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Manchin Holding Off on Picking Interim Byrd Replacement
July 9, 2010 - by Donny Shaw
The two big items in the Senate right now — the unemployment insurance extension and the financial reform bill — are basically on hold until West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin appoints an interim replacement for the late Sen. Robert Byrd [D, WV]. The Democrats need a senator voting from Byrd’s seat in order to reach the 60 votes they need to break Republican-led filibusters of these measures.
But it’s sounding like the Dems will not have a replacement for Byrd when they come back next week. This afternoon on MSNBC, Gov. Manchin said that he will wait until after a special session of the West Virginia state legislature clarifies the law in regards to the next election to fill Byrd’s seat before he appoints an interim replacement. Transcript and video are below.
Savannah Guthrie: I guess my first question is, when do you anticipate you’ll make a decision about an interim replacement, prior top the special election, who will cast some pretty key votes?
WV Gov. Joe Manchin: Right. What we have right now is an opinion from our chief legal officer, the Attorney General, that says we will have an election as quickly as possible, with the next general election being on November 2. So we’re going to have that election probably November 2, though our chief election officer, the Secretary of State, has a widely differing opinion on the matter. She believes that I should not have an election until 2012. And I’ve talked to all the legal scholars, we need to have the legislature come back in and clarify this as quickly as possible, which, hopefully, we can get the legislative leaders together and do that. With that — it’s possible by next week or the week after that, or a week and a half — a direction that the legislature has clarified it, and I’ll make an appointment.
Chuck Todd: Well, Governor, I was just going to say, so you are going to wait until — because I understand you have a special state legislative session coming up — you are going to wait until they decide what to do, whether you hold this special election in November of this year or November 2012, before making an interim appointment? So, next week, when the Senate comes back into session, there will only be one senator from the state of West Virginia?
Manchin: Chuck, there’s a possibility that might be the case. If you know anything about Senator Byrd, he was a stickler for the Constitution. He’ll want us to do it and do it right. So I want to make sure if we have any legal ramifications, I’m not putting someone in under the cloud of a legal dispute. So we’ll have all that cleared up, hopefully by Monday or Tuesday, and then we’ll go from there.
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Comments
Displaying 1-30 of 153 total comments.
Maybe the Senator’s will take an interest in reading up on the state of USA. We should be so lucky that they would take time to read an article like this with no nonsense:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38135439/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/
Everyone needs to remember these names to vote them all out. We can’t even get a tier V so we loose everything like people in haiti but boy when they needed help we were there. zI don’t know how these stinkin people sleep at night. Of course with their fancy hpouses and jobs they don’t care about nobody but themselves.
It’s all about pay to play, and the governor is simply waiting to see what happens to Rod Blagojevich before making a choice. If the Blago trial goes well, he might pick someone more politically contraversial. If not he will probably take a more conservative longer term approach. This could take a month. Plus he now want’s the seat himself so he needs to know if their will be another election that he can get in on himself. These guys don’t have any sense of the impact on the rest of us, just the impact on their own pocketbook—nothing new here.
What a clown and media whore this guy is. There are no legal issues to worry about he needs to make the appointment. He knows the more he holds off the more media attention he will get….God our politicians are pathetic in this country. It’s time for a “Revolution” and I dont mean at the ballot box either.
WELL PUT MY MAN,I LOVED IT
GOP are determined to block everything the President is trying to do for the USA right now. He has a vested interest, and seems to take pride in doing the best job he can while in office.
We are in trouble as long as Republican politicians continue favoring their special interest. Why can’t they just do their jobs? We pay them all 6 figure $salaries. They need to stop underminding the President, and stop ignoring their job responsibilities. Republicans or Democrates they need to start taking their jobs serious.
President Obama speech on CSPAN today, while in Kansas City, MO to support a future candidate. Was right on.
If you are an unemployed American, and are thinking no one understands the difficulties of being jobless. Obama speech articulated the financial and emotional struggles well. Hat’s off to the President for saying what needed to be said.
http://cspan.org/Watch/Media/2010/07/08/HP/A/35248/Pres+Obama+Remarks+at+Fundraiser+for+Missouri+Senate+Candidate
Senator’s excuse for not passing is a false statement.
