from MA State House News (subscription only):
EDITOR'S NOTE: .... In 2004, with Sen. John Kerry in a competitive race for the US presidency, the state Legislature changed its Senate vacancy appointment law to require a special election and remove the possibility that Republican Gov. Mitt Romney would get to name an interim senator. Last year, the Democrat-controlled Legislature, with Patrick now in the Corner Office, again changed the law to give Patrick the appointment authority that they took away under Romney, a move that ended up being moot in terms of the Kerry seat since he lost the election to President Bush.
If Beacon Hill Democrats had left the original vacancy law alone, Patrick would have named an interim successor to Kennedy following his death and the election of a
permanent successor would have occurred in November 2010, rather than next week. The winner of next week’s election will hold the office until it’s on the ballot next, which is November 2012.
News Service Home Page -
www.statehousenews.comThat sleazy move may bite them right on the ass now won't it?
