Feeding Frenzy

[Chicopee John]

Gov. would OK law change for Kennedy successor

 

 

BOSTON – Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said Wednesday he would support changing state law to allow him to appoint an interim successor to Sen. Edward Kennedy's seat while a special election is held.

 

Unlike most states, a successor to a vacant U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts is chosen by special election, not appointed by the governor. [Note from Chicopee John: Kennedy was the one that prodded State Legislators to change the law to this in the first place. He was worried about a Republican Governor -then Mitt Romney would replace John Kerry - assuming he won the presidency - with a Republican].

 

In a recent letter to lawmakers, Kennedy, who died Tuesday night, said the law should be changed to allow the governor to appoint someone to serve in the Senate during the course of the election — provided that person pledge not to run for the seat.

 

In radio interviews Wednesday morning, Patrick called the idea "entirely reasonable" and told WBUR-FM that he would sign the bill if it reached his desk.

 

"Massachusetts needs two voices" in the Senate, Patrick said. [Note from Chicopee John: Kennedy missed 97% of votes this session - nobody was worried about 'two voices' then].

 

Although Massachusetts is dominated by Democrats, a change in the law isn't a sure thing.

 

Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, both Democrats, issued statements of condolence early Wednesday, but neither has expressed support for giving the governor the power to name an interim successor. Republicans in both chambers, who hold about 10 percent of legislative seats in Massachusetts, oppose the idea.

 

Without the change, Senate Democrats could potentially fall one vote short on any health care overhaul legislation, were such a bill brought up before the special election. Health care had been Kennedy's core issue for decades.

 

Democrats hold a potentially filibuster-proof margin in the Senate, but some moderate Democrats have been wavering. Another Democrat, Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, has been seriously ill and often absent.

 

Any change in state law is not likely to happen immediately. Lawmakers are not expected to return to formal sessions until after Labor Day.

 

State law requires a special election for the seat no sooner than 145 days and no later than 160 days after a vacancy occurs. The law bans an interim appointee.

 

The clock for a special election is triggered either on the date of a resignation or the incumbent's death. It's up to the governor to pick the exact date of the election. [Note from Chicopee John: if he was so worried, why didn't Kennedy resign '145 days ago]?

 

Any race to succeed Kennedy would be crowded and fiercely fought.

 

Despite speculation that Kennedy's wife, Vicki, could assume his Senate seat, family aides have said she is not interested in replacing her husband either temporarily or permanently. One of Kennedy's nephews, former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, has also been described as interested.

 

Other potential Democratic candidates include state Attorney General Martha Coakley, U.S. Reps. Stephen Lynch, Michael Capuano, Edward Markey, James McGovern and William Delahunt, and former Rep. Martin Meehan, now chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

 

On the Republican side, potential candidates include Cape Cod businessman Jeff Beatty, former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, state Sen. Scott Brown and Chris Egan, former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Cooperation and Development.

 

The succession law was changed in 2004, when Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., became his party's presidential nominee and Republican Mitt Romney was the state's governor. Before the change, the governor would have appointed a replacement to serve until the next general election.

 

That would have created the opportunity for Romney to install a fellow Republican in office, a move that Democrats who control the state legislature sought to prevent.

 

Last week, Kennedy asked Massachusetts lawmakers to change state law to give Patrick, a fellow supporter of President Barack Obama and a backer of Obama's health care overhaul, the ability to appoint an interim replacement should he be unable to continue serving.

 

"It is vital for this Commonwealth to have two voices speaking for the needs of its citizens and two votes in the Senate during the approximately five months between a vacancy and an election," Kennedy said in a letter to Patrick. [Note from Chicopee John: two voices?? He missed 97% of the votes this session].

 

 

 

[Note from Chicopee John: IMHO, Kennedy looked at this position as HIS AND HIS FAMILIES and felt that it was their entitlement to direct where his Senate seat went].

 

 

 

[DieHardBrownsFan]

Gov. would OK law change for Kennedy successor

 

 

BOSTON – Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said Wednesday he would support changing state law to allow him to appoint an interim successor to Sen. Edward Kennedy's seat while a special election is held.

 

Unlike most states, a successor to a vacant U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts is chosen by special election, not appointed by the governor. [Note from Chicopee John: Kennedy was the one that prodded State Legislators to change the law to this in the first place. He was worried about a Republican Governor -then Mitt Romney would replace John Kerry - assuming he won the presidency - with a Republican].

