Kershaw and the Residency Question

From Chad E. Rogers, at The Dead Pelican:

June 15, 2007

I'd like to respond,point by point, to today's Democrat Party press release, where chairman Chris Whittington challenges the Stupid Party on the question of Sammy Kershaw's residence. Kershaw has formally announced that he's a candidate for the job of Louisiana's Lt. Governor:

Will the Louisiana Republican Party hold Sammy Kershaw, a citizen of Nashville, TN and the latest GOP candidate for Lt. Governor to the same residency rigors as former Sen. John Breaux?, asks Louisiana Democratic Party Chairman Chris Whittington.

The Louisiana Democratic Party calls upon the state GOP to be consistent both in its’ interpretation of state law and its scrutiny regarding qualifications of candidates for state office.

Well, if they don't, what exactly are you going to do about it Chris? What if the Stupid Party simply tells you "no, we're not going to hold Kershaw to the same standard?" Do you have a contingency plan, other than screaming "hypocrite" and beating your chest?

At any rate, one of the things that the Stupid Party will argue is that Kershaw indeed a registered voter in Louisiana, and has voted here for many years. I'm not a lawyer, and I don't know if that makes Kershaw a citizen or not, but it's one thing he's got going for him that Breaux didn't.

At any rate, the press release continues:

Although it is true Kershaw is a native of Kaplan, according to recent court documents, he has retained residency in Tennessee for years. His qualifications to effectively assume responsibilities of this office are non-existent (emphasis mine).

Here's where Whit conflates two unrelated items, the first being a legitimate issue of his residency, the second being a personal opinion of his qualifications. The two have nothing to do with each other.

In closing, the release ends by talking about Mitch Landrieu:

"In comparison, the vast achievements of Mitch Landrieu, who has helped revive the state’s economy following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita by his efforts to bring tourists back to Louisiana are invaluable and unrivaled,” said Whittington.

My response to that is an outburst of uncontrolled laughter.