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Kirk to Succeed Kennedy in U.S. Senate |
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Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick today named Paul Kirk to serve as interim U.S. senator, filling the open seat left by the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy.
Kirk, who served as an adviser to Sen. Kennedy as well as a chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is expected to be sworn in tomorrow afternoon. He will serve until a permanent replacement is elected in a special election, set for Jan. 19. The state legislature approved a bill allowing for the appointment of an interim senator this week, ensuring that Massachusetts will have its full congressional delegation during these critical months.
Thanks are due to Robert Haynes, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and union members across the state who have been actively advocating for their fair representation in the U.S. Senate. Kirk’s first public appearance after being named to fill the Senate seat was at today’s state AFL-CIO convention.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka praised the “decisive action” of the state legislature and the working people across the state who mobilized to ensure that Kennedy’s wishes for a speedy replacement would be met:
Never before has it been more important for our elected representatives to be vocal warriors for working family issues and with Paul Kirk’s appointment, working people get another ardent supporter. Paul Kirk has enormous shoes to fill as the replacement to Sen. Kennedy but working people in Massachusetts and across the country are confident that he will live up to Sen. Kennedy’s legacy.
The appointment couldn’t come at a more critical time—as Washington soldiers on to create health care reform and fight against big business and the insurance industry who are so opposed to change.
3 Comments
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This is how it should happen. A representative dies or has to leave office the gov. of that state should be able to name a replacement.
However in this case, Sen. Kennedy himself was responsible for having the law changed, so that a republican gov. would not have been able to fill Senator Kerrys seat,had he beat Bush in 04.
I’m sorry, but this to me is petty and arrogant. The height of absurd politics! And sooner or later the other side will want to do the same thing some where. And we will look foolish when we start whinning about it! Will we ever have serious adults”instead of play actors” in our Political leadership?
Jill Stein of the Green Party would have been better. Appointing Democratic Party operatives like Kirk is an insult to Massachusetts voters.
This is Great,
Senator Kennedy would want and working people need a voice for the EFCA in the Senate as soon as possible. We needed this in order to get our bill passed and we got it. EFCA NOW!!