You have to admire the chutzpa of Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy… In 2004 when it seemed John Kerry would win the presidential election he urged the Massachusetts legislature to change the state’s succession law to require a special election. Kennedy pushed for that change for purely partisan reasons, he didn’t want the then Republican Governor, Mitt Romney, to appoint… gasp… a Republican to fill John Kerry’s seat in the Senate.
Now that there’s democratic governor Kennedy wants the law changed again for purely partisan reasons:
Senator Ted Kennedy, who is gravely ill with brain cancer, has sent a letter to Massachusetts lawmakers requesting a change in the state law that determines how his Senate seat would be filled if it became vacant before his eighth full term ends in 2012. Current law mandates that a special election be held at least 145 days after the seat becomes available. Mr. Kennedy is concerned that such a delay could leave his fellow Democrats in the Senate one vote short of a filibuster-proof majority for months while a special election takes place.
“I therefore am writing to urge you to work together to amend the law through the normal legislative process to provide for a temporary gubernatorial appointment until the special election occurs,” writes the Senator.
Democrats dominate the Massachusetts legislature so they could easily grant Sen. Kennedy’s wish… The only question is do they have the chutzpa to be as transparently partisan as the state’s senior senator?
[…] Ted Kennedy: Hey Lets Change Elections Rules… Again […]