Comments on: David Paterson’s Lt. Governor Appointment: Politically Astute, Even if Constitutionally Iffy http://firedoglake.com/2009/07/20/david-patersons-lt-governor-appointment-politically-astute-even-if-constitutionally-iffy/ Firedoglake weblog Sat, 18 Feb 2012 07:42:10 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin http://firedoglake.com/2009/07/20/david-patersons-lt-governor-appointment-politically-astute-even-if-constitutionally-iffy/#comment-1939488 JaneaneTheAcerbicGoblin Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:14:16 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/07/20/david-patersons-lt-governor-appointment-politically-astute-even-if-constitutionally-iffy/#comment-1939488 <p>Patterson had to do that, because the NY Senate was deadlocked for a month because of two Democrats who started caucusing with the Republicans (even though they remained Democrats). One went back soon after, but one of them, Estrada, wouldn’t go back and kept the Senate deadlocked at 31-31. Naming the Lt. Governor sent a message to the GOP and Estrada that Patterson had had enough of this crap, so he had to do it. It worked. Estrada came back a day or two after Patterson named the Lt. Governor.</p> Patterson had to do that, because the NY Senate was deadlocked for a month because of two Democrats who started caucusing with the Republicans (even though they remained Democrats). One went back soon after, but one of them, Estrada, wouldn’t go back and kept the Senate deadlocked at 31-31. Naming the Lt. Governor sent a message to the GOP and Estrada that Patterson had had enough of this crap, so he had to do it. It worked. Estrada came back a day or two after Patterson named the Lt. Governor.

]]> By: Rayne http://firedoglake.com/2009/07/20/david-patersons-lt-governor-appointment-politically-astute-even-if-constitutionally-iffy/#comment-1939472 Rayne Tue, 21 Jul 2009 02:27:12 +0000 http://firedoglake.com/2009/07/20/david-patersons-lt-governor-appointment-politically-astute-even-if-constitutionally-iffy/#comment-1939472 <p>New York isn’t the only state with a hole in its state constitution regarding appointment of a Lt. Governor in cases where the Governor steps down or is removed. Michigan has the same challenge; we’re just lucky that Gov. Granholm hasn’t been named to a spot in the Obama administration, even though it might help the current Lt. Governor in the 2010 gubernatorial race if he was an incumbent.</p> <p>Messy stuff, hope it works out for the best over the long run.</p> New York isn’t the only state with a hole in its state constitution regarding appointment of a Lt. Governor in cases where the Governor steps down or is removed. Michigan has the same challenge; we’re just lucky that Gov. Granholm hasn’t been named to a spot in the Obama administration, even though it might help the current Lt. Governor in the 2010 gubernatorial race if he was an incumbent.

Messy stuff, hope it works out for the best over the long run.

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