The Massachusetts GOP has filed an injunction to block the appointment of Senator Paul Kirk. Kudos to Jennifer Nassour and the Massachusetts GOP for playing a little hard ball. The party leaders listened to the base, something it rarely does, and is fighting this appointment tooth and nail.
The legislative and political maneuvering involving succession has been interesting. A sense of defeatism permeates the state GOP. Furthermore, fighting for an additional ninety days may seem futile to many observers. Patrick will get his appointment; it’s only matter of time.
Without getting into details, legislation becomes effective ninety days after enactment in Massachusetts. There are a couple of ways around this involving “emergency” measures. Obviously, time is of the essence for the Democrats. But there are legal questions involving Patrick’s emergency declaration and enactment. The only issue is whether the state party would muster the will to stand and fight for a three month victory. They have.
This may seem like an insignificant fight to some, but we who fight know that three months is a lifetime during this administration. Time has had the effect of eroding support for a massive health care bill. Delaying the health care vote also has the effect of pushing other insidious legislative items further down the calendar and closer to the 2010 elections.
It’s not much, but it’s a little broken glass, tooth and nail fighting spirit that is much welcomed, especially from the Massachusetts GOP.
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Dan McLaughlin
Neil Stevens
Daniel Horowitz
We have to fight.
Steph C (Diary) Thursday, September 24th at 4:31PM EST (link)And we need to use the tools that we have available. The Dems would use them if it were a reverse situation and they DO want us to play by their rules, don’t they?
“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics
Absolutely, Steph. I wondered if they could file suit.
penguin2 (Diary) Thursday, September 24th at 4:56PM EST (link)As in where is the emergency to enact this legislative action, without waiting the required 90days. I’m glad that there were Republicans to take this on. At least to slow up appointment and reveal the politics of the Dems. Now we need a judge to do the right thing.
Good point; we were playing by the wrong set of rules before, if we now play by their rules, we should win a few games.
Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. – Benjamin Franklin
When Good stands up to Evil, Evil blinks. – Vassar Bushmills
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Activists Taking Action: Unified Patriots
The whole thing seems illegal anway
bk (Diary) Thursday, September 24th at 4:48PM EST (link)When Kennedy died, the law in effect determined what needed to take place. It seems like this bill should apply to any future vacancies. For Patrick to argue that it’s an “emergency” when there is already an election set for January is obviously rubbish. But given the Dems have something like 90% control of the state legislature, the GOP is pretty much powerless. You know Reid will get him sworn in the first second possible. The way the CNN report is written up, Patrick seems to think he’s a Senator even BEFORE he’s sworn in.
Laws don't matter to Dems
harpsichord (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 12:30AM EST (link)I recall when NJ Dem SenatorToricelli withdrew after the deadline for ballot access, the NJ Courts simply declared that he could be replaced by Lautenberg. A similar thing happened in MN, I believe, after Wellstone died.
I admire the spunk, but I bow to the inevitability.
Great way to make their whole stunt mostly moot
Finrod (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 11:29AM EST (link)I’ll be very amused if the court follows the law and rules in favor of MA Republicans in this; Kirk won’t be able to take his seat until December, when the special election is already scheduled for January. Talk about a short-term Senator.
Let’s get down to brass tacks here. How much for the ape?
Kirk will be sworn in this afternoon
bk (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 11:55AM EST (link)Once that happens it’s a moot cause to fight it.
Superior Court Judge Thomas Connolly Ruling On Injunctin To Block Kirk At NOON - Any Moment
Swamp_Yankee (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 12:09PM EST (link)http://www.bostonherald.com/news/politics/view/20090925gop_lawyers_in_court_today_seeking_to_block_senate_pick/srvc=home&position=1
Dont know much about Superior Court Judge Thomas Connolly.
If he grants the injunction this could be fun.
Injunction DENIED
Swamp_Yankee (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 1:05PM EST (link)Oh well. They have sixty. Must focus on turning some Dems.
More ammo for 2010 nt
Xasteius (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 1:10PM EST (link)Don’t leave the party, hijack it back!
The only poll that counts is the one at the ballot box.
I don’t want to be Reagan. I want to be a Chance/Soros hybrid.
Are judges elected or appointed in MA? nt
Achance (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 1:14PM EST (link)In Vino Veritas
Approved By An Elected Committee Then Selected By Governor nt
Swamp_Yankee (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 1:28PM EST (link)nt
Similar to here - "The modern way."
Achance (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 1:50PM EST (link)We have a joint citize-Bar “Judicial Council” that accepts applications and evaluates applicants then makes a recommendations to the Governor, who appoints. Pretty much guarantees liberal but competent judges anyway. Gov. Murkowski tried to go around it or make it give him more choices, but, no surprise, the courts upheld the Council.
‘Course, in typical Republican fashion, the attorney Murkowski was being pushed to appoint was at best minimally competent and a deeply flawed person. Since they couldn’t make him a judge, they first made him the Deputy to the AG, then appointed him Commissioner of Administration, the most powerful ministerial job in the govenment – and my boss. I dealt with his fat, degenerate, horn dog self as long as I could, but when he made a former subordinate of mine his deputy, and technically my boss, for reasons that had nothing to do with her managerial abilities but rather because, to borrow words from an old song, “horizontally speaking, she’s at her very best, I decided July 1, 2006, was a very good day to retire.
In Vino Veritas
Its Tough On Governors
Swamp_Yankee (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 2:33PM EST (link)Most people dont understand the concept and the Governor always gets stuck with the responsibility for the appointment. It was one of the many ways Romney was unfairly trashed. The committee is liberal as the state house and offers up about eight liberal loons to choose from. All the governor can do is pick somebody who is competent and well respected, but there was never a chance he was ever going to pick a conservative. His enemies didnt care. They hung it around his neck.
That's as shocking as Iran having another nuke plant
bk (Diary) Friday, September 25th at 1:38PM EST (link)