Jack Kevorkian Plans Run For Congress

Assisted Suicide Advocate On Parole Since Release From Prison Last Year

(AP)  Assisted-suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian plans to run for Congress, complicating a Michigan race that is expected to be among the most competitive in the nation.

The so-called "Dr. Death," who was released from prison last year and remains on parole, will run as a candidate with no party affiliation for a congressional seat representing Detroit's suburbs, an associate said.

"Jack is in great spirits, and he intends to do this. He just hopes for some honesty in government," said Ruth Holmes, Kevorkian's longtime jury consultant.

Kevorkian plans to focus on prison reform and bringing integrity to the government, Holmes said. She said the retired pathologist was not available for an interview and would make a formal announcement next week.

Kevorkian told The Oakland Press of Pontiac, Mich., which first reported his plans on Wednesday, that his campaign was in a "formative stage" and that he was running because "we need some honesty and sincerity instead of corrupt government in Washington."

Holmes said Kevorkian would need to collect 3,000 signatures by mid-July to be placed on the ballot. "That will be very easy for Jack," she predicted.

The Oakland County seat currently is held by Republican Rep. Joe Knollenberg, who is being challenged by Democrat Gary Peters, a former state lottery commissioner who has been highly touted by national party leaders.

Knollenberg, who first was elected in 1992, defeated Democrat Nancy Skinner in 2006 with 51.5 percent of the vote despite outspending her by about 7-to-1. Democrats have targeted the seat.

Both campaigns downplayed Kevorkian's potential role in the race.

Mike Brownfield, Knollenberg's campaign manager, said Kevorkian's campaign "doesn't affect Joe Knollenberg at all. He's going to keep getting things done for Oakland County's families."

Peters spokeswoman Julie Petrick said "anybody has the right to run" but said their campaign was "one of the top races in the country as far as viability and our ability to win here."

While serving in the state Senate, Peters proposed legislation to allow voters to decide whether to make physician-assisted suicide legal for terminally ill patients. The ballot proposal was rejected in 1998, the same year Michigan's law banning assisted suicide took effect.

Oakland County Prosecutor Dave Gorcyca, whose office was responsible for sending Kevorkian to prison, said it was "probably more of a publicity stunt."

"To call attention to himself is standard protocol for Jack when he doesn't have the limelight focused on him. I would not consider his candidacy to be a legitimate one," said Gorcyca.

But Craig Ruff, a senior policy fellow at the Lansing, Mich.-based Public Sector Consultants, said Kevorkian "could play the Nader in this district, denying Peters the seat."

Ruff referenced the 2000 campaign of Ralph Nader, whom many Democrats consider a spoiler for siphoning votes from Al Gore in his razor-thin loss to George W. Bush in Florida.

Ruff said few Republicans would support Kevorkian because of his views on euthanasia but predicted he could pick up a few thousand votes from some Democrats and independents, enough to potentially affect the outcome.

Kevorkian, 79, claims to have helped at least 130 people die from 1990 until 1998 — the year he was charged in the death of Thomas Youk, a 52-year-old Oakland County man with Lou Gehrig's disease. Kevorkian has promised not to help in any other assisted suicides and could go back to prison if he did.

He was released from prison in June 2007 after serving the minimum of his 10- to 25-year sentence for second-degree murder in Youk's death. He spent eight years and 2½ months behind bars after earning time off for good behavior.

To serve in Congress, the Constitution requires someone to be 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for seven years and to reside in the state they would represent, but it does not prevent a convicted felon from seeking office.

House ethics rules say members who have been convicted of a crime while in office that leads to at least a 2-year sentence should not vote or participate in committee work. But it says a lawmaker's privileges are reinstated if the member is found innocent or re-elected after the conviction.

Kelly Chesney, a spokeswoman for the Michigan secretary of state's office, said state election law only governs legislative and state offices and there is nothing that would prevent Kevorkian from running for federal office.

Michigan allows convicted felons to vote once they've served their sentence.

[mudrose-2009]

Well I''m sure the Kevork will run on the Democratic Ticket. Actually, we need another convicted felon in Government, one that really, really, really, knows how to kill people quickly. The Dimnowits really need to expand their culture of death beyond abortion. How nice.

