Obama Meddling in Massachusetts' State Business

When Ted Kennedy died, Massachusetts was left with one senator and a law that said the public would have to elect the new senator on January 19.

The Democrats in Massachusetts are pushing to change the law so that the governor, a Democrat, can appoint another Democrat to the seat. And they are requiring the law to appoint someone of the same political party as the person who created the vacancy (1).

"I just want to make sure that Massachusetts has a say ... that Massachusetts has their voice heard on health care, on the environment, on clean energy," said Speaker Robert DeLeo, a Democrat (2).

But they weren't so anxious to replace a senator when Mitt Romney was the governor. Senator John Kerry was running for president and if he won, Romney, a Republican, would have the power to appoint a Republican to fill his seat. So the Democrats rallied and passed the current law, which took away the authority of the governor to name a replacement (3).

Obama, maybe afraid the new change wouldn't be passed, is now pressuring the governor and the Democrats in Massachusetts to pass it.

Gov. Deval Patrick said Friday that President Barack Obama had personally talked to him about changing the Senate succession law in Massachusetts, and White House aides were pushing for him to gain the power to temporarily replace the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy amid the administration's health care push (4).

A month after a White House spokesman labeled the issue a state matter, Patrick said he and Obama spoke about changing the law as they both attended Kennedy's funeral in Boston last month. He also said White House aides have been in contact frequently ever since and pushing for the change so they can regain their filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate (5).

At least one Democrat admits the truth. "Some people say it's political. Of course it's political," said Rep. Cory Atkins, a Concord Democrat and Kennedy supporter (6)
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1. Leblanc, Steve (2009, September 17). "Mass. Begins Debate on Kennedy Replacement". Time.
Retrieved September 18, 2009, from Time

2. Leblanc, Steve (2009, September 17). "Mass. Begins Debate on Kennedy Replacement". Time.
Retrieved September 18, 2009, from Time

3. Katzen, Bob (2009, September 18). "House approves bill to appoint short-term replacement for Sen. Kennedy". Wicked Local.
Retrieved September 18, 2009, from Wicked Local

4. "Massachusetts Governor Says White House Pressing for Quick Kennedy Replacement" (2009, september 18). Fox News.
Retrieved September 18, 2009, from Fox News

5. "Massachusetts Governor Says White House Pressing for Quick Kennedy Replacement" (2009, september 18). Fox News.
Retrieved September 18, 2009, from Fox News

6. Leblanc, Steve (2009, September 17). "Mass. Begins Debate on Kennedy Replacement". Time.
Retrieved September 18, 2009, from Time