State Senate Again Delays Action On Interim Appointment Bill

Republicans in the Massachusetts state Senate have again forced a delay of action on a bill that would give Gov. Deval Patrick the authority to appoint an interim U.S. senator to serve in Washington until a permanent replacement is elected next January.

Senate Republican Leader Richard Tisei of Wakefield used a parliamentary move to "table" the bill until the next session, which is scheduled for Tuesday at 11 a.m.

After the session, Senate President Therese Murray said the Republicans were not being dilatory.

"They're using all the tools at their disposal, and they'll be out of tools tomorrow (Tuesday) and we'll have a healthy debate," said the Plymouth Democrat.

When asked by reporters if the bill will pass on Tuesday, Murray replied, "We'll see tomorrow."

There are only five Republicans in the 40 member senate. They have vowed to use parliamentary rules to stall the bill for as long as possible, but Tisei acknowleged their options are running out.

"It's probably going to come up tomorrow," Tisei said. "We're going to oppose it, but there are five of us and 35 of them, and when they decide they want to do something, they're going to do it one way or the other."

The Senate Republicans predict the vote will be close, and are hoping the extra time gives them a chance to convince any undecided colleagues to vote against the measure.

They also say the push to get the bill passed is driven primarily to give Democrats the needed sixtieth vote in the U.S. Senate to pass an overhaul of the nation's health insurance system

"When you have President Obama's top political advisor, David Axelrod calling people, (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid calling people, that's a lot of pressure," Tisei said. "I'm hearing people who are voting for it tell me they're going to hold their nose and vote for it because they have to vote for it, but they know it's not the right thing to do."