NOVEMBER 18, 13:54 EST
Fla. Legislature May Pick Electors
By JACKIE HALLIFAX
Associated Press Writer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida's Republican-controlled Legislature will ``play a role should it become necessary'' in picking the state's 25 electors, incoming House Speaker Tom Feeney said Saturday.
He said federal law gives the Legislature ``the power, authority and responsibility to intervene'' if the election doesn't produce electors. Feeney said the party was exploring legal strategy to apply that idea to Florida's electoral impasse.
If successful, that could give the solidly Republican Legislature power to decide the national election. With only Florida still undecided, Al Gore had 267 electoral votes to George W. Bush's 246, with 270 needed for election.
Rep. Lois Frankel, House minority leader, was skeptical.
``I don't think we could get away with the Legislature picking the electors,'' the West Palm Beach Democrat said Saturday, adding she didn't know if federal law would give the Legislature such power.
``I'm sure we'll get lots of advice from lots of constitutional lawyers should it come to that,'' she said.
The Florida Supreme Court blocked Secretary of State Katherine Harris from certifying the election Saturday and scheduled oral arguments for Monday. Feeney called the court's order on Friday premature and regrettable and said he would ``monitor the discord between the judicial and executive branches.''
He questioned whether the court should take a role in picking the electors: ``We're going to potentially ignore the state Supreme Court,'' he said. But, he added, ``We are in uncharted territory.''
``We really haven't even got close to that. But goodness, if this goes on long enough, we may have to consider what our obligations are. We would hire the best constitutional lawyer we could find.''
When the Legislature convenes Tuesday for a one-day organizational session, Feeney will be sworn in as speaker. He's from Oviedo, a small town north of Orlando.
The Nov. 7 election gave Republicans a 77-43 lead in the House and 25-15 margin in the state Senate.
Federal law says that electors must be certified by Dec. 12. They will then meet on Dec. 18 in the states' capitals to choose the next president. |
