CARPETBAGGERS R US: As comedian and HBO talk show host Bill Maher might say, "New Rule: If you're going to run for office, you've got to live in your district."
It's not really a new rule, of course. But it's one the courts tend to take seriously.
Back in 2000, a judge ruled that a pathetic loser named "David Parks" who'd been recruited to run against Assemblyman David Parks by another pathetic loser, Tony Dane, was ineligible for office because the fake Parks didn't really live in the real Parks' district.
And this year, two people have been tossed off the ballot by judges after it was shown that they didn't live in their districts, either.
Todd Allen was all set to run as a Democrat in state Senate District 6, where Assemblyman Bob Beers and state Sen. Ray Rawson are fighting it out in a Republican primary. But at the last moment, he decided to run against state Sen. Mike Schneider in state Senate District 11.
Although Allen claimed he'd rented an apartment before the April residency cutoff deadline, he didn't turn on the power in his place until May. How did he live? "Very simply, I got there so late, I would go straight to bed," Allen said. (Yes, he really said it, and yes, were it not for Nevada Stupak, it would be the lamest thing uttered during the entire election cycle.)
Unfortunately for Allen, temperatures during those critical few weeks were high, and any Las Vegan whose air conditioning has ever gone out knew Allen couldn't possibly have been a real resident of the 11th District. Perhaps he was using a generator and a swamp cooler?
Over in Henderson, Republican Anthony Bandiero was persistent in trying to locate one of his primary opponents, one Anne DiMartini. He knocked on her door, and somebody else answered to say she didn't live there, at least not yet. (DiMartini had apparently purchased the house, moved a few things in, but was on vacation around residency deadline time, too.) That, apparently, doesn't make you a "resident."
And let's not get started on young Stupak, who moves so often that he's run for City Council twice (in two different districts on opposite sides of the city) and the Clark County Commission in the last few years. He's the only person in Las Vegas who has frequent flier miles at U-Haul.
On one level, residency doesn't matter: A person residing in Assembly District 13 can be as informed about state issues as one in Assembly District 42. A person running for Congress is only required to live in the state he wants to represent, not the specific district.
On the other hand, the law makes sense: By living in the district, you see every day the issues faced by your constituents, because you're one of them. It's much better than being "represented" by more well-to-do folk who all live in well-heeled areas of town.
It's an important lesson that Allen, DiMartini and all future carpetbaggers now know.
http://www.lasvegasmercury.com
It's not really a new rule, of course. But it's one the courts tend to take seriously.
Back in 2000, a judge ruled that a pathetic loser named "David Parks" who'd been recruited to run against Assemblyman David Parks by another pathetic loser, Tony Dane, was ineligible for office because the fake Parks didn't really live in the real Parks' district.
And this year, two people have been tossed off the ballot by judges after it was shown that they didn't live in their districts, either.
Todd Allen was all set to run as a Democrat in state Senate District 6, where Assemblyman Bob Beers and state Sen. Ray Rawson are fighting it out in a Republican primary. But at the last moment, he decided to run against state Sen. Mike Schneider in state Senate District 11.
Although Allen claimed he'd rented an apartment before the April residency cutoff deadline, he didn't turn on the power in his place until May. How did he live? "Very simply, I got there so late, I would go straight to bed," Allen said. (Yes, he really said it, and yes, were it not for Nevada Stupak, it would be the lamest thing uttered during the entire election cycle.)
Unfortunately for Allen, temperatures during those critical few weeks were high, and any Las Vegan whose air conditioning has ever gone out knew Allen couldn't possibly have been a real resident of the 11th District. Perhaps he was using a generator and a swamp cooler?
Over in Henderson, Republican Anthony Bandiero was persistent in trying to locate one of his primary opponents, one Anne DiMartini. He knocked on her door, and somebody else answered to say she didn't live there, at least not yet. (DiMartini had apparently purchased the house, moved a few things in, but was on vacation around residency deadline time, too.) That, apparently, doesn't make you a "resident."
And let's not get started on young Stupak, who moves so often that he's run for City Council twice (in two different districts on opposite sides of the city) and the Clark County Commission in the last few years. He's the only person in Las Vegas who has frequent flier miles at U-Haul.
On one level, residency doesn't matter: A person residing in Assembly District 13 can be as informed about state issues as one in Assembly District 42. A person running for Congress is only required to live in the state he wants to represent, not the specific district.
On the other hand, the law makes sense: By living in the district, you see every day the issues faced by your constituents, because you're one of them. It's much better than being "represented" by more well-to-do folk who all live in well-heeled areas of town.
It's an important lesson that Allen, DiMartini and all future carpetbaggers now know.
http://www.lasvegasmercury.com
