Certification for Me, But Not for Thee!

Just last week, the Democratic Party Machine in Massachusetts threatened to delay the certification of Scott Brown (if he wins) as long as possible to prevent him from casting votes in the U.S. Senate. Most importantly, one of those votes could be on Obamacare.

However just today, one of the most powerful members of that Machine, Rep. Ed Markey, stated:

“We’re all waiting for Wednesday morning when we have Martha Coakley joining us down there."

Did you get that? Wednesday. The day after the special election. I guess Markey doesn't forsee any issues with getting Coakley certified. As they say in my former home state...what a wicked shockah!

But as it turns out, if he wins, Brown would not have to wait for ceritfication in order to take his place as the Bay State's new Senator....

Massachusetts law says that an appointed senator remains in office “until election and qualification of the person duly elected to fill the vacancy.” The vacancy occurred when Senator Edward Kennedy died in August. Kirk was picked as interim senator by Governor Deval Patrick.

[...]

But based on Massachusetts law, Senate precedent, and the U.S. Constitution, Republican attorneys said Kirk will no longer be a senator after election day, period. Brown meets the age, citizenship, and residency requirements in the Constitution to qualify for the Senate. “Qualification” does not require state “certification,” the lawyers said.

So I guess somebody new will be voting in the Senate starting Wednesday....