Posted on 12/01/2009 2:35:12 PM PST by Clintonfatigued
Get ready for more appointment drama, because Democrats in New Jersey want to strip Gov.-elect Chris Christie (R) of the right to appoint a Republican to a Senate vacancy.
The proposal is significant because 85-year-old Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) has five years left in his term (not to mention the fact that he has already retired once). Those close to Lautenberg insist he's as driven and vibrant as ever, but Democrats are privately worried it could put them in a situation where Christie would fill a vacancy with a member of the GOP.
State assembly Majority Whip John McKeon (D) cited the recent death of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) in introducing the bill. Readers will recall the fiasco that ensued when that state's lawmakers changed their governor's appointment powers after Kennedy's death.
The battle in New Jersey could be even more pitched, since a Senate race there seems likely to be competitive. In Massachusetts, Republicans were simply trying to prevent a temporary appointee.
The bill being proposed in the Garden State would force Christie to appoint a member of the same party as the departing officeholder.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
The government in NJ is about to be flooded with angry phone calls. These idiots still do not comprehend what has happened to them.
If the GOP would ever learn to play hardball, they'd approve the bill. Then they'd have their guy switch parties, get appointed and switch back. When the DEMs squawked, tell em to go to Hell.
This is the same group of criminals that brought us the unelected Che Menendez and the appointed cadaver Lautenberg.
This is so typical of the ‘Rat Party.
LOL. Gallows humor, friend. They get it. They don’t care.
What kind of sh!t-hole jurisdiction would take this kind of nonsense seriously?
“appoint a member of the same party as the departing officeholder”
that was my first thought too. Just register a new party affiliation with DMV and the next day you are officially a Dem.
Say hello to Senator Lonegan!
still, NJ GOP should fight this tooth and nail and make it a public example of the DEM arrogance.
Why is the NJ legislature allowed to meet in a lame duck session? In Texas we only allow the legislature to meet in a 140 day session every other year. Any special sessions must be called by the governor, and they can only last for up to 30 days each. It’s dangerous to let the politicians stay in permanent session.
Hey, Governor Christie!
Check my registration, Dude!
I’m a Democrat!
“In Massachusetts, Republicans were simply trying to prevent a temporary appointee.”
Just a reminder, that when Romney was governor, the Dems in the Mass legislature made the original change to the rules to prevent him from appointing a replacement for Kerry. So this isn’t the “Republicans...trying to prevent a temporary appointee” as though they were being spiteful, this was republicans following the Democrat’s rules (and the Dems screaming bloody murder and changing the rules back when they discovered that it had bit them in the ass).
I am so sick of the ba-da-bing politics in N’Joisey.
Don’t take Scott Garrett away from NJ-5! We like him where he is!
Why can’t the Gov veto the bill?
Wouldn’t work like that. The Democrat would have to be “approved” by the party central committee as legit. Otherwise that sort of shenanigans could be pulled. They have that in Wyoming. The Dem Governor had to pick from 3 approved GOP choices when Craig Thomas died (John Barasso).
Corzine is still the Gov. The Dems in NJ have been notoriously for pulling loser stunts between the November election and January swearing-in of the new administration (when the GOP wins).
Pure Machiavellian Genius!
It would be Cozine vetoing....
If they have a special lame-duck session, Jon Corzine won’t veto it.
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