[ericmarti]

There are so many unresolved issues in this country such as abortion, gay marriage, and of course, euthanasia. I can argue each one of them to be right or wrong, but I don%u2019t think that solves our problem. Dear Dr. Kevorkian, I think the right thing is to have juries decide euthanasia on a case by case basis. A jury or board of jurors made up of medical, social and legal professionals as well as a religious representative and members of society that could judge each case with discernment and morale would be ideal. It is then we might see a simple resolution to a complex matter. -- Erich Martirosian

[candide777]

the people he killed that didn''''''''t even have fatal illnesses

Posted by rational_1 at 09:26 PM : Mar 12, 2008

okay, so you are not very rational after all. He did not "kill" anyone. He helped them end their own life. There''s a crucial difference. Jack is a saint.

God bless you, Jack. I hope you win!

[rational_1]

I''''m sickened by the idea that this man would even attempt this. Those who support him in his "work" overlooked the people he killed that didn''''t even have fatal illnesses or the fact that he did not look at their medical records or check into their emotional states. Some of those that died at his hands were depressed people with illnesses that were manageable. One woman who was given his "compassionate support" had fibromyalgia. I have fibromyalgia myself.
Posted by cecollie at 03:44 PM : Mar 12, 2008

Thank you cecollie for stating much more eloquently than I ever could exactly why Jack Kevorkian is no saint. Do we really want to live in a society where death-dealers like Jack Kevorkian freelance without supervision? Sure there are sound arguments to be made for euthanasia being available to people who are medically judged to be making their decisions rationally and who are afflicted with some disease that is beyond hope of treatment. But it''s entirely a different kettle of fish when people like Kevorkian are operating on their own.

[rosie000]

people only tru to keep their dying loved ones around for theirselves, not the one who is dying. if an animal has cancer or o broken leg the first thing we do is put them out their misery to end their suffering. what is done when a loved one is suffering? doupe them up, hook them to a bunch of machines, and watch a once vibrant person rot and suffer. maybe he will be a good political leader one who makes the most sensible call, the republican s arent doing it and the democrats are to weak. republicans please the rich and themselves and the democrats fall apart trying to please everyone.... before stones are cast,,, take a look in the mirror hu

[christiansin]

Keeping people alive long beyond the point at which they would have died without heroic intervention is "playing" God.

Assisted suicide that allows a terminally ill person to avoid prolonged pain and suffering is being Godly.

Jack Kevorkian is a saint.

[turiddhu]

i think someday they''ll say "he was ahead of his time"

[bobgee_1999]

What an wonderful, brave, principled and intelligent man. I would be honored to call him friend.

[candide777]

Now, this man is truly a saint. Mother Theresa went around the globe contributing to the spread of HIV by scaring the poor into believing they would suffer the tortures of hell if they used a condom.

Kevorkian served time in prison for his commitment to alleviating the suffering of other human beings.

Here is a real profile in courage and an honest man. He has my vote and 100% support.

[rajg1951]

Jack go for it. If the person is almost dead and is living a life of vegetation, he is burden to every one including the family he loves. Euthanism in such situation must be welcome.

[bingo0116]

Well put rosie000. You should know. I am so pissed that no matter what you or any other professional knows, congress knows better....turds. Who,in fact, is playing GOD? It ain''t Jack. God bless him and those he has risked so much to help at their most trying time on this earth. Again, he has more guts than any wishy washy, politically correct politician that comes to mind. It''s a shame they are so gutless.

[rosie000]

in a response to the previous reply on terminally ill people. i watched my best friend die from brain cancer and let me tell you something, no one should ever have to suffer like she did. if i were medically or physically incompacitated in a bad way after living a normal life i sure would pay any amount of money to have someone kill me. if my child was suffering so i would look into a way to end their suffering. if someone is of their right mind and doesnt want to live in a matter that takes their life as they have lived it and their dignity away then i believe they reserve the righ to seek a dignified death. not suicide... not mutilation... but a peaceful death. i dont know whos idea it was to make suicide ilegall. we have the right or should have the right to do with our body as we want. mr. kevorkian, as a physician has first hand knowledge of how and what types of medicines to use to assist in that very matter. we ask and choose dr to deliver our children why cant we choose dr to assist in ending miserable pain. i also am a nurse and have seen such needles suffering, and at least 1/2 of every terminally ill patient has asked someone to just kill them if they arent going to get any better.

