Ailing Kennedy seeks to have seat filled quickly, if needed, as Congress eyes health overhaul
August 21, 2009 by STEVE LeBLANC
Kennedy asked Massachusetts lawmakers to change state law to give Gov. Deval Patrick, a fellow Democrat and supporter of President Barack Obama, the ability to appoint an interim replacement to Kennedy's seat should Kennedy be unable to continue serving.
Under state law, an election is required within 145-160 days after a Senate seat becomes vacant. That would temporarily leave Massachusetts without a voice in the Senate — and Senate Democrats potentially one vote short on any health care overhaul legislation.
What this story doesn't say is that Kennedy is now trying to change a state law he himself advanced in 2004. Kennedy is trying to change laws back and forth whenever politically expedient.
Special election bill gets new life
June 11, 2004 by Frank Phillips
Prodded by a personal appeal from Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democratic legislative leaders have agreed to take up a stalled bill creating a special election process to replace US Senator John F. Kerry if he wins the presidency.
House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran and Senate President Robert E. Travaglini yesterday gave the green light to the joint Committee on Election Laws to hold a hearing on Tuesday, the first leg in what is expected to be swift and certain passage of the legislation.
National Democrats want the change to prevent Governor Mitt Romney from filling Kerry's seat with a Republican, but the bill had been stalled as Finneran and Travaglini weighed whether to take it up. According to legislative officials, both men were concerned about the potential backlash to what Republicans charge would be a blatant partisan power grab. The two are sensitive to such charges as Romney mounts a well-funded campaign to field Republican candidates this year to challenge incumbent Democrats in the state Legislature.
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