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Governor Ventura appoints Dean Barkley to fill senate seat vacancyBy T.W. Budig Dean Barkley, director of Minnesota Planning and long-time third party agitator, was appointed to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy created by the recent death of Sen. Paul Wellstone. ìIím going to Washington with one thing in mind ó what can I do for the state,î said Barkley, speaking at a press conference at the Capitol. In a phone call, Chief of Staff Steven Bosacker told him he better dress up, said Barkley. While Ventura said he considers his appointment of Barkley to be effective immediately, exactly when Barkley would assume his Senate ó or even if he can ó remains uncertain. Inconsistencies exist between federal and state laws and the U.S. Senate must approve the appointment. ìI imagine some lawyer somewhere got to determine how long Iím going to be there,î said Barkley. Ventura, who made his decision to appoint Barkley over the weekend, said the decision was not a reaction to the Independence Party senatorial candidate being kept from participating in a KARE-11/MPR U.S. Senate debate this morning. Still, Ventura timed his press conference to conflict with the debate, he indicated. The governor ó angry and combative with reporters ó accused the media of conspiring with Republicans and Democrats to thwart the third party movement. ìAs far as Iím concerned, youíre in their backpockets,î Ventura told gathered media. But todayís U.S. Senate debate was the only chance he had to debate Vice President Walter Mondale, the DFL senatorial candidate selected to replace Wellstone on the ballot. Over previous days Ventura had said he would not appoint until after the election. Pressed on this, Ventura replied he had also said heíd keep all his option open. ìYouíll never know why,î said Ventura of the reasoning behind the timing of his appointment. He also suggested the governor just appoint the winner of the election, said Penny. ìWhy have an interim (senator) at all,î he said. The appointment adds to the clutter to the last full day of the campaign, Penny explained. Barkley, 52, an attorney by profession, sought the U.S. Senate in 1994 and 1996 as a Reform Party candidate and engendered enough support at the polls to make the Reform Party a major party. Back in 1992, Barkley had run for the U.S. House in the 6th District as an Independent. At the press conference, Barkley said while he agrees with some of the positions championed by the late Paul Wellstone ó campaign reform, Wellstoneís stance on Iraq ó he considers himself a fiscal conservative. As for who heíd caucus with in the Senate, Barkley said he didnít know whether heíd end up caucusing by himself or joining with independent Sen. Jim Jeffords, senator from Vermont. Barkley said he hoped to get to Washington this week. Barkley is married and has three children. Barkley said he doesnít care whether Democrats or Republicans control the U.S. Senate. ©ECM Post Review |