Medford politicians debate interim Senate appointment

By Matthew Reid/mreid@cnc.com
Wed Sep 23, 2009, 09:00 AM EDT

In 2004, Democrats changed the law to block then-Republican Gov. Mitt Romney from naming a temporary replacement if Sen. John Kerry had won his bid to run for president.

“It’s hypocritical and unconstitutional for such an ex post facto law to be passed,” said Nick McNulty, a representative of the Medford GOP.

McNulty believes the attempt by politicians in Massachusetts to change the law is the result of pressure from the federal government, citing a letter Kennedy wrote just before his death that urged Patrick to change the law.

“State laws should not be subject to the whims of either federal party,” McNulty said. “It’s obvious that Kennedy’s letter is from federal Democrats who want the law changed for their own gain.”

The absence of a second democratic voice in the Senate hurts President Barack Obama’s attempt to pass key health care reform, something Kennedy was passionate about during his lifetime, McNulty said.

State Reps. Paul Donato and Carl Sciortino both voted in favor of the bill last week.

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