April 21, 2009 - Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images North America
Just five years after changing Massachusetts law to take the power to appoint a senatorial replacement away from then MA Governor Mitt Romney, Massachusetts legislators are now attempting to rewrite the law to give the power back to their chief state executive Deval Patrick (D).
In the election of ’04, Massachusetts legislators feared that Romney would appoint a Republican to replace presidential hopeful John Kerry should he be victorious. To ensure that this wouldn’t happen, they changed MA law to leave the seat vacant until a special election could be held to fill any vacant seat that may arise.
In what can only be characterized as an attempt to ensure that a Democrat fills the seat left vacant by the passing of Ted Kennedy, and a move to assist the White House on the healthcare front, the Massachusetts Dems are abandoning decorum and all ethical standards with this highly partisan political maneuver. It is less than coincidental that they suddenly came to the realization that they made a bad decision during the presidential election of ’04 and now want to correct their error. This is despicable on every level. This is not about protecting the legacy of Ted Kennedy, it is about liberal dems playing political games that they would crucify Republicans for even balking at.
Legislators are furiously working on a bill in both houses that would give the power back to the governor to appoint a “temporary” replacement until the special election is held in January. I’m sure President Obama’s timeline for healthcare reform passage by the end of the year has nothing to do with this at all. Ha. David Axelrod has been all over the place trying to stir up this very action. I’m not sure which party is worse here: MA Dems or the White House.
The state legislature’s leadership said the House could vote on the change as soon as Thursday. The state Senate, also controlled by the Democrats, could pass the bill shortly after, despite Republican plans to create procedural roadblocks. “We’ll do what we can, using existing rules, to slow it down,” said Senate Minority Leader Richard Tisei, a Republican.
Gov. Patrick, who supports the plan, hasn’t said whom he would appoint. However, he has said the interim senator would have to pledge not to run for the seat. A special election Jan. 19 will fill the seat for the remaining two years in Mr. Kennedy’s term. One frequently mentioned name is former governor and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, 75 years old. He didn’t return messages seeking comment.
A spokesman for House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo, a Democrat, said he was speaking to representatives, reinforcing testimony from Sen. Kerry about “the vulnerable position Massachusetts is in with only one voice in the U.S. Senate when so many federal dollars are at stake.” Sen. Kerry, a Democrat, last week testified before legislators in favor of an interim appointment. Before his death, Sen. Kennedy wrote a letter urging legislators to change the state’s law to allow an appointment to fill the seat.
see also: White House wants speedy replacement for Kennedy
