Let's just leave Orie-Melvin's seat empty until the next election!
In my ideal world, various ploys could be used by the Dems to stall and delay replacing her on the state Supreme Court until One Term Tom is out of office. Fortunately, Corbett will need 8 Democratic votes from the state Senate to approve whomever he chooses. Right now, we have a 4/4 split of Dems/GOP among the justices, so cases can not be decided along party lines.
Gov. Tom Corbett will nominate someone to replace Melvin if she resigns, is impeached or is removed by a judge at sentencing or by the Court of Judicial Discipline, which has an active complaint. The House will begin impeachment if she doesn't resign, according to a spokesman for Speaker Sam Smith, R-Punxsutawney.
Melvin's seat would be up for election in November 2015, so her appointed replacement would serve until January 2016. “(Corbett) will deal with that issue when a vacancy occurs,” spokesman Kevin Harley said of the appointment.
The change might take time. The Senate must confirm whomever Corbett nominates by a two-thirds vote. The Republican governor needs Democratic support to meet that threshhold — something that gives Senate Democrats leverage when negotiating the state budget before June 30.
Read more: http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/3528077-74/melvin-state-senate#ixzz2M740TffP
