Caroline Kennedy Withdraws Bid for Senate Seat
Who Will Gov. Paterson Appoint to Seat Vacated by Hillary Clinton
Jan 22, 2009
Today's New York Times article, “Kennedy Drops Bid for Clinton’s Senate Seat, Citing Personal Reasons”, by Nicholas Confessore and Danny Hakim [January 21, 2009], states Caroline Kennedy has withdrawn from consideration for the New York Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton.
Caroline Kennedy’s Bid for Senate Seat
Ms. Kennedy surprised many when she threw her hat in the ring several weeks ago by announcing she would like the seat and began visiting cities around the state to meet with their mayors. These trips were called fact-finding trips to become familiar with the needs of the vast expanse of New York State, but many critics saw these ventures as an act of campaigning.
The governor of New York, David Paterson, assumed office in 2008 when the elected governor, Eliot Spitzer, resigned in the midst of scandal, has delayed making the appointment of a new Senator until after the Obama inauguration. Paterson has been meeting with prospective appointees, who are said to number at least a dozen, in order to choose the person who will best represent, and have the most impact, for the state in congress.
Republicans in New York State Legislature Want Special Election
According to another article, “Republicans want to force vote for Senate pick” by AP writer Michael Gormley, in the January 20, 2009 issue of the Legislative Gazette, (a weekly NY State government newspaper published in Albany, NY), the minority party Republican legislators in both state houses, are introducing bills to force a special election rather than an appointment for the Senate seat.
The article states “The U.S. Constitution allows state legislatures to give the appointment power to governors, but the bodies aren’t required to do so and could rescind the authority.” Because of the minority status of the Republicans in the New York legislature, there is small chance that bills proposed for the special election would pass.
In a related article by Lauren N. Johnson in the same issue of the Legislative Gazette, “Tedisco FOILs gov. to get Senate pick information”, the minority leader in the Assembly, James Tedisco has, without success, used the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) to request a list of the people Governor Paterson is considering for the Senate appointment.
Who Will Replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate
It appears the controversy over the Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton when she was confirmed as Secretary of State in the Obama administration may continue until Governor Paterson makes an appointment. If Caroline Kennedy was to be the governor’s choice, there may be additional delays which will give the minority leaders in the state more time to forward bills for a special election.
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