VENTURA TO APPOINT INDEPENDENT TO VACANT WELLSTONE SENATE SEAT!

(red)Star Tribune ^ | 10/30/02

[That Subliminal Kid]

Adding another complication, Gov. Jesse Ventura, upset by what he felt was a partisan tone of the Wellstone memorial service, said he will try to appoint an independent instead of a Democrat to temporarily fill Wellstone's seat until the winner of the Nov. 5 election is certified.

Ventura had said he favored a replacement from Wellstone's party, but that was before he walked out of Tuesday night's service. He referred to a speech by one of Wellstone's closest friends, Rick Kahn, in which Kahn told the crowd, ``I'm begging you to help us win this Senate election for Paul Wellstone.''

``It drove the first lady to tears,'' Ventura said Wednesday on a talk radio show. He did not say who he might name as the temporary replacement.

[skeeter]

The appointment will last until the new congress is sworn in - early next year. Even so I'm not sure what difference this can make.

[Citizen of the Savage Nation]

I don't think Ventura will resign to have himself appointed. It would effectively destroy his political career in Minnesota.

I think you're right. I also think it won't matter because a) his political career in MN is over anyway, and b) he won't do it no matter.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

Atta boy Jesse! That was an obscenely partisan and mean-spirited display.

[Sacajaweau]

I agree that the absentee ballots are going to be a BIG problem in all this.

Ventura is doing the right thing. I don't know much about Ventura but he has convictions, a mind of his own and sees things for what they are...especially the political event cast as a Wellstone Memorial.

Good for Jesse!! I think he is doing the right thing for his State!!

[SkyPilot]

Go Jesse!

This presents a problem for the Dirtycrats, and their Goebell-esque forces in the media.

1. Ventura is not a "right wing" GOP clad person, hence they cannot lable him and dismiss him

2. It draws more attention to that horrific orgy called a "Memorial Service."

The cynic in me says the GOP is toast in the MN Senate race- - but, the FilthyCrats overplayed their "sympathy" hand to such a degree that there may be hope.

[JackIV]

Significant delays expected in Minnesota. Why?

Because of the absentee ballots.

Current Minnesota law states that absentee ballots with Coleman's name will count, but NOT those with Wellstone's name. Instead, the absentee voter wishing to vote for Mondale will either have to vote in person OR request a new absentee ballot and write in Mondale's name.

The Democrats have already challenged this in the Minnesota courts. They want a vote for Wellstone to count as a vote for Mondale, even though this is explicitly forbidden under Minnesota law. A vote for one candidate CANNOT be counted as a vote for another candidate: presumably under the assumption that a person favoring Wellstone might NOT favor Mondale.

In short, the Democrats (as in New Jersey) as seeking to over-turn Minnesota law. If they win, the Republicans will certainly appeal -- as Minnesota usually has about 100,000 absentee voters in an off-year election.

Thus, regardless of who is elected (Coleman or Mondale), NEITHER will be certified by the Minnesota Sec. of State until the court process is over. Therefore, the U.S. Senate will NOT accept either as the Senator-elect.

The result: Ventura's appointee may be serving in the Senate for 6 months or more. (The only way out would be for Mondale OR Coleman to win by such a huge margin that both parties would drop their law suits.) And don't count on the U.S. Supreme Court to get involved. As it showed in staying out of the NJ controversy, the USSC is still pretty "gun shy" due to the flack it took following the 2000 presidential election. What NJ did after Torricelli withdrew was clearly against NJ state law, but the USSC members didn't have the "balls" to do anything!!

[JackIV]

Significant delays expected in Minnesota. Why?

Because of the absentee ballots.

Current Minnesota law states that absentee ballots with Coleman's name will count, but NOT those with Wellstone's name. Instead, the absentee voter wishing to vote for Mondale will either have to vote in person OR request a new absentee ballot and write in Mondale's name.

The Democrats have already challenged this in the Minnesota courts. They want a vote for Wellstone to count as a vote for Mondale, even though this is explicitly forbidden under Minnesota law. A vote for one candidate CANNOT be counted as a vote for another candidate: presumably under the assumption that a person favoring Wellstone might NOT favor Mondale.

In short, the Democrats (as in New Jersey) as seeking to over-turn Minnesota law. If they win, the Republicans will certainly appeal -- as Minnesota usually has about 100,000 absentee voters in an off-year election.

Thus, regardless of who is elected (Coleman or Mondale), NEITHER will be certified by the Minnesota Sec. of State until the court process is over. Therefore, the U.S. Senate will NOT accept either as the Senator-elect.

The result: Ventura's appointee may be serving in the Senate for 6 months or more. (The only way out would be for Mondale OR Coleman to win by such a huge margin that both parties would drop their law suits.) And don't count on the U.S. Supreme Court to get involved. As it showed in staying out of the NJ controversy, the USSC is still pretty "gun shy" due to the flack it took following the 2000 presidential election. What NJ did after Torricelli withdrew was clearly against NJ state law, but the USSC members didn't have the "balls" to do anything!!

