Posted on 09/22/2009 1:10:29 PM PDT by balls
The State Senate on Tuesday approved a bill that would let Gov. Deval Patrick appoint an interim replacement for the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy. The measure won passage in the House of Representatives last week and is expected to land on Mr. Patrick’s desk Wednesday.
The appointee would serve in the United States Senate only until a special election takes place on Jan. 19, but could play a crucial role in the fate of health care legislation making its way through Congress. With Mr. Kennedy’s seat empty, Senate Democrats are not assured the 60 votes required to break Republican filibusters.
Mr. Patrick has refused to discuss potential appointees, but Michael S. Dukakis, the former governor and 1988 presidential nominee, is said to be under consideration. Other possibilities include Paul G. Kirk Jr., a former aide to Mr. Kennedy and chairman of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in Boston; Evelyn Murphy, a former lieutenant governor; and Charles Ogletree, a professor at Harvard Law School. The bill does not prohibit the temporary appointee from seeking Mr. Kennedy’s seat permanently — legislators feared that such a condition would not pass constitutional muster — but Mr. Patrick has said he will ask the appointee to promise not to run in the special election.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Democrats are sleazy. They passed the first bill to keep a GOP governor from making an appointment, now they’re reversing it so a dem governor can make an appointment. It’s about winning, not about doing the right thing to them.
Word has been circulating for awhile now that if this was approved the gov would appoint dukakis as temp senator, another slap in the face to us sane MA residents.
corruption and control !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why would anyone think that a state that can elect Kerry, Kennedy, and Frank do anything less? Massachusetts is a lost cause. Its forefathers’ graves have long since spun away from their graves and transcended to more agreeable locales (for example, Texas).
This must be challenged at the federal level. To use such a law to fill the vacancy left by Ted Kennedy is to make it an ex post facto law. This law should apply only to future vacancies.
I wish I could take credit for this but a caller to the Howie Carr Show just coined the term “Teddymandering” for changing laws to name a senator depending on the party of the Governor.
Damn, I hate Assachewsets
Just Damn!
Let’s not forget Markey and the late Stubs.
In a sane world this would not have happened in the first place. I doubt the federal court system will take the case and if they do by the time it gets heard it will be time for reelection.
Dukakis should ride to DC in the Tank from his insiped ads.
Well then, it looks like it will be ok for Texas Gov. Ricky to appoint Kay Baily's replacment when she quits in May...
That didn’t take them long. Probably Dukakis. Giving him his last hurrah. Hypocrites.
imshockedshockeditellyou.
I know it's sort of quaint to quote the Constitution (Art I, Sec 10 here) but I still cling to it.
ML/NJ
ex post facto law. This law should apply only to future vacancies.
Good Point.
the banana republic of massachusetts.
if you don’t like the law, change it.
the hell with voters.
it’s more important to stay in office rather than care for those you represent.
the kennedy legacy lives on.
Republicans need to take notes.
Why don’t they stop wasting time and pass a bill that requires a democrat in that senate position from now on. Preferably one named kennedy, even if smith or jones must change his or her name to kennedy.
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