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Paul Kirk Sworn In As Interim Senator From Massachusetts
Eric Kleefeld | September 25, 2009, 3:55PM
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Sen. Paul Kirk (D-MA) was just sworn in by Vice President Joe Biden, to serve in the Senate until the Massachusetts special election in January.
Kirk is not running in that election, and is serving in a caretaker capacity in Ted Kennedy's Senate seat. He is himself a former Kennedy staffer and longtime family friend, and was recommended for the appointment by Kennedy's family.
This also follows a judge's rejection of a Massachusetts Republican Party lawsuit, which attempted to stop the appointment.
The Boston Globe reported that when Kirk arrived in Washington today, he first paid a visit to his late friend's grave, in Arlington National Cemetery.
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PeninsulaMatt
September 25, 2009 4:04 PM
Quick! Put him on the Finance Committee!!!
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mcc
September 25, 2009 5:51 PM
Neat. It's amazing to see something get done quickly for once
Did Judge Connolly issue anything like a written decision in ruling the swearing in can go forward?
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mcc
September 25, 2009 7:28 PM in reply to mcc
Answering my own question, via a poster at MyDD here is a link to the decision.
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johnmccsf
September 25, 2009 6:03 PM
Someone has to eat a bug
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Bruce Webb
September 25, 2009 6:06 PM
He wouldn't have to. Article 1 Sec 5 makes it perfectly clear that the Senate controls who gets seated. It is not clear that even an adverse ruling would be binding on the Senate, though certainly the optics are much better this way. Under that same Article and Section nothing short of 67 votes can eject Kirk.
Federal courts are traditionally leery to get involved with even inter-branch conflicts to say nothing of matters interior to Congress.
I suppose MA Republicans could push for some sort of sanction on Patrick for abusing his emergency powers but as far as Kirk goes what is done is done.
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mcc
September 25, 2009 6:40 PM in reply to Bruce Webb
Article 1 Sec 5 makes it perfectly clear that the Senate controls who gets seated
Yeah, but that would only help us if Democrats controlled the Senate
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VictorShaw
September 26, 2009 1:22 PM in reply to mcc
At least Kirk is well known to be 'THE RIGHT TYPE' of Democrat. His values mirror that of the late Senator Kennedy 100% and he knows the issues cold.
To everyone who doubted whether MA would come through, a big raspberry to you! :-)
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Dogger
September 26, 2009 9:53 AM in reply to Bruce Webb
The judge sais the GOP failed to show they had a chance at success. That's another way of saying "frivilous litigation".
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Hyla Brook
September 26, 2009 5:33 PM in reply to Bruce Webb
Yes - that's why they hurried the swearing in - if the Republicans continue to appeal, it will be dismissed by the higher court as being a moot point.
Certainly less dillydallying than when Burris was eventually sworn it.
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AhTrini1
September 26, 2009 9:37 AM
I am sorry but the Democrats are a bunch of wusses so they could have all 100 seats in the Senate and they still will be afraid to pass progressive reforms....
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VictorShaw
September 26, 2009 1:23 PM in reply to AhTrini1
Not if it were 100 Democrats from MA! :-)
Of course, we already have 97% coverage and subsidies for the poor to buy into Mass Health...
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