After Lott: Dems Think Election Law Gives Them Shot At Winning Seat

After Lott: Dems Think Election Law Gives Them Shot At Winning Seat
By Greg Sargent - Nov 26, 2007 - http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/11/after_lott_special_election_should_actually_be_held_in_90_days_dems_say.php


In the wake of Trent Lott's announcement that he's resigning from the Senate, several news accounts have reported that Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, a Republican, will immediately appoint a replacement -- and Barbour further announced today that a special election will be held to fill the seat on election day in November of 2008.

This would be a big boon to Republican efforts to hold Lott's seat. That's because it would allow whoever the appointee is the next 11 months to build up a record, raise money, and amass the advantages of incumbency in advance of the special contest.

But what does election law really hold?

National Dems who are scrutinizing the relevant statute say that they think that in fact it stipulates that the election is to be held within 90 days of the date of Lott's resignation, which he hasn't announced yet.

.............

and seemingly a catch-22 for trent. If he resigns in 2007, the election must be held within 90 days. If he waits until 2008 the election then can be held in November. But if trent waits until 2008 he will have to wait 2 years to start raking in the dirty money on K Street. Of course, the gop in the state are saying nah, we read the statutes will do whatever the fuck we want.

Something that certainly is not confusing is that haley will appoint a klansman in a suit to replace trent. No doubt about that.

According to this morning's NYTimes, Lott's early resignation
lets him get into the bribery/influence-peddling business of
lobbying one year earlier.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/27/washington/27lott.html

And how long are we going to let the pols get away with
calling them 'special interests' ?

Call them for what they are, lobbies and their lawyers. Maybe
the pols don't want to shine a light on their bagmen and future
wealthy semi retirement as lobbyists. Bob Dole and Billy
Tauzin immediately come to mind.

Their business is to profit by screwing the American public
IMHO

Haley Barbour and the Mississippi Republicans aren't going to stop Brother Trent from cashing in at his earliest opportunity, and they aren't going to chance losing a Senate seat they've stolen fair and square.

Here's how I see it: Lott officially resigns just before midnight on New Year's Eve, but the official notification doesn't reach the governor until the open of business on Jan. 2. Trent gets to move into his K Street sinecure after waiting for a year, and Barbour gets to appoint some evil schmuck to warm the seat, who will then run on his sterling record of 11 months, cautioning against any sudden changes, lest the terrorists win. Why the terrorists would want to take over Mississippi will be a question best left unasked, but it will gull enough of the electorate to let Evil Schmuck hold onto the Senate seat.