Mitch McConnell Backs Bill to Ensure He's Not Replaced by Democrat If He Leaves Office Early

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: Newsweek

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is in support of a proposed piece of legislation that would require his state's governor to pick a Republican successor for McConnell if he leaves office during his term.

Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, a Republican, is a sponsor of Senate Bill 228, which was introduced in the state senate last week. The bill proposes amending existing legislation that requires a sitting governor to appoint a replacement for a departing U.S. senator to remain in office until the next election cycle.

Under Senate Bill 228, the sitting governor would be required to pick a replacement for that departing U.S. senator from a list of three candidates provided by that senator's political party. The sitting governor would be required to pick an appointee within 21 days of receiving the list of names for consideration, the bill says.

McConnell, who has represented Kentucky in the U.S. Senate since the mid-1980s as a member of the Republican Party, is supportive of the bill, according to reports by WFPL-FM and The Courier-Journal.

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/mitch-mcconnell-backs-bill-to-ensure-hes-not-replaced-by-democrat-if-he-leaves-office-early/ar-BB1dI30r?li=BBnb7Kz

[dchill]

1. Seems illegit.

[Merlot]

2. The governor should pick the person from the same party as the departing senator

because that is what the voters choose. What seems odd about this bill is making the governor choose from a list supplied by the party.

[dchill]

3. I remain.

[ToxMarz]

6. We only know for sure they picked a particular person

They have a Democratic Governor, obviously they don't strictly elect Republicans. And they elected that Governor with his ability to fill Senate vacancies that may arise. A lot of voters are indepedant, another Republican isn't necessarily their second choice.

[rpannier]

37. I would agree except

Maryland, Massachusetts, and Vermont all have republikkan governors
And should the recall against Newsom succeed and somehow a Republikkan gets elected governor (Kind of like what happened with Gray Davis) would you want a republikkan filling Feinstein's seat -- especially at 50-50

[ToxMarz]

43. Would "I" want a Republican Governor to replace Feinstein, no

But I don't think the majority legislators should pass legislation saying who the legislators should or are allowed to be. How about if they pass a bill that says any replacement must be an independent. The nation wasn't founded from political parties, they came later, and their interests are not what must be protected.

[jimfields33]

7. I totally agree

Last edited Tue Feb 16, 2021, 12:53 AM - Edit history (1)

Vermont and Massachusetts have said they’d pick same party as senator who leave for any reason. Funny how they didn’t need a bill for it. Repugs are untrusting for some reason.

[onenote]

24. Maryland passed a law requiring Senate vacancies to be filed with someone from the same party

from a list provided by the party:

Maryland Election Code 8-602

(a)(1)(i) If there is a vacancy in the office of United States Senator, the Governor shall appoint an eligible individual to fill the vacancy as provided in this paragraph.

(ii) The Governor shall appoint one of three individuals whose names are submitted to the Governor in writing, within 30 days after the occurrence of the vacancy, by the State Central Committee of the political party, if any, with which the vacating Senator had been affiliated at the time of the Senator's last election or appointment.

[jimfields33]

27. Oh thank you.

[DBoon]

10. That only applies to Democratic governors

Republican governors may always pick a Republican

[Crash2Parties]

17. Only a few states have that requirement

Most seem to figure that since the Governor appoints the replacement, that's where the will of the voters influences the process. If the voters choose a Dem Governor, it's more likely a replacement Senator will be Dem & vice versa. Will of the people.

None currently go any further than the party, though.

[rpannier]

21. I think that's how they do it in Wyoming

The party supplies a list that the governor chooses from

[onenote]

25. Not the only state that does that, including maryland and hawaii

I guarantee that if one of the Democratic senators in Maryland stepped down we'd be celebrating the fact that the decision about a replacement wouldn't be left to the state's republican governor.

[NCjack]

41. KY should pass a law that after passing Moscow Mitch can continue to serve as senator

until the Repukes obtain a clear majority in the senate. His stench would not be worse than it is now.

[appmanga]

46. Unfortunately...

The 17th Amendment allows this.

[Qutzupalotl]

4. Would a veto by Beshear get overridden?

Sincere question.

[paleotn]

12. Super majorities in both houses.

Doesn't surprise me.

[machoneman]

53. Beshear should say sure, but drag it out by executive order due to COVID-19, the cold weather...

...of any other artifice that delays the replacement until the next vote cycle. Let those asshole R's in KY scream and holler and even take it to the KY SC and that alone will delay things. Love it!

[machoneman]

54. Beshear should say sure, but drag it out by executive order due to COVID-19, the cold weather...

...of any other artifice that delays the replacement until the next vote cycle. Let those asshole R's in KY scream and holler and even take it to the KY SC and that alone will delay things. Love it!

[Botany]

5. Mitch's health might not be so good

The puffiness in his left hand might very well be from pulmonary edema.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

9. His hands look like a rotting corpse.

[Karma13612]

51. I could be wrong

But that photo of his hands that look like old boxing gloves is in fact old. That was from awhile back when he also had some facial bruising. Not sure if he fell or his ?blood thinners? Dosing was too high.

I saw his hands the other day during his “post acquittal excuse speech” and they looked fine.

I’m not saying his is healthy, but whatever was going on before seems to have been cleared up. He is well passed time to be in such a powerful position, on so many levels.

[paleotn]

11. Breaks my heart.....

....not.

[Rebl2]

15. Maybe raynauds

syndrome or scleroderma?

[mr_lebowski]

32. A touch of the CREST syndrome, perhaps?

Man, I wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even the Turtle.

Okay, I lied.

Trump can get it.

