Flawed system

November 16, 2008 11:24 pm

— The passing of Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll may result in consideration being given to the constitutional question of succession in Pennsylvania.
Under present law, the office will now be filled by Senate President Joe Scarnati, a Jefferson County Republican (who remains in the Senate). He is apparently a very qualified and competent legislator.
It is my recollection that several decades ago my fellow legislator, Rep. Franklin L. Kury, of Sunbury, (later a state senator) endeavored to have the Legislature adopt a constitutional amendment (similar to that of the United States regarding vice-presidential vacancies) to address a situation that now exists in the commonwealth.
When Spiro Agnew resigned as vice president, the U.S. model enabled President Nixon to appoint Congressman Gerald Ford to the office and then when Nixon resigned Ford appointed Nelson Rockefeller (such appointments requiring approval by Congress).
If it had been adopted, the Kury proposal would, in essence, now have Gov. Rendell appoint a successor to Lt. Gov. Knoll, subject to approval by the Legislature.
As a GOP partisan, I am not dismayed (except for the truly sad circumstances creating it) by a Republican senator now next in the line of succession. But, having said that, I do feel the present system is flawed. Perhaps it now will be addressed.
Harvey P. Murray, Jr.,
Selinsgrove
n Harvey P. Murray Jr., is a former member of the state House of Representatives.