Posted on 09/04/2005 7:26:23 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear
I asked a question on a few threads. "Who is in a State Governor's chain of command?" "Who takes over when the Governor cannot or will not perform his or her duties." I know for sure that it is NOT the President of the United States.
I joined the Air Force a looong time ago. I quickly learned I have a Chain of Command. If my immediate rater is gone (planned or not) or if my rater drops the ball I am required to pick up the slack. I may be mistaken but I think the civilian world works in a similiar way.
Also; Mrs Bear told me to stay polite. I think I did but apologies all around if I am too blunt. It's just the way I am.
God Bless You All!
lt. governor? senator?
Welcome to Free Republic and thank you for your service to our country.
You don't have to worry about being polite around here but you better damn well be accurate. If you are not logical, well resoned, and don't have a good handle on the facts........God help you.
Again, thanks for joining the Armed Service. You will talk to a hell of a lot of vererans on this site.
Freespectfully,
PresidentFelon
My sympathy with you Grissled Bear. My wife keeps telling me to calm down and not be so vocal. More power to you.
The Lt. Governor.
In short, there are 50 answers to that question. Unless you're talking about the oddity that is DC, the Governor is the chief executive of their state and the Commander-in-Chief of that state's National Guard. There isn't a higher authority in the state. Now the answer to who takes over when the Governor turns into a quivering, ineffective pile of mush depends on the Constitution of that state -- the provisions of which will differ in each of the 50 states. That's one of the great thing about this republic of ours...
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, "
Chain of command extends to the consent of the governed, and when consent is broken through dereliction of duty alteration is required.
Thanks for the Welcome.
No sympathy necessary. Mrs Bear keeps me out of trouble. I was very lucky to find her.
The state senate or state legislature would have a "speaker of the house" who would likely assume the governor's duties once that responsibility had been vacated by the Lt. governor, then the state's attorney general, maybe then the assistant attorney general, then to the speaker of the state house.
Don't bet the farm on my knowledge, even the farm that you might not own. :)
Here's the official answer (sort of) from the Louisiana Constitution. Doesn't really say who the next in line is (at least not that I've found yet).
ARTICLE IV - EXECUTIVE BRANCH
§18. Determination of Inability of Statewide Elected Official
Section 18.(A) Declaration and Counter-Declaration. When a majority of the statewide elected officials determine that any other such official is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, they shall transmit a written declaration to this effect to the presiding officer of each house and to the official, and shall file a copy of the declaration in the office of the secretary of state. Thereafter, the constitutional successor shall assume the office as acting official unless, within forty-eight hours after the declaration is filed in the office of the secretary of state, the elected official files in that office and transmits to the presiding officer of each house his written counter-declaration of his ability to exercise the powers and perform the duties of his office.
(B) Determination by the Legislature. The legislature shall convene at noon on the third calendar day after the filing of any counter-declaration, which may be filed by the official at any time. Should two-thirds of the elected members of each house fail to adopt a resolution within seventy-two hours declaring probable justification for the determination that inability exists, the official shall continue in or resume office.
(C) Assumption of Office by Constitutional Successor. If two-thirds of the elected members of each house adopt a resolution declaring that probable justification exists for the declaration of inability, the constitutional successor shall assume the powers and duties of the office and a copy of the resolution shall be transmitted forthwith to the supreme court.
(D) Determination by Supreme Court. By preference and with priority over all other matters, the supreme court shall determine the issue of inability after due notice and hearing, by a majority vote of members elected to the court, under such rules as it may adopt.
(E) Reconsideration by Supreme Court. A judgment of the supreme court affirming inability may be reconsidered by the court, after due notice and hearing, either upon its own motion or upon the application of the official. Upon proper showing and by majority vote of its elected members, the court may determine that no inability then exists, whereupon the official shall immediately resume the powers and duties of his office.
FOTFLOL! Shame on me for my oversight. TOO FUNNY!
There is a chain of succession for the Pres of the US. Beyond that things get kind of murky. As for accountability, there is next to none except for possible reelection or not.
Maybe we should look to the bus-thief. He, at least, did not sit on his butt waiting for big-brother.
Here it is. Not a surprise...it's the Lieutenant Governor -- in this case Mitch Landrieu (brother of the current U.S. Senator and son of the former mayor of New Orleans).
§14. Vacancy in Office of Governor
Section 14. When a vacancy occurs in the office of governor, the order of succession shall be (1) the elected lieutenant governor, (2) the elected secretary of state, (3) the elected attorney general, (4) the elected treasurer, (5) the presiding officer of the Senate, (6) the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, and then (7) as provided by law. The successor shall serve the remainder of the term for which the governor was elected.
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