Reply #7: I think of the Bilbray/Busby special election every time I see this. [View All]

[Lasher]

The bottom line in that one was, the House can and did swear Bilbray in without regard to the election results. Technically, the Speaker could have decided to seat Bilbray even if Busby had won in a landslide. With reference to that case, Pelosi could just ignore the Florida fiasco and swear Jennings in. I'm not saying she should or shouldn't, just sayin' she has the power.

I'm particularly interested in this part of the OP:

Rep. Rush Holt, a New Jersey Democrat who has pushed for better safeguards on electronic voting machines, said on Friday he would make a procedural point to establish the swearing-in of Florida Republican Vern Buchanan does not prejudice ongoing challenges by his Democratic opponent, Christine Jennings.

Although the swearing in of a member of the House is an event that trumps election results and renders all subsequent vote challenges academic, it looks like Holt is going to invoke some House rule that would make Buchanan's appointment contingent on the Florida results not being revoked by challenges. This is a new one on me. If it works it would keep Jennings' hopes very much alive.