City Asked To Un-"Democrat" Joe

[kpete]

City Asked To Un-"Democrat" Joe
by Paul Bass | August 21, 2006

Paul Bass PhotoA day after U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman declared himself a "devoted Democrat" on national TV, peace activists in his hometown of New Haven asked the local registrar of voters (Sharon Ferrucci, pictured) Monday afternoon to strip him of his party affiliation because of his third-party reelection bid against party-endorsed Ned Lamont.

Some two dozen activists, camera crews and reporters squeezed into the narrow entry to the second-floor Registrar of Voters office to present their request to Ferrucci. Ferrucci said she wasn't familiar with the law. In a friendly encounter with the surprise crowd in her office, Ferrucci promised, "I will read it and get back to you" within 48 hours or sooner.

The activists cited Section 9-61 of Chapter 143 of the state statutes in their request. That section allows for a Democrat's party afffiliation to be "stricken or excluded" for two years if he runs for office as a candidate of a different party.

...................

The protesters in New Haven, led by Henry Lowendorf (pictured) of the Greater New Haven Peace Council, picked up that theme Monday. They argued that by running against the candidate chosen by Democrats -- in effect working to defeat a Democrat -- Lieberman has clearly acted in a way that qualifies for his expulsion under the law. Section 9-60 cites an intention not to "support principles or candidates" as grounds for expulsion. Section 9-61, as well, cites an intention not to support " the principles or candidates of the party." By running against the Democratic nominee, the argument goes, Lieberman is clearly exhibiting such an intention.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2006/08/city_asked_to_u.php

[KingFlorez]

1. Some of these people are so silly

This is a democratic republic, you can't demand people be stripped of the party affiliation because you are mad about an election.

[bryant69]

2. Why not?

THe rules allow it - and he's not running as a Democrat - in fact because he wanted to be higher on the ballot, he created his own party to run as. If he's supportin this new party - Connecticut for Lieberman (or something like that) - can he really be a Democrat?

If you leave the Lakers to join the Knicks, don't they make you change your jersey?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[sallyseven]

3. Yes you can and he should be stripped of his

affiliation right now.

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. This is party REGISTRATION, not affiliation

It seems the statute is clear, and as constitutional as any of the other rigamarole involving partisan voter registration.

[Lasher]

5. I don't know about that, King

Would it be fair to run in a primary for a Democratic nomination while being registered as a Republican? You make a good point, but my initial reaction was to test this against the principle of similar circumstances. I'm still thinking my way through it.

[cmkramer]

6. Already happened

Carolyn McCarthy was a registered Republican when she ran and won a seat in Congress as a Democrat representing New York. She did not formally switch parties for at least a couple of terms.

[damntexdem]

10. She didn't reregister.

Whether she could have been stripped of her GOP registration is a different matter. That would depend on the law in NY.

Well, it can't happen in Texas, anyway -- there's no registration by party at all.

[damntexdem]

8. Yes, the Registrar if she fails to strip Lieberman of 'Democrat.'

Where the law says so, people CAN be stripped of their party affiliation because of their behavior. And it's Lieberman whose undertaken such behavior because HE IS mad about an election.

[CTyankee]

7. Ihad the honor of voting absentee for Ned in that very office

in New Haven. My pleasure, indeed!

[me b zola]

9. Joe chose to leave the Democratic Party. Period

It is that simple for me.