Last week, Kennedy asked Massachusetts leaders to change state law to give Patrick the power to appoint an interim replacement to Kennedy's seat should Kennedy 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 wrote in a letter to Patrick.
Lawmakers are weighing a bill now that honors Kennedy's request. Lawmakers are expected to hold a public hearing next month on the proposal, moving up the consideration date from October, and allowing legislation to be passed and signed into law before the deadline for a special election.
But a change in the law isn't a sure bet. Senate President Therese Murray and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, all Democrats, have stayed mum on whether they would support the change.
But Patrick told a local radio station Wednesday that he believes the proposal was "entirely reasonable" and said he would sign the bill if it reached his desk.
The state last changed its succession law in 2004 to require the special election. Before that the governor was allowed to name a successor. At the time, Democrats were worried that then-Republican Gov. Mitt Romney would be able to fill any vacancy created if Democratic Sen. John Kerry was elected president.
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7 years ago
2 comments:
While it was probably stupid for them to have changed the laws back in 2004 to take away the Governor's right to appoint that seat, there is nothing wrong with wanting to keep the seat filled and their state at full representation.
Besides, the chances of a Republican winning that seat are slim to none, so its not like they are clawing to keep it in Dem hands, its more of a soft paw.
A purported deep concern about having their seat filled and their state at full representation is ironic in light of Kennedy's absence and poor attendance, not to mention Kerry's absence-as-candidate for so long.
But their "clawing" is more in their fight against principle or intellectual integrity. I guess it's not really a Rule of Law issue since it appears relatively easy to change the law, but . . .
But, like most things political, state-wide politics in Massachusetts aren't beyond a pendulum swing, e.g., Romney was very recently governor.
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