Wouldn't it be awesome if one, by one, they woke up, saw the treachery, and switched to become Independents or DEMS?
Kentucky Senator Says He Will Leave GOP
Wed Jan 12
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.
Leeper earlier said he would resign, but reconsidered because he did
not want to leave his district without representation. He said on
WHAS-AM radio that his objection is not with the party itself, but
with the way Senate Republicans conducted business.
"I don't feel comfortable staying in the caucus," Leeper said.
Later, in a telephone interview, he acknowledged there could be
political retribution from Republicans, perhaps in terms of lost
committee assignments.
"That's what is part of the problem," said Leeper, a member of the
budget-writing Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Lawmakers have
to hew to the party line "to keep those committee assignments."
The 2005 legislative session resumes on Feb. 1 and is scheduled to
end March 22.\
Original article at:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=407286&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312