[JackIV]

Significant delays expected in Minnesota. Why?

Because of the absentee ballots.

Current Minnesota law states that absentee ballots with Coleman's name will count, but NOT those with Wellstone's name. Instead, the absentee voter wishing to vote for Mondale will either have to vote in person OR request a new absentee ballot and write in Mondale's name.

The Democrats have already challenged this in the Minnesota courts. They want a vote for Wellstone to count as a vote for Mondale, even though this is explicitly forbidden under Minnesota law. A vote for one candidate CANNOT be counted as a vote for another candidate: presumably under the assumption that a person favoring Wellstone might NOT favor Mondale.

In short, the Democrats (as in New Jersey) as seeking to over-turn Minnesota law. If they win, the Republicans will certainly appeal -- as Minnesota usually has about 100,000 absentee voters in an off-year election.

Thus, regardless of who is elected (Coleman or Mondale), NEITHER will be certified by the Minnesota Sec. of State until the court process is over. Therefore, the U.S. Senate will NOT accept either as the Senator-elect.

The result: Ventura's appointee may be serving in the Senate for 6 months or more. (The only way out would be for Mondale OR Coleman to win by such a huge margin that both parties would drop their law suits.) And don't count on the U.S. Supreme Court to get involved. As it showed in staying out of the NJ controversy, the USSC is still pretty "gun shy" due to the flack it took following the 2000 presidential election. What NJ did after Torricelli withdrew was clearly against NJ state law, but the USSC members didn't have the "balls" to do anything!!

[Wissa]

I don't know much about Ventura but he has ... a mind...

Source?

[concerned about politics]

DETRIOT MAYER.......150,000 TOO MANY REGISTERED DEMOCRAT VOTERS! THEY DON"T EXIST!!!!!

[BJungNan]

The appointment will last until the new congress is sworn in - early next year. The appointment would only be for about a week, until the election is certified. Under Minnesota law, someone elected following a death of a sitting Senator fills the seat immediately, not at the swearing in. This makes sense, since Minnesota would be without full representation until January, which no state would want.

[Eva]

It won't help to offer new absentee ballots at this point, because the voter fraud group would have a difficult time picking up all the ballots for the registered dead.

[Eva]

It won't help to offer new absentee ballots at this point, because the voter fraud group would have a difficult time picking up all the ballots for the registered dead. As long as they count all the Coleman ballots, the absentee ballots will be a big plus for the GOP.

[randita]

The result: Ventura's appointee may be serving in the Senate for 6 months or more.

I don't think that can be done as it is a violation of the U.S. Constitution which limits the term of a Senate seat to 6 yrs.--no more.

If Ventura appoints someone now to serve out Wellstone's term, he may do so, but that appointee does not automatically stay on for months while the court battles continue. That appointee's term would end at the same time Wellstone's term would have.

If any funny business is attempted to turn this election into a repeat of FL, the SCOTUS will get involved.

[Sideshow Bob]

The result: Ventura's appointee may be serving in the Senate for 6 months or more.

Impossible. Ventura can only appoint a replacement Senator for the remainder of Wellstone's term (which ends in early January) or until a winner of the November 5th election is certified - whichever comes first. If no winner is recognized when Congress convenes in January, the seat will become vacant.

But can't the Senate can choose to seat whomever it believes to have won the election regardless of any Minnesota certification or court decision? If the election remains in doubt and the Demoncrats retain majority control of the Senate, couldn't they vote to seat Mondale next January? (Or conversely, if the Republicans are in the majority, couldn't they vote to seat Coleman?)

Such blatant partisanship might cause an uproar, but I wouldn't put anything past the lying, thieving scum Dems.

[Sideshow Bob]

The result: Ventura's appointee may be serving in the Senate for 6 months or more.

Impossible. Ventura can only appoint a replacement Senator for the remainder of Wellstone's term (which ends in early January) or until a winner of the November 5th election is certified - whichever comes first. If no winner is recognized when Congress convenes in January, the seat will become vacant.

But can't the Senate can choose to seat whomever it believes to have won the election regardless of any Minnesota certification or court decision? If the election remains in doubt and the Demoncrats retain majority control of the Senate, couldn't they vote to seat Mondale next January? (Or conversely, if the Republicans are in the majority, couldn't they vote to seat Coleman?)

Such blatant partisanship might cause an uproar, but I wouldn't put anything past the lying, thieving scum Dems.

[BillyBoy]

If Ventura appoints an "Independant", then the makeup of the Senate would be 49 Dems,49 Reps, 2 Ind.

Any change the new indie would vote against Dasshole for "majority" leader? If he did, Cheney could break the tie vote.

[Mr. K]

DO IT JESSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Joy Angela]

bump!

Members of the Democrat Party...
Don't you SEE your Leadership is CRAZY?????

[Blake#1]

I think your assesment of the USSC is wrong. Florida's problem was a national issue, New Jersey's was a state issue. We conservatives believe in "State's Rights". Therefore the conservative justices stayed away from New Jersey. They will stay away from this problem in Minnesota in IMHO.