Kentucky Senator Says He Will Leave GOP

[JMac]

FRANKFORT, Ky. - A state senator whose party switch 5 1/2 years ago helped the GOP take control of the chamber said Wednesday he will leave the Republican Party over its actions in a disputed election.

Sen. Bob Leeper said he will register as an independent later this week, becoming the lone independent in the General Assembly and the first since 1984.

His protest came after Senate Republicans voted to seat the GOP candidate who received the most votes in a Jefferson County election in November, even though courts have ruled Dana Seum Stephenson did not meet constitutional residency requirements.

A court hearing is scheduled Friday on whether Stephenson should continue as a senator.

The GOP has solid control of the Senate, but would need to keep both Leeper and Stephenson to have a "super-majority" needed to pass constitutional changes. In odd-numbered years, super-majorities are also needed to pass budget and tax measures.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=703&e=8&u=/ap/20050112/ap_on_re_us/kentucky_senate

[catgirl]

1. All right!! A repug with a conscience!

Hopefully we'll see more and more of this! Yippeee!!

[Der Blaue Engel]

5. Yes!

May this be the first domino!

[helderheid]

13. yes so can we PLEASE stop the name calling??

[pacalo]

2. Wow. A Republican with integrity & principle.

I don't mean to be facetious; this is a rare find & I'd love to think there were more like Sen. Leeper.

[k8conant]

14. So much integrity & principle he's leaving the Republican Party...

:-) :-) :-)

[emlev]

3. Let's send him words of praise--publicly

Private letters are great, but letters to the editor and other public support will let others in the GOP know that there's support for ethical action.

[JMac]

4. Good idea

Bob Leepers email: [e-mail]

Here is a link with 52 Kentucky newspaper addresses: http://www.usnpl.com/kynews.html

If anyone has the time and skill to type a good letter to the editor, I'll be glad to email it to all the Ky newspapers.

[icehenge]

17. Wrote a thank you to him

I've written him an email.

[EC]

6. Well, I wonder

if he knows more that can help screw these creeps....May more follow his example...

[Patsy Stone]

7. Wow

Amazing. See kids, there's at least one good one out there. Soon, there will be many more leaving, and it will be good.

[KatieB]

8. Great story

[sepia_steel]

9. I KNEW it

They can't ALL be bad. Way to go!!!!

[Vektor]

10. Yay!

We need more like him.

[BamaBecky]

11. YES...YEAH...YES....YEAH.....YES....YEAH !!!!!!! WOOPEEE

:bounce:

[catgirl]

12. We're starting to see more & more dissent

amongst the repubs. Apparently many don't like the social
security Bullsh*t Bush is pushing. We'll start reading more
about this in MSM.

[Vidar]

15. cheering a repub with a conscience.

[NationalEnquirer]

16. Practically speaking, does this do any good?

I mean, will it have a similar effect to Jeffords switching to independant (I think I got that right) in the US Senate?