Read all about it:
The funding argument is even harder to swallow. I’d be more sympathetic with these new converts to fiscal responsibility if they were as enthusiastic about paying for extending $32 billion worth of special interest tax breaks as they are about funding the unemployment extension. If I understand correctly, these lawmakers insist that Congress fund every dime of added jobless aid, which nearly all analysts agree will help boost the economy. But they feel no need to pay for continuing these special interest tax breaks, which will not.
Full Story:
http://www.csmonitor.com/Money/Tax-VOX/2010/0707/Senate-struggles-with-unemployment-benefits
I knew it! This extension won’t go through until we’re all out on the street.
I agree with rlaughi, it’s unreal how someone who claims to represent the American people is so quick to disregard those same people to further their own political career. There is no relevant legal question that would prevent Governor Manchin from appointing an interim replacement for the late Senator Byrd. I do believe he is using his position to draw the national spotlight on himself at the expense of millions unemployed Americans. I would plead with the people of West Virgina not to vote for Manchin as their next Senator.
Makes you wonder if Manchin’s pockets are being lined for the stall tactic! Either that or he’s checking to see if it’s legal to appoint himself to the senate seat and leave the governors chair behind.
Everybody please vote in November! The republicans are trying to take over congress and right now it is looking like that is what they are going to do. People are planning to vote republican because of the state that this country is in right now. They don’t feel like Obama and the Dems are doing their job. They couldn’t possible remember the state that bush LEFT this country in! If the republicans take over they WILL try to impeach Obama
Manchin what a douche bag you turned out to be!!
so once again, a friggin politician has the fate of the unemployed in his hands. What a crock!! Just appoint someone like the Attorney General says you can and let’s get on with the unemployment vote ASAP. We do NOT have the time to wait for crap like this. i realize that no one in power seems to care, but people are starving, losing everything, and even some are deciding they cannot take this any more. Pass the damn bill early next week before people start deciding they have no options and just end it for themselves.
IF YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE CHAIN OF EVENTS ITS MIND-BOGGLING.THE FREAKIN BILL WOULD HAVE PASSED,BYRD DIES,THE WEEKEND BEFORE THE VOTE.NEXT JAG- OFF NUMBER 1 APPEARS NEBRASKAS VERY OWN,THIS ASSHOLE A DEMOCRAT SENATOR ONLY VOTES 61% OF THE TIME WITH HIS OWN PARTY,THE LOWEST OUT OF ALL THOSE ASS-WIPES.NEXT JAG-OFF NUMBER 2 GOVERNOR MANCHIN COME ON DOWN.ITS YOUR TURN TO F—- OVER MILLIONS,TAKE YOUR TIME ASSHOLE,JUST IN CASE YOU WERE THINKING OF APPOINTING THAT COUNTRY SINGER THAT SANG ABOUT YOUR HOME STATE ,BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS,BLA,BLA ,BLA, THATS JOHN DENVER AND HES DEAD.APPOINT OZZY OSBOURNE AT LEAST HE HAD IT RIGHT “CRAZY TRAIN”. MARK MY WORDS FOLKS NEXT WEEK IT WILL BE SOMETHING AND SOMEONE ELSE .THE FIX IS IN.
How do these jackasses sleep at night? Unbelievable that one guy can hold the balance of millions of people in his putrid little hand. Reason why I said all unemployed people need to unite, form a union and start taking care of themsleves.
Stop screwing with our lives because of your political BS!!! We need this extension and we need it now!!!
New World Order…Bilderberg…Georgia Guidestones…The Great Culling
WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!
This is much bigger than just Republican and Democrat. If they are an Incumbent VOTE THEM OUT because they are most assuradely corrupt already. Only vote for a candidate dedicated to upholding and protecting the foundation of America…THE CONSTITUTION AND THE BILL OF RIGHTS
this is just crazy.
Why won’t he appoint a temporary Senator right away? The Democrats can’t do anything without 60 votes. He said he would do it yesterday after hearing from his attorney general, now a day later he’s completely changed his story.
There must be more going on than is being said. Maybe pockets are being lined(?)
