Sources: Patrick to pick Kirk, GOP threatens suit

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/60147-sources-patrick-to-pick-kirk-for-kennedy-seat

Sources: Patrick to pick Kirk, GOP threatens suit
By Aaron Blake - 09/24/09 09:53 AM ET


Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) is set to name former DNC Chairman Paul Kirk to Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-Mass.) old Senate seat, according to sources.

Kirk emerged as the likely pick Wednesday, and the Boston Globe reported three members of Kennedy's immediate family were pushing for the former aide to the senator. The pick is a temporary one, as the remainder of Kennedy's term will be awarded in a January special election.

Patrick has scheduled an 11 a.m. EST press conference, but Republicans haven't yet given up hope on trying to delay the pick.

Because the majorities in the state legislature weren't big enough to give Patrick the appointment power immediately, he was forced to declare an emergency in a letter to the secretary of state. The state GOP on Thursday morning sent its own letter asserting that Patrick had no such power, and asking that the secretary of state reject Patrick's request or, at least, seek an advisory opinion from the state Supreme Court.

Republicans are also trying to make an issue of Kirk's history as a lobbyist, including representing a pharmaceutical company in the late 1990s.

UPDATE: State GOP spokeswoman Tarah Donoghue tells The Hill that the state GOP is "strongly considering immediate legal action. With that being said nothing has been decided.”

Secretary of state William Galvin spokeswoman Nancy Driscoll said her office has yet to receive a letter from Patrick, and she declined to comment immediately on the state GOP's letter.

[bpcmxr]

1. "Republicans are also trying to make an issue of Kirk's history as a lobbyist, including ...

... representing a pharmaceutical company in the late 1990s."

Hilarious.

Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican.