Robert Byrd, Longest-Serving U.S. Senator, Dies at 92

Fox News ^ | 6/28/10 | Staff

[careyb]

Robert Byrd, Longest-Serving U.S. Senator, Dies at 92

Published June 28, 2010

| FOXNews.com

Reuters

Feb. 2009: Sen. Robert Byrd doffs his hat for reporters as he arrives at the Capitol in Washington.

Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, the longest-serving senator in American history, died Monday at the age of 92, a spokesman for the family said.

Byrd, a Democrat who served in the U.S. Senate since 1959, had been plagued by health problems in recent years and was confined to a wheelchair. He had skipped several votes in Congress in the past months. 

Jesse Jacobs, a family spokesman, said Byrd died peacefully at about 3 a.m. at Inova Hospital in Fairfax, Va.

He was the oldest member of the 111th Congress.

The passing of Sen. Byrd will not affect the balance of power in the Senate. West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, a Democrat, will appoint a replacement senator to serve out the remainder of Byrd's term which ends in 2012.

[stevie_d_64]

“I say there ole Teddy...It’s damn hot here!!!”

[Palmetto Patriot]

If the Governor names a replacement before July 3, 2010, then his replacement must go through the primary process and stand for election. If the Governor waits until after July 3, his successor finishes out the term.

So Byrd is not dead until Joe Manchin says he's dead?

[stevie_d_64]

That guy in the center of the first row...Look at his hands...

The scene in Blazing Saddles comes to mind...

[Gondring]

For ease of reading, Yossarian reformatted it thus:

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Here's a reformatted version, redone in pseudo-code style:

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WEST VIRGINIA CODE
§3-10-3. Vacancies in offices of state officials, United States senators and judges.

Any vacancy
   occurring in the office of
      secretary of state,
      auditor,
      treasurer,
      attorney general,
      commissioner of agriculture,
      United States senator,
      judge of the supreme court of appeals
   or
       in any office
          created or made elective
            to be filled by
               the voters of the entire state,
               judge of a circuit court or
               judge of a family court
is filled by
   the governor of the state by appointment.


If
   the unexpired term of
      a judge of the supreme court of appeals,
      a judge of the circuit court or
      judge of a family court
   is for
      less than two years
or if
   the unexpired term of
      any other office named in this section
   is for a period of
      less than two years and six months,
the appointment to fill the vacancy is for
   the unexpired term.


If
   the unexpired term of
      any office
   is for
      a longer period than above specified,
the appointment is until
   a successor to the office
      has timely filed a certificate of candidacy,
      has been nominated at
         the primary election next following such timely filing
      and
      has thereafter been elected and qualified to fill the unexpired term.


Proclamation of
   any election to fill an unexpired term
is made by
   the governor of the state
and,
   in the case of
      an office to be filled by the voters of the entire state,
   must be
      published prior to the election as a
         Class II-0 legal advertisement
            in compliance with
               the provisions of article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code
            and
            the publication area for the publication is
               each county of the state.


If
   the election is to fill a vacancy in the office of
      judge of a circuit court
      or
      judge of a family court,
the proclamation must be
   published
      prior to the election as a
         Class II-0 legal advertisement
      in compliance with the provisions of
         article three, chapter fifty-nine of this code
      and
      the publication area for such publication is
         each county in the judicial or family court circuit.

Note: Code updated with legislation passed through the 2009 4th Extraordinary Session

[theDentist]

Prayers for his family.

[Kieri]

Years ago I sent a letter to Mr. Byrd’s office thanking him for his DOMA defense on the senate floor. I’m not one of his constituents (I live in MI) but I received a very nice, personal letter back and a copy of the congressional notes in which his speech was published.

RIP Senator. We may have disagreed, but I’ll definitely say a prayer for your family.

[NonValueAdded]

The passing of Sen. Byrd will not affect the balance of power in the Senate. West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, a Democrat, will appoint a replacement senator to serve out the remainder of Byrd's term which ends in 2012.

Ah, but will the gov throw coal under the bus or appoint someone who knows cap and tax is a losing proposition for his impoverished state? Will there be a popular uprising to guide his decision?

[cmj328]

Not good for the little babies he intended to kill had he lived. Now his replacement will kill them.

May his soul be snatched from Hellfire and delivered to eternal happiness with God and the good angels and saints in Heaven.

[Theodore R.]

I was under the impression that an appointed senator cannot serve more than twenty-four months. This would otherwise have required an election this November for a two-year term.

[taildragger]

Byron York is on Bill Bennett as I type this.

He just said the 2.5 yr threshold was not met, (July 3rd) so the Gov has to have a special election.

Wow....

[Gondring]

I don't know why we say RIP for those we know are headed the other way because in life they flaunted God's rules in His face.

I'm confused. Since only God knows where a person is heading, you're implying FReepers are God, knowing what to type. But would God use "flaunted" where "flouted" is the appropriate word?

Monday-morning puzzle necessitates coffee.

I'm not God...so RIP, Sen. Byrd. I appreciated your love of country and the states; even if you were often misguided you were better than your America-hating colleagues.

[WashingtonSource]

I read it as “the unexpired term” of the candidate who is no longer in office or, as in this case, dead. So, how does it matter when an appointment is made, if the candidate died more than 2 years and 6 months before the end of the unexpired term?

[Gondring]

Clue: Mary Jo isn’t there.

And you know this how?

[StopObama2012]

It’s ironic. Byrd hated blacks, Omoslem hates whites.

The more Democrats change, the more they stay the same.

[onemiddleamerican]

Will there be a KKK Color Guard at the services?

[NewJerseyJoe]

> Is Lautenberg next?

We don't have that kind of luck in New Jersey...

[Michael Barnes]

[reagan_fanatic]

Tradition has it that you’re not supposed to speak ill of the recently deceased, so...

He DID have a nice head of hair.

[Brandonmark]

West Virginia's 'centrist' governor readies for national role

[Theodore R.]

It’s almost like his death came just at the time needed to guarantee perpetual Democratic control of the seat, to the relief of him and his fervent WV backers.