If the Republicans can obtain 51 Seante seats through the election, they can refuse to seat Lautenberg on the basis he is an illegal candidate. The Senate has a Constitutional prerogative to determine its own membership. NO court can intervene.
Some may argue that that they only need 50 seats (because the Vice President would break a 50-50 tie), but I recall an arcane Senate rule that requires a majority to organize. Anyway, some RINO could always do something like Jumpin Jim Jeffords did, so the bigger the majority, the better.
Some may argue that that they only need 50 seats (because the Vice President would break a 50-50 tie), but I recall an arcane Senate rule that requires a majority to organize. Anyway, some RINO could always do something like Jumpin Jim Jeffords did, so the bigger the majority, the better.
Somebody tell that to EL Diablo D'Asshole Hussein; there isn't 51 declared DemonRAT Senators, and the VP ain't Albert Benedict Arnold Alpha Algore Jr. anymore
Seriously, there's one slight problem; if the Pubbies toss out Lautenberg, the governor is a fellow RAT and will simply keep on trying to fill that seat with RATs until either the Pubbies relent or January 3, 2005. That'll be a REAL political mess.
In any event, in your scenario, we regain the Senate regardless whether Lautenberg gains the seat and I could live with that.