[bingo0116]

Unless you have witnessed one of his interviews, you probably would think ill of the man. Actually he is very interesting, honest, respectful, forthright, closer on target to what our "founding fathers" had in mind of our government than most people would ever imagine. (Therefore, has no business entering into politics. He is not a crook or liar.)Dr. Kevorkian is a stand-up, extremely intelligent & compassionate person. I would want him on my side any time. Everybody else these days is so politically correct it makes me want to vomit. At least he has some balls. I would rather go out at my chosing than have to suffer & cause my family to suffer (under CERTAIN circumstances). But then, I like to do things my way anyhow. I''m not real big on having the FLIPPING GOVERNMENT decide how I might leave this earth. They control far too much as it is. Someone said it in a previous post, yeah, I think you have to commit felonies AFTER being elected....that would be funny if not so very, sickenly true.

[whitepicks2]

I''ve never understood why people are outraged by terminally ill people being provided the option to die as they see fit. This is a decision in which no one should be forced, but it should be an available choice. If you think it is wrong, don''t exercise this right, but a service ought to be provided and available to those who are suffering a prolonged downward spiral, as they have the right to die.

[cecollie]

I''m sickened by the idea that this man would even attempt this. Those who support him in his "work" overlooked the people he killed that didn''t even have fatal illnesses or the fact that he did not look at their medical records or check into their emotional states. Some of those that died at his hands were depressed people with illnesses that were manageable. One woman who was given his "compassionate support" had fibromyalgia. I have fibromyalgia myself. Sometimes there is pain involved, but it is not fatal and certainly is not going to shorten my life...unless, of course, you go to someone like this. This is dignified?!
Neither of my parents believed in any form of assisted suicide. My mother died from septicemia following a brain hemorrhage and my father from leukemia. It wasn''t an easy death for either of them. But my siblings and I sat with them, held their hands told them how much we loved them and waited until they passed. It was the most difficult thing I''ve ever done...but they were the ones who truly died with dignity.
May this serial killer never have the opportunity to have anything to do with the public.

[annia1233]

a sad definition of Lue Gehrig''s disease some one gave me ones: Your body is this shell that do not respon but inprison your very active mind. You will end up answering to your loves ones by blinking once for yes and twice for no. Your mind do not lose, but your body abandones you. Then you have two choices, dying of asphixia or dying on your own terms nocked by something from which you will not wake up.
If I had something like that, I want some one to help me NOT to die of asfixia but to help me die in peace and not with the terror of pain. I vote for him.

[usbrit-2009]

We treat our animals in distress with more compassion then we do people in distress. Dr. K'' on the right path.

Incidentally, a felon cannot vote but they can run for office? - seems a little wierd to me.

[thinkharder-]

He has caused great sorrow for the family and the members of the extended families of his victims. The most important person he will have to answer to his God.
Posted by computerone4

When someone askes/begs you to end their life to to dibilitating/terminal illness, one could hardly consider them victims. Your shallow righteous tone is indicative of one who reacts without thinking. Imagine one of your loved ones, doomed to surely die, with the greates fathomable pain and dispair causing a torrent of tears to run down their face. Imagine they''ll ask you to spare them this agony. Imagine they ask you to free them from the most painful existence imaginable. Now...will you have the guts to fulfill your loved one''s wish to depart, or will you coldly and callously preach irrelevant bible banter at them till they choke to death on their own misery? I would.That''s called compassion.
Think Harder...and feel even harder than that.

[computerone4]

It is wth great dismay that this doctor should contemplate the concept of running for a seat in the United States Congress. His actions are morally, ethicaly amd above all legally aberant. He has caused great sorrow for the family and the members of the extended families of his victims. The most important person he will have to answer to his God. My name is klenghart and my email address is [e-mail]

[heidicheroke]

I will support Dr. Kevorkian and always have. So did my late father who did not want to suffer an agonizing death.
If one looked VERY closely at those in large government today, one would most certainly find illegal functions going on or having gone on in their recent past. Dr. Kevorkian should never have been convicted. Again it was all political bull____ on the prosecutors part. Justice is not blind. You can buy your way out of most anything unless there is politics behind it.
God Bless You Jack.