 

In a recent letter to lawmakers, Kennedy, who died Tuesday night, said the law should be changed to allow the governor to appoint someone to serve in the Senate during the course of the election — provided that person pledge not to run for the seat.

 

In radio interviews Wednesday morning, Patrick called the idea "entirely reasonable" and told WBUR-FM that he would sign the bill if it reached his desk.

 

"Massachusetts needs two voices" in the Senate, Patrick said. [Note from Chicopee John: Kennedy missed 97% of votes this session - nobody was worried about 'two voices' then].

 

Although Massachusetts is dominated by Democrats, a change in the law isn't a sure thing.

 

Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, both Democrats, issued statements of condolence early Wednesday, but neither has expressed support for giving the governor the power to name an interim successor. Republicans in both chambers, who hold about 10 percent of legislative seats in Massachusetts, oppose the idea.

 

Without the change, Senate Democrats could potentially fall one vote short on any health care overhaul legislation, were such a bill brought up before the special election. Health care had been Kennedy's core issue for decades.

 

Democrats hold a potentially filibuster-proof margin in the Senate, but some moderate Democrats have been wavering. Another Democrat, Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia, has been seriously ill and often absent.

 

Any change in state law is not likely to happen immediately. Lawmakers are not expected to return to formal sessions until after Labor Day.

 

State law requires a special election for the seat no sooner than 145 days and no later than 160 days after a vacancy occurs. The law bans an interim appointee.

 

The clock for a special election is triggered either on the date of a resignation or the incumbent's death. It's up to the governor to pick the exact date of the election. [Note from Chicopee John: if he was so worried, why didn't Kennedy resign '145 days ago]?

 

Any race to succeed Kennedy would be crowded and fiercely fought.

 

Despite speculation that Kennedy's wife, Vicki, could assume his Senate seat, family aides have said she is not interested in replacing her husband either temporarily or permanently. One of Kennedy's nephews, former Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy II, has also been described as interested.

 

Other potential Democratic candidates include state Attorney General Martha Coakley, U.S. Reps. Stephen Lynch, Michael Capuano, Edward Markey, James McGovern and William Delahunt, and former Rep. Martin Meehan, now chancellor of the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

 

On the Republican side, potential candidates include Cape Cod businessman Jeff Beatty, former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, state Sen. Scott Brown and Chris Egan, former U.S. ambassador to the Organization for Cooperation and Development.

 

The succession law was changed in 2004, when Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., became his party's presidential nominee and Republican Mitt Romney was the state's governor. Before the change, the governor would have appointed a replacement to serve until the next general election.

 

That would have created the opportunity for Romney to install a fellow Republican in office, a move that Democrats who control the state legislature sought to prevent.

 

Last week, Kennedy asked Massachusetts lawmakers to change state law to give Patrick, a fellow supporter of President Barack Obama and a backer of Obama's health care overhaul, the ability to appoint an interim replacement should he be unable to continue serving.

 

"It is vital for this Commonwealth to have two voices speaking for the needs of its citizens and two votes in the Senate during the approximately five months between a vacancy and an election," Kennedy said in a letter to Patrick. [Note from Chicopee John: two voices?? He missed 97% of the votes this session].

 

 

 

[Note from Chicopee John: IMHO, Kennedy looked at this position as HIS AND HIS FAMILIES and felt that it was their entitlement to direct where his Senate seat went].

 

Screw him. The Kennedy's have died out. Long live the Kennedy's. Now lets get a good Senator in there who isn't supported by vast wealth and the Kennedy name (like that will ever happen ). I liked John and Bob, even though they were over rated IMO. But Ted has been a PR nightmare for the Kennedy family since his Vehicular Manslaughter of Mary Jo.

[Mr. T]

Ted kennedy could be used as a good reason why we need term limits in the senate.

 

 

[choco]

i wonder why they need that one vote?

[Mr. T]

The same reason the dems will be naming a bill after him.

 

Oh brother I can here them now, "Its the compassionate thing to do in honoring dead Ted."

 

 

Naming a Healthcare Bill After Ted Kennedy is Like Naming a Marina After Scott Peterson

[calfoxwc]

If that isn't one of the most legit examples of the left's

 

hypocrisy, it must rank way high on the list.

 

Ted Kennedy, drowner of Mary Jo, MADE that law.

 

But now, out of political expediency, he wants to reverse it?

 

Ted Kennedy was always a DISGRACE to the memory of John and Bobby.