Does anyone know what happens....

D

Dixie - In Memoriam

New member
I know it's probably a little early to be discussing this, but perhaps it's not...

What is the official protocol for Giffords seat? She was shot in the head, and it's reasonable to presume she isn't going to miraculously recover in a few weeks from this, it may take years, and we have no idea how much damage has been done to her brain, etc... What will her capacity be, or what can even be expected after such a thing? Even in the best case scenario, would she even be able to handle the rigors of a typical day in Congress? I don't see it.

So... Does Republican Governor, Jan Brewer, get to appoint someone to fill her seat? Does Giffords get to assign a 'surrogate' to fill in? Is she just 'absent' for votes? How does that all work, and when will the people of her district have representation in Congress?
 
not sure of arizona state laws on it, but my 'general' understanding is that a state official may only appoint someone to the senate seat and that congressional seats require a special election.
 
SmarterThanYou said:
not sure of arizona state laws on it, but my 'general' understanding is that a state official may only appoint someone to the senate seat and that congressional seats require a special election.
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Okay, but is a special election possible if she is still alive? How is it determined, and by who, that a special election is in order? Does Giffords have to officially step down? I'm just curious as to how this all works, we've not had many instances like this before, but I am sure there is a protocol.
 
Dixie said:
Okay, but is a special election possible if she is still alive? How is it determined, and by who, that a special election is in order? Does Giffords have to officially step down? I'm just curious as to how this all works, we've not had many instances like this before, but I am sure there is a protocol.
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I think that it requires the state legislature to vote on having a special election. that's how it is in TX anyway.
 
..."Even if she is incapacitated and absent for a long period of time, the Arizona Democrat will continue in office until her term ends, if she chooses.

Both the House and Senate have accommodated extended absences for lawmakers who are ill or injured.

In the Senate, Democrat Tim Johnson of South Dakota suffered a brain hemorrhage in December 2006, and was absent from the Senate for about eight months. He was re-elected in 2008.

The House and Senate have the authority to declare seats vacant, but neither has done so in the case of a sitting member. In 1981, the House vacated the seat of an incapacitated person, when Rep. Gladys N. Spellman, a Democrat from Maryland, could not be sworn in because she had gone into a coma after her 1980 re-election.

If Ms. Giffords resigns her seat more than six months before the next general election, Arizona's governor would schedule a special party-primary election and special general election to choose a successor. In the interim, the clerk of the House would oversee the district's office and constituent services.

Ms. Giffords is hospitalized with a bullet wound to the head that she suffered in the Tucson, Ariz., shooting rampage, which left six people dead. No one knows how long her recovery will take, although her doctors say she is making striking progress.

When a House member is absent, no one can replace the lawmaker in casting a vote on the House floor. Congressional staff can carry out routine functions of the office, such as helping constituents deal with federal agencies or receiving voters' comments on legislative issues before Congress.

An aide to House Democratic leaders said that in Ms. Giffords's case, "all constituent service matters and mail, phone call and email issues are being handled adequately at the moment by her staff." The staff of other House members is also helping out..."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703959104576082433674043422.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
 
Dixie said:
I know it's probably a little early to be discussing this, but perhaps it's not...

What is the official protocol for Giffords seat? She was shot in the head, and it's reasonable to presume she isn't going to miraculously recover in a few weeks from this, it may take years, and we have no idea how much damage has been done to her brain, etc... What will her capacity be, or what can even be expected after such a thing? Even in the best case scenario, would she even be able to handle the rigors of a typical day in Congress? I don't see it.

So... Does Republican Governor, Jan Brewer, get to appoint someone to fill her seat? Does Giffords get to assign a 'surrogate' to fill in? Is she just 'absent' for votes? How does that all work, and when will the people of her district have representation in Congress?
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You're kidding me right?

She will vote the party line until her term ends even if Nancy Pelosi herself has to hold her hand and make an X in the right box.....
 
bravo said:
You're kidding me right?

She will vote the party line until her term ends even if Nancy Pelosi herself has to hold her hand and make an X in the right box.....
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You know, I was actually looking at her voting record the other day, and she isn't a Nancy Pelosi liberal. She is really fairly conservative, or as conservative as a Democrat can be, what could be described as a Blue Dog. Now, she did vote for Obamacare, but aside from that, she has a pretty consistent record of voting for less spending, and has been vocal about a balanced budget.

I've said all along, if Loughner was somehow motivated by the Tea Party, he could have selected a much greater target than Giffords. Here's the thing though... he has a history of obsession with Giffords dating back to 2007, before the Tea Party existed, and before anyone even knew who Sarah Palin was.
 
Dixie said:
You know, I was actually looking at her voting record the other day, and she isn't a Nancy Pelosi liberal. She is really fairly conservative, or as conservative as a Democrat can be, what could be described as a Blue Dog. Now, she did vote for Obamacare, but aside from that, she has a pretty consistent record of voting for less spending, and has been vocal about a balanced budget.

I've said all along, if Loughner was somehow motivated by the Tea Party, he could have selected a much greater target than Giffords. Here's the thing though... he has a history of obsession with Giffords dating back to 2007, before the Tea Party existed, and before anyone even knew who Sarah Palin was.
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Yeah, I know that....I was just tryin' to get a rise out "of the other side"....

Giffords is good joe....a Blue Dog conservative on most issues.....
If anyone should be pissed she was attacked it should be the conservatives.....
 
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