Senator Lott is NOT in Line of Sccession to President!

Legal Information Institute -- U.S. Code Title 3, Chapter 1, Sec. 19 ^ | 12/15/2002 | Dr. No

[DrNo]

I keep hearing the "talking heads" arguing that Senator Lott must be removed because he is in the line of succession to the presidency.

I've checked the law and this is NOT true.

As Chapter 1, Sec. 19 of the US Code indicates, after the Vice President, the sequence is: Speaker of the House of Representative, President pro tempore of the Senate, and then on to the cabinet, starting with the Secretary of State.

The Senate Majority Leader is nowhere in the sequence. Ironically, though, when Strom Thrurmond was President pro tempore of the Senate, he WAS in the line of succession!!

[DrNo]

I'm no lawyer but....

[anniegetyourgun]

The scarier part is that Sen. Byrd is in that line.....

[savedbygrace]

Which talking heads have said that?

[NonZeroSum]

Lieberman said it on This Week this morning.

[mwyounce]

I don't remember who said it, but I heard it said last week.

Just trying to remember... I think Shep Smith may have said it when he was talking to Sean Hannity before Hannity interviewed Lott the other day...

[fqued]

You may be no lawyer, but you are correct. The constitution provides for the succession of the vice president to the presidency, and specifically allows for congress to designate the line of succession after that. The statute lays out the succession down to about the fifteenth place. Interestingly enough, after the President, VP, Speaker of the House, and President Pro Tem, NONE OF THE REST are elected officials.

[TexRef]

president pro tempore - A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.

[Sabertooth]

Did you mean "secession?"

"O, I wish I was in the land of cotton..."

[jonsie]

I researched this the other day. I know Bryd is President Pro Tempore now, but now that Helms and Thurmond are gone, who is the republican senator that has been there the longest and who will be the next President Pro Tem when the republicans become the majority?

[Alissa]

If Lieberman said that, then he's too stupid for leadership. Someone needs to keep that tape - that needs to come back to haunt him.

[evolved_rage]

On FNC, I just heard Julian Bond fearmongering about Lott and succession only to be rebutted by Arlin Spector that Sen. Byrd, formerly in the KKK, is a few heartbeats from the presidency. Julian pursed his lips tightly. But Spector brought up Byrd'd old KKK membership. heheheheh. Bond is just another lying poverty pimp.

[Verginius Rufus]

I think it will be Pete Domenici (NM), who has been there since 1973, followed by Richard Lugar (IN) and Orrin Hatch (UT), both there since 1977. Ted Stevens of Alaska had been there since 1968 but if I'm not mistaken he is the one who just resigned to become governor. Jesse Helms became a senator in 1973.

[88keys]

Facts are lovely things!! As for this...

"O, I wish I was in the land of cotton..."

well, you are just too bad, Sabre, and cut it out, seriesly!! ;)

[jonsie]

Thanks. I remember voting my first time in North Carolina and it was for Jesse Helms.

[deport]

Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska will be the one named or should be as he is senior Republican Senator....

[Charles Henrickson]

"Constitution? We don't need no stinkin' Constitution!"