They are wasting no time getting the hell out of Dodge........

[CatWoman]

Hastert Submits Resignation Letter

CHICAGO — Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who made a farewell speech to House colleagues 11 day earlier, made his resignation official Monday with a letter to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Hastert's formal resignation, which was to take effect at 11:59 p.m. EST Monday, came the same day that Mississippi GOP Sen. Trent Lott announced he would retire by year's end after 35 years in Congress.

Hastert had announced in August he wouldn't seek another term and earlier this month confirmed he wouldn't finish his 11th term, but he hadn't said when he would resign his seat.

In his letter, Hastert said he chose Monday because he was advised it would give Blagojevich sufficient time to set a special primary election for Feb. 5 so voters can pick candidates to run for the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2009.

Hastert said Feb. 5 makes sense because that's the day Illinoisans will go to the polls in regular primary elections to cast votes for president and other offices.

"This will minimize inconvenience to the voters and expense to the counties in the 14th Congressional District," Hastert said in his three-paragraph letter.

If Blagojevich calls the special primary for that day, voters in Hastert's northern Illinois district not only will choose candidates to run for his unexpired term, but also cast ballots in a regular primary election to whittle down the candidates who will run to be Hastert's full-time replacement.

Four Republicans and four Democrats filed paperwork to get on the ballot for the chance to replace Hastert, and those already in the race have said they want the chance to finish his term.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20071126/hastert-resignation/

[daninthemoon]

1. CNN mentioned that a new law is about to take effect in January

that will prevent a newly retired congressman from being a paid lobbyist for some period of time. They mentioned it in their report on Lott. By leaving now, he is exempt, and can cash in the big bucks right away, before the law takes effect. I suspect that is a motivation for most of these bastards.

[scarletwoman]

3. Excellent observation! It's really rather obvious, isn't it. (nt)

[Cha]

4. Aha! I read it wrong before..

I thought they had to wait two years to be a lobbyist when they left their congress positions so they were getting started ASAP. This makes more sense ..UTW(UnderTheWire).

Hope they get some real people in their places.

[Catherine Vincent]

11. So the people be damned, I want the money!?

Figures.

[TheCowsCameHome]

2. Good. I'll even volunteer to drive the bus for them,

and of course bail out just before it goes hurtling off a cliff.

"Asshole Express leaving at gate #7 - All Aaaaaaboooooooard"

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

5. I like to imagine that in a year or so time, Hastert will be playing the Holiday Inn Express.

Pine Room Number Three. :-) MKJ

[UTUSN]

6. Tinfoiling, but I think CHEENEE's "irregular heartbeat" is a WAY out!1 n/t

[BOSSHOG]

7. QUITTING - just another conservative value

[karlrschneider]

8. Can anybody say.....CUT and RUN?

Oh, that's different...

[madrchsod]

10. denny cut and run?

no ..well he can cut his steak and tater`s. but run? more like roll....unless he`s eating one or two

[madrchsod]

9. ya... you make jokes about this but--->

i know for a fact that just a mile and a half from me the statue of st ronald is weeping. by tomorrow i expect a fox news truck to be set up broadcasting the weeping statue of st ronald to the world. yet unbeknownst to them, across the river the statue of the young abe lincoln is smiling...

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

12. What a wonderful post.

Thank you.

:toast: MKJ