The Green Papers: What's New?
 
Latest updates to The Green Papers ...
  • Thursday May 28, 2009
    • Effective Friday May 29, 2009, "What's New" entries will be available here. In addition, the information will be available via RSS 2.0 and ATOM 1.0 syndication and twitter.com.
  • Tuesday May 26, 2009
    • President Obama has nominated Federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor, 54, of New York to succeed Justice David Souter on the U.S. Supreme Court.
  • Tuesday May 19, 2009
    • California U.S. House CD 32: Special non-partisan primary to fill the vacant seat of Hilda L. Solis. She became Secretary of Labor in the Obama Administrationon on 24 February 2009.
      • All candidates, 8 Democrats, 3 Republican, 1 Libertarian, and a write-in candidate will run on a single ballot. If one candidate receives a majority (50% plus 1) of the vote, that candidate is elected. Otherwise, the top vote getter from each party will participate in a Tuesday 14 July 2009 special general election.
      • 20 May 2009 5:19a PDT: Since no candidate received 50% of the vote, the top vote getter from each party will advance to a Tuesday 14 July 2009 special general election. The candidates are: State Board of Equalization Chair Judy Chu (31.90%, Democratic), Monterey Park Council Member Betty Tom Chu (10.43%, Republican), Christopher M. Agrella (1.24%, Libertarian).
    • The Hawai'i Republicans have decided to replace their Presidential Convention with a Tuesday 21 February 2012 winner-take-all Presidential Caucus. Media article from Hawai'i Free Press. 2012 Presidential Primaries, Caucuses, and Conventions Alphabetically by State.
  • Friday May 15, 2009
  • Sunday May 3, 2009
  • Friday May 1, 2009
    • Supreme Court Justice David Souter, 69, plans to retire in June. He was appointed by President George H. W. Bush and sworn in 9 October 1990.
      Chambers of Justice David H. Souter       May 1, 2009

      Dear Mr. President:

      When the Supreme Court rises for the summer recess this year, I intend to retire from regular active service as a Justice, under the provisions of 28 US.C. § 371(b)(1), having attained the age and met the service requirements of subsection(c) of that section. I mean to continue to render substantial judicial service as an Associate Justice.

      Yours respectfully,
      s/David Souter

      Reference http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/souter_letter.pdf

