace a statewide nominee on the ballot if the person drops out at least 51 days before the election. As of today, however, only 35 days remain and it would require a court ruling to get a new candidate approved.
Democrats argue that county clerks have "ample opportunity" to replace Mr. Torricelli's name on ballots, and they say that if his name is not withdrawn voters will be confused.
Both parties argued their case through the media today.
"We don't want the political process to be manipulated so badly just because they're behind in the polls," Mr. Forrester said in an interview on WABC-TV in New York City.
Mr. Forrester rejected the notion that his campaign, so far, had consisted mostly of attacks against Mr. Torricelli and said he welcomed the chance to lay out his agenda.
"This means we can talk about the issues," he said.
Governor McGreevey told reporters this morning that placing a new Democratic candidate on the ballot would be the fair way of resolving the issue.
"This would give New Jersey voters the chance to speak," he said. Mr. Torricelli's conduct, which led to a rebuke by the Senate Ethics Committee in July, dominated the campaign, leading Democratic Party leaders in Washington to warn in recent weeks that his election was in danger and that his defeat might cost them control of the Senate.
After a judge made a damaging memorandum from federal investigators public last week, Mr. Torricelli, 51, spent the weekend in strategy meetings with Democrats in New Jersey and Washington, and this afternoon informed the Senate majority leader, Tom Daschle, that he was definite in his decision to withdraw.
"I will not be responsible for the loss of the Democratic majority in the United States Senate," said Mr. Torricelli, whose voice broke several times as he announced his decision at a news conference in the New Jersey State House. "There is just too much at issue."
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This Pallone guy will have a tough time beating Forrester at this late in the game - assuming the SCONJ overturns a statute and allows the switch of 'Rat candidates.
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Are you serious? This would be too delicious.
"This would give New Jersey voters the chance to speak," he said.
No. The Torch taking his beating like a man would have given New Jersey voters the chance to speak.
Now, Forrester gets to win by forfeit. It’s not his fault that his opponent turned out to be a chickenshit afraid of a whupping.
(BTW, I guess the Democrats decide to name their meat/senator substitute Pallone.)
Betcha it is Lautenberg. The candidate needs to be someone that Torricelli hates and who has baadddd blood with Torricelli.
They go with the man the TORCH hates... take that TORCH. here comes Lautenberg the MAN THE TORCH SAID NO TOO.
A vote for Lautenberg is a vote for the MAN THE TORCH HATES. Ain't that neat?
Then a year or two down the line Lautenberg comes down with a bad case of sore toe and has to resign for health reasons. And the governor appoints a rehabilitated and tanned Torch is to take his place.
I may be wrong but this has all the smell of a Deomcrat fix in the morning.
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