[Judi Lynn]

26. So they became swollen, too? OMG. Reminds me of the Dioxen poisoning of Ukraine's Viktor Yushchenko.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

8. No Dem should support that bill

It's bullshit. Kill it.

[benld74]

13. Seems to me Turtleman has

Misrepresented
Kentucky
For
All
Those
Years

[Irish_Dem]

14. What other tricks is he pulling to control us from the grave?

[ffr]

16. Sorry Moscow rePutican Mitch

you have to serve out your time or forfeit your minority seat. That's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. You know, like that last SCOTUS seat that you rammed through in the closing ours of a lame duck congress...you POS!

[Crataegus]

18. Who is moving?

So which trump family member is moving to Kentucky?

[mdbl]

35. Yes, all three choices will be from the trump family lol

[Orrex]

19. McConnell can fuck himself in the cloaca

You can bet that if a Democratic Senator left office while a Republican governor was in office, that governor would absolutely appoint a Republican. In fact, I'm amazed that the bill doesn't include language requiring a Republican to be appointed regardless of the outgoing Senator's party.

[The Wizard]

39. That happened in NJ

When Senator Lautenberg died and Christie replaced him with a Republican.

[Orrex]

44. No doubt McConnell was up in flippers about that (nt)

[Marie Marie]

20. Sounds to me like he doesn't think he will finish his term.

[Karma13612]

34. That was my first instinct...nt

[Marie Marie]

48. Maybe if the GOP doesn't regain control of the Senate in 2022,

he will pack it in. He really, really doesn't like being the minority leader. And, I don't think his health is great.

[Karma13612]

49. Yea, this is a prime

Example of his maneuvering done well in advance to try to keep the wheels of GOP greed running smoothly.

But, I think, THINK, REALLY THINK that Dems are beginning to see that they need to be just as strategic and we will be successful.

We have to work VERY hard to make sure we keep and gain in the Senate and House in 2022.

But, we are off to a good start if we can get some great wins for the voters right now!!

[machoneman]

55. He's dying! From what we don't know but autocrats liek him NEVER leave quietly unless they....

..have been called by the Grim Reaper.

[Warpy]

22. Moscow Mitch and his idiot bill have nothing to say about that

The Governor of KY will make an interim appointment, followed by a special election.

Ole Mitch must be rotting faster than we thought if he's not sure he's going to outlast Beshear.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

28. I'm amazed Mitch is still here with that "turkey wattle"...

... hanging from his neck for so many years.

[onenote]

23. I believe several states require the vacancy to be filled with someone from the same party

including Maryland, Hawaii and Arizona, In Hawaii, how the vacancy is filled depends on when it occurs. In some instances, it is filled by the governor from a list of three members of the party that previously held the seat (basically the Kentucky approach).

[rpannier]

36. There are six that rtequire it come from same party

Hawaii and Maryland appear to have the same rules for replacement (the list)
Arizona, Utah, Wyoming and North Carolina require that he/she come from the same political party

tbh: While McConnell is a douche and this is self-serving, I think that is the way it should be; the replacement should come from the same party

[Karma13612]

50. So lets say

He gets his way and the replacement is a Republican.

Does that mean they automatically become the Senate Minority Leader as well? Or would that slot be voted on my the Minority Party ?

If so, would we be looking at Lindsey Graham or Susan Collins or someone of equal annoyance? Would be great if it was Mitt since he seems more “ reasonable”.

Just curious!

[rpannier]

52. They'll vote a new leader

Which may be interesting as I don't think they have anyone with his control on the senators
It could turn into a fight for control, or it could be they agree to one person and then some of the caucus constantly snipes behind the scenes -- Boehner is an example

Collins would never win it. Best guess is Cornyn, maybe Kennedy.
If it's Cornyn Graham or Kennedy would likely be the number 2 (I think)
The problem children will be Johnson (WI) and Hawley

[Karma13612]

56. Thanks for this analysis!

Will be interesting to see how this all plays out!

[thenelm1]

29. And this should in anyway surprise anyone why?

Seems like, depending upon what might be required in the Constitution of the particular state, the choice should be the gov's prerogative until such time as a special election for a replacement can be held.

On the other hand is the, just re-elected, ancient Turtleman pre-signaling some health concerns?

[Nasruddin]

30. I thought elections had consequences

Some think there are exceptions....

If we're going to make this kind of law, the governor should be required to appoint Merrick Garland.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

31. They don't miss a trick, do they?

[C Moon]

33. So maybe I was wrong in saying I don't think Moscow Mitch would ever retire...

because it sure sounds like he's looking into it now.

[Harker]

38. I figured he would after becoming minority leader.

Too much work and frustration, no more sticking it to Democrats with impunity.

[NCjack]

40. Putin has extracted all that he needed from Moscow Mitch.

[Chemisse]

42. I think it's a good idea in general.

How many times have we passed over strong candidates for appointments and VP picks because we would lose that Senate seat to the other side due to a Republican governor?

And in principle, if the voters elected a Democrat to fill the seat originally, they have every right to expect that any governor would appoint a Democrat as a replacement if need be.

It always helps to look at it from our side. My only concern - in this case - is that the replacement candidates not be sympathetic to terrorists.

[IronLionZion]

45. I hope this means Mitch is leaving soon

[malthaussen]

47. Mitch McConnell leaving the Senate would make me happy.

As for a bill restricting the Governor's choices on a replacement, well, the Legislature can do as it pleases. Such a law would not have any standing, though it might take a court case to throw it out.

-- Mal

[Captain Zero]

57. Do OPPO research on the 3 and pick the one with the most dirty laundry?

Might be a possibility if it passes and is found constitutional. Easier to knock off the dirtiest person in the general election.