All I can figure is start blowing up his phone and email. Maybe he’ll get the message and figure this out over the weekend? IDK. :-(
Okay jerkass you are FIRED… get us someone that can make decisions with out asking his mom.
i must say that i agree with the majority here…..this seems to be nothing more than a politician getting free publicity. there are no “legal hurdles” that need to be cleared prior to him appointing an interim replacement. he only needs calrification on when the special election should be held. another sad ass politician playing political games with americans.
http://www.wvgov.org/sec.aspx?id=36
Gov. Manchins contact page.
http://www.wvgov.org/sec.aspx?id=36
Gov. Manchin contact page. CALL and write!!! NOW and often!!!
Please vote Democrat in November, if only to keep Repulicans out. Make them pay for what they have put us through! Bush beat Gore because people wasted votes on people like Ralph Nader. Make your votes count!!!
Are you insane? the democrats are the reason we are not creating new jobs! They have had control of congress since 2006! The republicans aren’t blocking it, they want it to be paid for. They tried to take it from the stimulus, but the democrats don’t want it to be paid for, they just want to borrow more money from China!
I lost my unemployment at end of June, and I am desperate, since I can not find a job yet.
I was a democrat until these crazy democrats pushed all these crap bills that have hurt the ecomony. Employers are afraid to hire anyone, especially with the new health care bill they didn’t even read, and the majority of us said vote NO!
We must vote out all senators in November, no matter if they are republicans or democrats! We need someone to listen to us and the constitution!
to Purple lilac:
Too me you are wrong It wasn’t the democrats.
I agree with purplelilac. Think about this: people were living “rich” under the Clinton administration. That whole “era” was built upon a balloon of lies and credit was going out to anyone and everyone. Everyone just about, lived WAY beyond their means and now no one can pay for it. The bubble popped we all knew would pop. To blame Bush for what we are in now is rediculous. As you can see from all of this, ONE MAN cannot be solely responsible for the entire state of the country. Bills need to pass and be voted on appropriately. Obama said he was going to “fix” everything. We are now in the worst economic situation since the depression. Some hero you voted into office there… Just goes to show the only thing that has any truth is that the population’s IQ keeps diminishing at a rapid rate. Hey, I was laid off and am about to go broke if they don’t pass this extension, but I’m sure as hell not going to THANK any god-damned democrat if it does!
I am so tired of the political grandstanding whether it is a republican or democrat. Millions of taxpayers and hard-working Americans, who are now unemployed through no fault of their own, need Gov Manchin to appoint a replacement for Senator Byrd by 7/12 when the Senate returns so the unemployment extension will be passed. CALL GOV MANCHIN at 1-888-438-2731 or EMAIL GOV MANCHIN at http://www.wvgov.org/sec.aspx?id=36 and CALL YOUR SENATORS 7/12 to tell them to get the unemployment extension passed next week.
BY THE WAY I WILL *THANK ANY DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN* WHO VOTES TO PASS THE UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSION BILL. BOTH PARTIES NEED TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND PASS THE UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENSION BILL ON 7/12/2010.
If I was living “rich” (which was still only middle class, I am now poor) it was because I worked my butt off for 30 years and made a good wage.For me, it all started when rich business owners moved their plants to other countries so they could become even richer, eliminating millions of jobs in America.Others sold businesses for a huge profit to people from other countries who do not hire Americans. Then they busted our unions (which fought for the people, if you were in the right one).I could pay all my bills until there was no longer a job for me. I am now working p/t for minimum wage.No one wants to hire f/t, I’m thinking that is because of the healthcare bill, that I don’t even want.I had insurance through my employer when there was a job for me.Whos fault is it that all our jobs left the country and a lot of the jobs left are being giving to non-Americans or only pay minimum wage. Have you ever tried to pay rent/mtg, utilities, and eat on minimum wage.
Whos fault is it that all those people became richer by screwing the American people, why weren’t they heavily taxed to avoid this, or why aren’t they heavily taxed now to pay our unemployment for as long as it takes for us to get jobs that pay enough to survive on. As you said, one man cannot be solely responsible. All the politicians voted on these things and they don’t give a damn about the American people.We are making them very rich as they play their political games while trying to brain wash the American people into believing it was the other guys fault. Republican/Democrat, who the hell cares, they all did this to us. Fire them all, they still get 80% of their pay for the rest of their lives. We The People should unite and make all politicians take a huge cut in pay to help pay off our nations debts.Do what the Gov. in CA wants to do to the State workers, cut all their pay down to minimum wage!!!!!!!