I know your suggestion is not serious, but if it were this would only benefit the Democrats. There is no way a new court would be appointed before Bush left office.
Okay. By accepting the pardon, Stevens acknowledges his guilt. The Senate expels him. Is his replacement a Governor’s decision? Might she, could she (Palin) appoint herself?
Can a pardon actually be refused?
AK will have a special election to replace Stevens if (alright, when) he’s expelled.
Certainly there’s a decent chance that Palin will run for the newly emptied seat, presumably against Steven’s previous challenger. Given that Alaskans were willing to vote for a convicted felon rather then the democrat, I think its safe to say that Palin would probably go to the senate in that case.
You do realize that with the re-election of Stevens, Alaskans prefer their public officials as those who stand by their convictions.
I’m sure that the entire administration will spend all their remaining time in office looking for Nicole’s killer or killers.
Which is stupid, because we have him in custody here in Las Vegas already!
I had a thread on this subject yesterday.
Nah. Happens every year. Like the cherry blossoms.
Yes. In Burdick v. United States, the Supreme Court held that someone can refuse a pardon, because acceptance of a pardon carried an imputation of guilt.
I don’t think the administration will do anything.
Yes, she can, and it’s been done. Historically, however, it is political suicide.
She can but it turns out in Alaska they have to call for a special election within 90 days so it is not the two year term that Biden’s replacement will have. Nothing says that she can’t call for the election and just run. I suspect she would probably win. Her name recognition has got to be near 100% in Alaska and she would have a huge boost in a quick election. Only the Democratic challenger that lost would have a decent shot against her and if he lost to a convicted Steven, he would probably lose worse to Palin.
I rather welcome the idea that Palin might be the AK Senator - even the GOP Standard Bearer for the Conservatives and/or the GOP in general.
She is so disdained by the rest of the country that with Sarah at the top or near it, the Pubbies would just go on digging ever deeper, the abyss they’re in.
There is that and she would probably do a good job providing fodder for The Daily Show and others. Ted Stevens will leave a big hole for political comedians. He was always one of the goto guys in the Senate for some new stupidity.
She could resign as governor and have the Lt. Governor escalate to Governor and appoint her. It’s happened before.
It is still Alaska and they have to call for a special election within 90 days.
Did not know that. I am sure she would win; she is wildly popular there. Still, the self-appointment right after the veep run would make her look power-hungry, dimming the source of her outsider, everymom appeal. Long-term, I still think it would dim her star.
I tend to agree and I only found out about the Alaska election rule yesterday. I thought it would work like most states and I had been fearing it. However, while I think she might well take Steven’s seat via the special election, I believe that she will not shine on the national stage in the long term and she will lose even many of her ardent fundy-like supporters. In other words she would end up a long term Senator looking out for the very special interests of Alaska and probably ensure that she would not gain the nomination in 2012 or after.
Yes, Rachek Maddow mentioned this on her show yesterday, but I wonder if she knew of possible special AK laws regarding this - like in some other state, perhaps, Happy Chandler having to resign as guv and letting the Lt Guv appoint him to the Senate.