Down the ballot: Bargaining chip's gone
Posted: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 9:07 AM by Domenico Montanaro
COLORADO: Tom Tancredo has retired.
ILLINOIS: Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who will pick Obama's replacement, likes Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
LOUISIANA: A bargaining chip is gone for Rep. William Jefferson. "Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat who likely faces a trial next year on bribery and money laundering charges, can no longer offer his resignation as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. Jefferson has pleaded not guilty in the case, which started in 2005 when federal agents found $90,000 in alleged bribe money stashed in the freezer of his Washington home."
MINNESOTA: "The city of Minneapolis has stopped searching for about 130 ballots in the U.S. Senate recount, leaving state officials to choose between two sets of tallies in the tight race between Sen. Norm Coleman and Al Franken. City officials believed ballots were missing after the number of votes recounted in one precinct ended up 133 less than the number tallied on Election Day. The missing votes favored Franken, who would fall another 46 votes behind Coleman if the precinct's recount numbers are used instead of the initial tally.
NEW YORK: New York Times has the news that Ted Kennedy is working behind the scenes on Caroline Kennedy’s behalf. "Mr. Kennedy’s message, according to Democratic aides who were not authorized to discuss the conversations, is that Ms. Kennedy -- backed by the Kennedy family’s extensive fund-raising network -- would have the wherewithal to run back-to-back costly statewide races without having to seek help from Mr. Paterson or Mr. Schumer."
Michael Bloomberg is supportive of the Caroline idea.
But Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, threw her hat in the ring for New York Senate. NY Gov. David "Paterson told the Daily News on Monday that Weingarten recently contacted him about the seat -- fresh evidence that ambitious New York Democrats aren't about to clear out of the way for Caroline Kennedy."
