State Senate president: Kentucky governor's race could be decided by state legislature CNN (Update: Bevin concedes) (1 Viewer)

[crosswatt]

Senate president: Kentucky governor's race could be decided by state legislature

After Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin refused to concede to Andy Beshear, Senate President Robert Stivers said the GOP-held legislature may get the final say

www.courier-journal.com

The part I find most concerning was that after he said this:

“There’s less than one-half of 1%, as I understand, separating the governor and the attorney general,” Stivers said. “We will follow the letter of the law and what various processes determine.”

Which is a reasonable statement and appropriate considering the closeness of the race, and the acceptable process of recanvassing/recounting. Bu then he drops this tidbit:

Stivers said he thought Bevin’s speech declining to concede to Beshear was “appropriate.” He said believes most of the votes that went to Libertarian John Hicks, who received about 2% of the total vote, would have gone to Bevin and made him the clear winner.

The fact that he lost by less than 1% in no way invalidates the 2% of voters who chose the libertarian candidate. I mean you can't retroactively institute some version of ranked choice voting just to get your guy back into office and completely disenfranchise almost 30,000 voters. This is really a potentially massive problem brewing here.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

Massive problem is actually an understatement, it is the definition of an oligarchy. The people of Kentucky cannot allow this to happen regardless of their political affiliation, but sadly I believe there are probably half of them that would embrace this sort of move as long as it benefits their side.

 

[wardorican]

It is all theoretical at this point. They are recanvessing now, right? I'd see how that shakes out first. People live to get ahead of themselves.

 

[BobE]

Bevin lost. He needs to get over it.

 

[wardorican]

Bevin lost. He needs to get over it.

Tell me that's a turn of a phrase...

 

[JimEverett]

Massive problem is actually an understatement, it is the definition of an oligarchy. The people of Kentucky cannot allow this to happen regardless of their political affiliation, but sadly I believe there are probably half of them that would embrace this sort of move as long as it benefits their side.

How so? Is impeachment the definition of an oligarchy?

 

[wardorican]

How so? Is impeachment the definition of an oligarchy?

C'mon JimE...

I don't think it will come to this, but if after the recount , the legislature decides 5000 votes is too close, and over turns the vote to pick the Repiblican, that is a direct violation of the will of the voters.

If, years into a politicians term, they do something ethically or legally problematic enough to warrant being admonished or removed from office, that is not going against the will of the voters. I would hope that voters pick someone to do the best job (or the type.of job they want), but it is not a blank check to do any kind of malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance without consequence.

 

[crosswatt]

It is all theoretical at this point. They are recanvessing now, right? I'd see how that shakes out first. People live to get ahead of themselves.

Actually it's a politician in a leadership position floating a trial balloon about his intention to intervene in the election process because his party member didn't win. And giving you his justification for doing so. And pointing out that there is no actual prescription for how the legislature has to proceed written out anywhere in state law.

 

[BobE]

Some one needs to show Bevin where all other R's won, by double digits at that. and he didn't.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

How so? Is impeachment the definition of an oligarchy?

How so? If one is impeached, their seat would be filled be either their 2nd, by appointment or special election. Either way, the voters would ultimately decide when the next election is held. In this case, the Kentucky Senator does not hesitate to cite the most extreme solution to the situation.

 

[JimEverett]

C'mon JimE...

I don't think it will come to this, but if after the recount , the legislature decides 5000 votes is too close, and over turns the vote to pick the Repiblican, that is a direct violation of the will of the voters.

If, years into a politicians term, they do something ethically or legally problematic enough to warrant being admonished or removed from office, that is not going against the will of the voters. I would hope that voters pick someone to do the best job (or the type.of job they want), but it is not a blank check to do any kind of malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance without consequence.

1. An elected legislature decides that a duly elected Executive has committed acts which warrant removal and does so via a Constitutionally allowed procedure;
vs.
2. An elected legislature decides that there are irregularities in an election for an Executive that warrant deciding between the candidates as to who takes office and does so via a Constitutionally allowed procedure.

One is representative democracy and the other is oligarchy????

C'mon.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

1. An elected legislature decides that a duly elected Executive has committed acts which warrant removal and does so via a Constitutionally allowed procedure;
vs.
2. An elected legislature decides that there are irregularities in an election for an Executive that warrant deciding between the candidates as to who takes office and does so via a Constitutionally allowed procedure.

One is representative democracy and the other is oligarchy????

C'mon.

If the irregularities are that my guy didn't get as many votes as his opponent so I'm going to have him contest the election and appoint him governor? Then yes, oligarchy.

 

[MT15]

What irregularities?

the analogy is silly. Trump has been credibly accused of an impeachable offense, that of trying to bribe a foreign leader to open a sham investigation into his main political rival.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[insidejob]

That's encouraging.

 

[MT15]

Not so much, at least to me. There’s 120 counties in Kentucky, I looked it up. If they want to steal the election, they’ve already laid the groundwork by citing vague irregularities in a few counties, without even naming the counties. It would be done by “discovering” miscounts in a few key, very rural counties.

All right, I’ll remove tin foil hat now. I sure hope most of Kentucky is more trustworthy than their current governor.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[MT15]

So glad to be wrong!!