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Special Report
Michael Bennet Should Resign
And he’s not the only one who needs to promise to do just that.
(Page 2 of 2)
Harrison “Pete” Williams (D-NJ) resigned from the Senate following his Abscam corruption conviction in 1982. Republican Nicholas Brady was appointed to fill the Senate seat. Brady was not a candidate in the November election and resigned before the term was to expire, making way for Frank Lautenberg (D) to be sworn in ahead of his Senate class.
In fact, this tradition has been honored by appointed Colorado Senators in the past. In September 1932, Colorado’s Walter Walker (D) was appointed to the Senate upon the death of Charles Waterman. Walker lost the November 1932 election to Karl Schuyler, who was sworn into office on December 7.
Also in Colorado, Alva Adams (D) was appointed to the Senate in May 1923. He lost the November 1924 election to a full term and left the Senate that month. He was succeeded by election-winner Republican Rice Means on December 1, 1924.
Of course, there have been the rare exceptions. The political theater and late night TV punch line in Minnesota that was the governorship of Jesse Ventura had ties to the last appointed Senator who refused to resign. Minnesota Reform Party founder and Ventura’s 1998 campaign chairman Dean Barkley was appointed by Ventura to the Senate after the death of Paul Wellstone. Barkley refused to resign when Norm Coleman won the November 2002 election.
There have also been political shenanigans that have delayed a Senator-elect from immediately taking office.
Paul Kirk, Jr. (D-MA) was appointed as the caretaker of the seat formerly held by Edward Kennedy (D). Republican Scott Brown defeated the Democrat candidate for the seat in a January 19, 2010 special election. However, Massachusetts officials delayed certifying Brown’s election victory in an attempt for Kirk to be the 60th vote in favor of ObamaCare. Brown was not sworn into office until February 4, 2010.
The partisan actions by Massachusetts politicians underscore the importance of Bennet’s resignation should he lose the election. Congressional Democrats have vowed to hold a lame-duck session following this year’s mid-term elections. Democrats are expected to suffer significant election losses in November.
It is widely anticipated that Democrats will play the role of sore losers and use their lame-duck majorities to ram through legislation that is widely opposed by the majority of Americans. Everything from tax hikes to the onerous “cap-and-trade” legislation will likely be on the table.
Democrat incumbents, who were opposed to voting on such legislation before the election and who will no doubt be bitter following their election defeats, may vote in favor of treacherous legislation as political payback to the voters who turned them out of office.
The Maginot Line to preventing the passage of several bad bills lies in the Senate where every single vote counts. There is little doubt a lame-duck Bennet would vote in lock-step with Senate President Harry Reid (D-NV). Therefore, Colorado voters should demand a resignation promise from Bennet in the closing days of the campaign. It could be the deciding issue in what is now a very tight Senate race.
About the Author
Mark Hyman hosts “Behind the Headlines,” a commentary program for Sinclair Broadcast Group. You can follow him on Twitter at @markhyman.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (11) | Leave a comment
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Carol| 10.12.10 @ 7:23AM
You don't know Bennett like I know Bennett - in fact no one does in the state of Colorado.
Bennett is an Obama rubberstamp and it was Obama who made sure Bennett got Salazar's seat.
Bennett has no commitment to Colorado - only a commitment to Barack "Insane" Obama.
The chances of him stepping down are about as good as him not voting for all of Obama's agenda - which he has done 100%.
Alan Brooks| 10.12.10 @ 10:44PM
I have no respect for the GOP that ran Pete Coors.
Why all the old Bob Dole-types? are you thumbing your GOP noses at us?
Fred in DC| 10.12.10 @ 7:51AM
Mr. Hyman, There is no special election taking place in Florida for the unexpired Senate term. So if George Lemieux takes your advice, you would leave it to Governor (and senate candidate) Charlie Crist to appoint likely Senator-elect Marco Rubio?
harry reid| 10.12.10 @ 8:06AM
rules? we dont need no stinking rules!
this man is a comrade party member...rules are for everyone else
see you in the unemployment line...maybe i'll extent unemployment to like....forever! [for laid off democrats that is]
Texas Mom 2010| 10.12.10 @ 8:49AM
Sounds great, unfortunately your proposal would require some tiny bit of honor, some tiny bit of respect for the voters, some tiny bit of humility... This Congress has shown nothing but arrogance and distain for the rules and the wishes of the majority. I fear for our country.
Redstateboy| 10.12.10 @ 9:40AM
You expect honesty and intergrity from a party that includes the likes of: Bill (Slick Willie) Clinton, John Edwards, Eliot Spitzer, Kwiame Kirkpatrick, Marion Barry, Maxine Waters, Charlie Rangle, Jim McGreevy, $90 grand-cash Jefferson, Al Gore and Nazi Pelosi??
Norseman| 10.12.10 @ 2:18PM
Not only will Bennet not resign, even if he loses by 5-6 points that the polls currently show, he will call for a recall, scream that the Republicans must have cheated, and raise all kinds of havoc. This man is a fraud. He is in hiding, doing nothing but attack ads while running from his own voting record.
Chef Schnauzer| 10.12.10 @ 3:49PM
These creatures like Bennet, Obama, Kennedy, Spitzer..... they have no sense of duty, honor and responsibility. They are all ego and gas. When the revolition comes (arms, coup d'état, the particulars are irrelevant) I hope these usless gassbags pay a higher price than the general population.
PattyMor| 10.12.10 @ 4:45PM
Rolland Burris didn't just decide not run for reelection; he couldn't raise any money. Even in the People's Republic of Illinois, DemoCrats refused to give him any money.
I hope everyone supports Jim DeMint's 10 conservatives, of which, Ken Buck of Colorado is one.
bluecollarbytes| 10.12.10 @ 10:19PM
Why would these guys start now, enabling the will of the people?
Who sees Bennet resigning? I don't think he even has an alternative job lined up yet. And won't there be immense pressure on every Democrat-whether on the way out or not, and extreme maneuvering in the last-gasp months of Obamagenda? It will be Obama's last opportunity to stick it to us with a punishment we so richly deserve.