    • Pennsylvania Class 3 Senator Arlen Specter changed his party affiliation from Republican to Democratic effective on 30 April 2009.
    • The Partisan Composition of the U.S. Senate is now 57 Democrats, 40 Republicans, 1 Independent Democrat (Lieberman, Connecticut), 1 Independent (Sanders, Vermont), and 1 vacant (2008 election results pending, Minnesota).
  • Thursday April 30, 2009
  • Wednesday April 29, 2009
    • H. Scott Murphy (Democratic, New York CD 20) was elected to Congress on 31 March 2009 in Special Election. He fills the vacancy caused by the appointment of Congressman Kirsten Gillibrand to the United States Senate. Congressman Murphy took the oath of office on 29 April 2009.
    • The Partisan Composition of the 111th House U.S. House is now 256 Democrats, 178 Republicans, and 1 vacant seat (California CD 32).
  • Tuesday 28 April 2009
    • Media reports indicate U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pennsylvania) will seek re-election in 2010 as a Democrat.
    • The Obama Administration: Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius (Democratic) who was first elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006 was nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services by President Obama on Monday 2 March 2009. On Tuesday 28 April 2009, she was confirmed by a U.S. Senate Roll Call Vote of 65-31 with 3 not voting. A short time afterwards, she resigned her Governor's Chair and was sworn in as a member of President Obama's Cabinet. Lieutenant Governor Mark Parkinson (Democratic) who was first elected in 2006 was sworn in as Governor of Kansas.
  • Friday April 24, 2009
    • 2008 Minnesota Class 2 Senate Seat Election upate: The Minnesota Supreme Court will take up the appeal on 1 June 2009. Until then, the office remains empty. The current tally is Al Franken (Democratic): 41.99%, Senator Norm Coleman (Republican): 41.98%.
    • Special Election in New York House CD 20
      • Today, Republican nominee James Nicholas "Jim" Tedisco (Republican; Conservative) conceded to H. Scott Murphy (Democratic; Independence; Working Families).
      • The tally was updated on Thursday 24 April 3:30pm EDT.
        • H. Scott Murphy (Democratic; Independence; Working Families): 50.12% - leads by 399 votes out of 160,441
        • James Nicholas "Jim" Tedisco (Republican; Conservative): 49.88%
      • All counties have completed their counting undisputed paper, military, and overseas ballots. About 800 of the 1,773 disputed ballots remain to be counted.
  • Thursday April 23, 2009
    • New pages: Estimated 2012 Presidential Primary, Caucus, and Convention Calendar.
    • All dates are unofficial and based on either (1) information obtained from either Major Party, (2) Presidential Primary dates established by currently-effective State statute, or- where the foregoing information could not be obtained- (3) the state's 2008 delegate selection process and associated dates adjusted to the corresponding dates in 2012.
  • Monday April 20, 2009
    • 2008 Minnesota Senate Class 2 Seat update: Media reports state that Norm Coleman (Republican, Minnesota) will appeal the 13 April 2009 decision by the District Court to the Minnesota Supreme Court. The District Court found that "Al Franken ... received the highest number of votes ... and is entitled to receive the certificate of election."
  • Wednesday April 15, 2009
    • Vox Populi - A Letter to the Editor: Article V of the Constitution of the United States by Ken Stremsky
    • On Monday 6 April 2009, Doug Goehring was appointed to the position of North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner by Governor John Hoeven. He replaces Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson who resigned to become the President of the National Farmers Union. Mr. Johnson was first elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2000, 2004 (to a 2 year term), and 2006 (to a 4 year term).
  • Tuesday April 14, 2009
  • Monday April 13, 2009
  • Saturday 11 April 2009
  • Friday April 10, 2009
  • Tuesday April 7, 2009
    • Special Election in Illinois House CD 5 to fill the vacant seat of Congressman Rahm Emanuel. He resigned from Congress on 2 January 2009 to become President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff.
      • Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley (Democratic) has won with 69% of the vote.
      • The Partisan Composition of the 111th House U.S. House is now 255 Democrats, 178 Republicans, and 2 vacant seats (California CD 32 and New York CD 20).
    • Wisconsin Spring Election. Nonpartisan election for Superintendent of Public Instruction.
      • Tony Evers has won with about 57% of the vote.
    • Minnesota 2008 Senate Class 2 election update: 351 absentee ballots that had previously been rejected were added to the tally today. Franken won 198 votes, Coleman 111, and other candidates 42. The additional ballots increased Al Franken (Democratic, 41.99%)'s lead to 312 votes. Norm Coleman (Republican, 41.98%) will appeal the case to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
  • Saturday April 4, 2009
  • Friday April 3, 2009
  • Wednesday April 1, 2009
    • Update on the 2008 election for the Minnesota Class 1 Senate Seat:
      • Norm Coleman has lost a court challenge to Al Franken's 225 vote victory. A a three-judge panel ruled yesterday that only 400 absentee ballots would be considered for inclusion in the vote count. The counting of these ballots would begin 7 April. Since many of these ballots come from Democratic counties, the outcome is unlikely to change.
      • Coleman plans to appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
      • The seat will remain vacant while the case is in state court.
  • Tuesday March 31, 2009
    • Special Election in New York House CD 20
      • The contest is too close to call. With 100% of the precints reporting, H. Scott Murphy (Democratic; Independence; Working Families) has 50.01% and James Nicholas "Jim" Tedisco (Republican; Conservative) has 49.99%. All Military and Overseas ballots must be postmarked by 30 March 2009 and must be received by the appropriate County Board of Elections by 13 April 2009. As of 1 April, the State Board of Elections reports that 10,162 ballots were mailed out and 6,381 were returned.
  • Sunday March 29, 2009
  • Wednesday March 25, 2009
    • The Obama Administration. On 24 March, the Senate voted to confirm former Governor Gary Locke of Washington as Secretary of Commerce by unanimous consent.
  • Wednesday March 18, 2009
    • The United States Senate has confirmed former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk of Texas as U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE by a Senate Roll Call Vote of 92-5.
  • Wednesday March 11, 2009
    • California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called a special election to fill the U.S. House Congressional Distict 32 Seat vacated when Congressman Hilda L. Solis was confirmed as Secretary of Labor on 11 February 2009.
      • On Tuesday 19 May 2009, in a special primary will be held where all candidates run on a single ballot. If one candidate receives a majority (50% plus 1) of the vote, that candidate is elected. Otherwise, the top vote getter from each party participates in a Tuesday 14 July 2009 special general election.
  • Tuesday March 3, 2009
    • Illinois House CD 5 Special Party Primary to fill U.S. House Seat vacated by the 2 January 2009 resignation of Congressman Rahm Emanuel to become President Barack Obama's Chief of Staff. The candidates receiving the most votes in each party will participate in a Tuesday 7 April 2009 Special election.
      • Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley has won the Democratic nomination. Since this is a heavily Democratic District, he is likely to win the 7 April election.
      • Rosanna Pulido has won the Republican nomination.
      • Matthew "Matt" Reichel has won the Green nomination.
  • Monday March 2, 2009
  • Saturday February 28, 2009
  • Tuesday February 24, 2009
  • Monday February 23, 2009
    • Media reports state that President Obama has nominated former Governor Gary Locke of Washington (Democratic) to be Secretary of Commerce. Update: Mr. Locke was officially nominated on Wednesday 25 February.
  • Friday February 20, 2009
  • Tuesday February 17, 2009
  • Thursday February 12, 2009
    • Senator Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire) has withdrawn his name from consideration as Secretary of Commerce.
    • BICENTENNIAL of the BIRTH of ABRAHAM LINCOLN
      16th President of the United States of America
      • Saved the Union... 'nuf said! ;-)
  • Wednesday February 11, 2009
    • New York Governor David Paterson will soon call for a Special Election to fill the vacant U.S. House Seat in Congressional District 20. The seat became vacant on 23 January 2009 upon the appointment of Congressman Kirsten Gillibrand to the United States Senate.

Review changes prior to Wednesday February 11, 2009.
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