Torricelli's dropping out the easy part (legal particulars of Democrats' Torricelli Shuffle)

GANNETT NEWS BUREAU ^ | 10/1/02 | MICHAEL SYMONS

[Liz]

TRENTON -- Replacing Sen. Robert Torricelli on the November ballot won't be simple.

The Democratic State Committee will need permission from the state Supreme Court to substitute another candidate -- yet to be named -- for the fallen incumbent because the election is only five weeks away. Republicans will fight the case vociferously.

[frmrda]

Yeah, and they are no conserverative. And the fact is that the NJ Supreme Court makeup is 4 Dems, 2 Repubs, and 1 independent.

[frmrda]

I would agree w/ you but this is NJ. If this were a "Red" state, or even a competitive "blue" one like Wisconsin or Iowa their strategy would be doomed to failure even if they got a new Dem on the ballot.

But here your are in a heavy Dem state where most don't care how the Dem got on the ballot, they just want to vote for one to get in.

I don't know what the national reprecussions will be.

[Coop]

California with Bill Simon headed for defeat

Oh, please. Gray Davis can't get above the low 40s in the polls, yet everyone here is just wringing their hands that Simon can't win. Gimme a break. Sure, Simon's made mistakes, yet he's still in a position to win. It's that simple.

[Phantom Lord]

A Torch resignation would not have given the GOP control of the senate. It would have been 49-49-1 with Jeffords voting with the dems so they would have had an organizational advantage of 1 vote.

[frmrda]

I'll have to read up on that.

[Go Gordon]

It doesn't matter if he resigns. The election will go forward. Federal law trumps state law, and senator seats are elected every 6th year, and this seat is due for election in November 2002.

[RedWing9]

Yeah, and they are no conserverative. And the fact is that the NJ Supreme Court makeup is 4 Dems, 2 Repubs, and 1 independent

So, this is the Dem's way of getting back for their deranged thinking that the Supreme Court robbed them in 2000....

[frmrda]

He was not a judge on the Supreme Court. He was on the trial level, and I think, on the mid-level appeals court, but NOT on the Supreme Court. I've met him . He's a great guy, very engaging.

[Puddleglum]

I wonder if they're already polled the court in secret, you know, made sure they had it stacked in their favor, a la Gore in Flori-duh?

The Republicans need to repeat over and over that this is spoiled sport, Al Gore redux. They also need to ask current Dem senators and candidates their opinion on this mess and use it against those senators and candidates in the fall if they defend it, or use their opinion against the NJ dems if they criticize it.

[alnick]

I'm not disagreeing with you either. If the democrats have a choice between an honorable way to do this and an illegal way, they will choose whichever is most favorable to them rather than be swayed by the idea of doing the right thing.

[frmrda]

Ain't that the truth.

[frmrda]

I wonder what the Dems would be saying if, assuming the laws were the same, Simon tried to do this and put Riordan on the ballot?

[Coop]

Why would Simon be foolish enough to do such a thing? He's in a much better position to win than the Torch.

[MamaLucci]

Doesn't Cheney have the tie breaking vote in the Senate?

[frmrda]

I agree w/ you. I just think it would be interesting to see what the Dem response would be.

[TC Rider]

"New Jersey voters would be deprived of the opportunity to make a choice between the two major political parties, an opportunity which is paramount under our election laws," says the lawsuit. "The public interest, and our two-party system, will be best served by permitting (the Democratic Party) to fill the vacancy that has been created."

They seem to have no problem denying Dem voters the chance to actually pick their dem candidate. Last I heard the dims picked the Torch. The party knew he was crooked, the Senate knew he was crooked and the people knew he was crooked.

Now they have to live with their choices.

No do-overs.