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  • SUNDAY NOVEMBER 16 2008 1:00 PM

Ted Stevens Facing Ejection Vote

It looks likely that Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) will have to face the music this Tuesday. That's when there will be a secret vote amongst Republican senators, led by Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), to decide if Stevens should be kicked out of the Republican caucus, effectively making him a man without a party while stripping him of all committee assignments and party votes.

Such a vote would also signal party willingness to eject Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator in history and patriarch of Alaska politics who was convicted last month on seven felony charges for making false statements, from the Senate altogether.

Stevens' only salvation from this humiliation would be to lose the race to his Democratic opponent, which would make those votes moot and thus less likely to happen. Stevens is currently losing by 1,022 votes but more remain to be counted.

The conference meeting is currently scheduled for Tuesday, the day after Congress returns from its elections recess. While the vote is on the agenda for 9:30 a.m., it's not clear whether it will take place. Many Republican senators say they would rather wait for the final election results so they don't have to cast an uncomfortable vote on whether Stevens should stay in their conference.


DeMint's office has characterized a vote on Stevens as a way of cleaning Republican house of any scandalous taint before the 111th Congress begins in January. They expect it to pass, said DeMint spokesman Wesley Denton.


We should know by the end of Tuesday. It looks increasingly likely that Stevens is done, one way or the other. If so, Begich would bring the number of Democratic senators to 58, very close to the magic number of 60 required to overturn Republican filibusters.

 

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Comments
DannyDMc

DannyDMc

Fargo, ND
July 2003

NOV 16, 2008 01:24 PM


I was going to type an entry here where I stated that I felt a small bit bad for Stevens; what with being the longest serving Republican Senator, one of the dominant political faces in his state and so now being reduced to being kicked out of the party and so forth. But, you know what? I really don't feel bad for him at all; asshole brought this on himself. The very fact that he continued to run for re-election shows that he really sees what he did as no big deal. If he'd been smart, he would have bowed out of the race and decided to "spend more time with his family". Cocky asshole.

Coyotemike

Coyotemike

USA
May 2006

NOV 16, 2008 01:33 PM

I thought the election was still undecided.

Stiles

Stiles

Oakland, CA
November 2002

NOV 16, 2008 01:47 PM

Final vote count is due by Tuesday night. The ejection hearing and vote is scheduled for Tuesday morning, but Stevens can always concede the race before the ejection vote is called.

Toku666

Toku666

Columbus, OH
May 2004

NOV 16, 2008 01:49 PM

Coyotemike said:
I thought the election was still undecided.



According to the OP, you thought correctly. Or was that a veiled "how is this news?"

Honestly, since the 4th I haven't been F5'ing news sources obsessively, so it's actually nice to get an update here (where there be nekkid ladeez) on the vote tally. But the OP definitely had the vote tally and the information that the vote had yet to be finalized, pending more votes.

Coyotemike

Coyotemike

USA
May 2006

NOV 16, 2008 01:52 PM

Toku666 said:

Coyotemike said:
I thought the election was still undecided.



According to the OP, you thought correctly. Or was that a veiled "how is this news?"

Honestly, since the 4th I haven't been F5'ing news sources obsessively, so it's actually nice to get an update here (where there be nekkid ladeez) on the vote tally. But the OP definitely had the vote tally and the information that the vote had yet to be finalized, pending more votes.



Guess I just overlooked that part of the post. My bad. No snark intended.

Subrosa

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA
July 2004

NOV 16, 2008 02:25 PM

It's almost too bad that Begich is going to win because it would have been too much fun to see the GOP distance themselves from Uncle Ted.

FreakPirate

FreakPirate

Canada
November 2002

NOV 16, 2008 02:29 PM

How was he able to run? How was the race even close? He's a fucking felon!

Toku666

Toku666

Columbus, OH
May 2004

NOV 16, 2008 02:43 PM

FreakPirate said:
How was he able to run? How was the race even close? He's a fucking felon!



A-L-A-S-K-A

Stiles

Stiles

Oakland, CA
November 2002

NOV 16, 2008 03:01 PM

FreakPirate said:
How was he able to run? How was the race even close? He's a fucking felon!



Believe it or not, convicted felons are not precluded by law from being a Senator in the US legislature. The race was close because Stevens was well-connected and very powerful, brought huge amounts of federal pork money to Alaska for decades, and was a reliably conservative Republican in an overwhelmingly conservative Republican state.

motorfirebox

motorfirebox

Pittsburgh, PA
March 2004

NOV 16, 2008 05:01 PM

come wednesday, Stevens won't be a senator. he'll be a series of fails!

Kohai

Kohai

I'm lost
October 2006

NOV 16, 2008 05:16 PM

Or he'll get pardoned by Bush when he says, "Fuck you, America, all shitheads of my party get off scott free!"

Accuser

Accuser

Scottsdale, AZ
October 2006

NOV 16, 2008 09:01 PM

Kohai said:
Or he'll get pardoned by Bush when he says, "Fuck you, America, all shitheads of my party get off scott free!"



Probably, but he'll likely be out of his Senate seat before that happens.

headtraumajr

headtraumajr

Mukilteo, WA
February 2004

NOV 17, 2008 12:10 AM

I really hope he loses this race. As much fun as ejection would be, it could very well lead to puke Senator Palin puke upon his resignation

ASSH0LE

ASSH0LE

Las Vegas, NV
June 2003

NOV 17, 2008 06:58 AM

Good point. I'm not sure what the process for replacing a Senator is in Alaska. That differs from state to state.

Ah wait. It appears that Palin would appoint a temporary replacement, who would only stay in office until a special election is held.

SockPuppet

SockPuppet

I'm lost
July 2006

NOV 17, 2008 03:14 PM

ASSH0LE said:
Good point. I'm not sure what the process for replacing a Senator is in Alaska. That differs from state to state.

Ah wait. It appears that Palin would appoint a temporary replacement, who would only stay in office until a special election is held.



Pardon my cynicism, but when does the special election have to be held?

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