密歇根新闻广播 如何填补国会空缺

 

The attorney for Congressman¹ John Conyers held a news conference this afternoon to try to discredit² one of the women who was accusing Congressman Conyers of sexual harassment³.

The attorney indicates Conyers will not resign, but this issue is not going away.

Democratic leaders in Congress are still calling for his resignation, so if he’s pressured further or if he’s forced out through expulsion, which is very rare, who would represent Michigan’s 13th District?

Rick Pluta, Michigan Radio’s Lansing bureau chief, joined Stateside today to explain the process.

Listen to the conversation above, or read the transcript⁴ below.

LESTER GRAHAM: So Rick, what happens if there’s a vacancy⁵?

RICK PLUTA: In the event of a vacancy, the governor would call a special election to fill out the balance of the term, which would run until the end of 2018.

GRAHAM: So there would be no representation until that special election?

PLUTA: There would be no representation… the seat would be vacant until the election is held and certified⁶. And, you know, it’s not something that, you know, you can just do in a couple of weeks.

GRAHAM: So how long would that take to arrange?

PLUTA: Well, we don’t know for sure. There’s nothing that determines, you know, in statute⁷ that says when the governor has to do it, although commonly it would be held in conjunction with other elections. And there are three official election dates on the calendar next year. And so the governor would have to make a decision on whether or not he’d want … to hold it like in the spring or maybe sooner.

And then there are also just, there are practical aspects of elections that need to be taken into consideration – that, to run for Congress, any of the perspective candidates would have to gather 1,000 petition signatures to qualify for the ballot⁸. So you’ve got to have time for that.

GRAHAM: And that’s, that’s been troublesome for Congressman Conyers in the past.

PLUTA: Among others – it seems to be a thing here in Michigan. So there’s that. Plus, you’ve got to leave enough time, you know, which is really a couple of months, to make sure that ballots⁹ get out in time to military personnel and other Michigan voters who are living overseas so that they can get their ballots, fill them out, and return them. And so there’s that. So we’re looking at, like, a couple of months at the earliest.

GRAHAM: And then, somebody goes in, they’re in for a few months, because we’ll have elections in 2018.

PLUTA: Yes, that person will serve, in all likelihood, less than a year before they have to seek reelection, presuming they want to seek reelection. And, of course, the election to look at in this congressional district – it’s the most Democratic congressional district in Michigan, and so that means that the Democratic primary will determine, really, who holds the job.

1 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

2 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

3 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

4 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

5 vacancy   

n.（旅馆的）空位，空房，（职务的）空缺

参考例句：

• Her going on maternity leave will create a temporary vacancy.她休产假时将会有一个临时空缺。
• The vacancy of her expression made me doubt if she was listening.她茫然的神情让我怀疑她是否在听。

6 certified   

a.经证明合格的；具有证明文件的

参考例句：

• Doctors certified him as insane. 医生证明他精神失常。
• The planes were certified airworthy. 飞机被证明适于航行。

7 statute   

n.成文法，法令，法规；章程，规则，条例

参考例句：

• Protection for the consumer is laid down by statute.保障消费者利益已在法令里作了规定。
• The next section will consider this environmental statute in detail.下一部分将详细论述环境法令的问题。

8 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

9 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》