COOK'S DECISION MADE BEFORE EMERSON DEATH

Missouri Secretary of State Bekki Cook's refusal to reopen the filing period for the 8th District congressional seat wasn't a last-minute response to the death of U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson but a decision researched well in advance.

Jim Grebing, communications director for the secretary of state, said Friday that Cook's office researched the intricacies of Missouri's new election law well in advance of Emerson's death.

Emerson died last Saturday of lung cancer at the age of 58.

Missouri Republican Party officials have accused Cook, a Democrat, of playing politics in not reopening the filing period so more qualified candidates can file.

The two Republicans currently on the ballot -- Richard Kline of Gipsy and E. Earl Durnell of Cabool -- are viewed as political lightweights who stand little chance of winning a general election in November.

A third GOP candidate, Dr. C. John Ritter, withdrew in May, 12 weeks after entering the race.

The Cape Girardeau doctor said Republican Party people pressured him to withdraw from the race, almost from the moment he filed.

"At the time I filed, no one else had really filed in deference to Bill Emerson," he recalled Friday.

"I thought it would be a good idea to have my name on the ballot just in case something happened and Bill had to drop out of the race," Ritter said.

Ritter isn't interested in re-entering the race. Once was enough, said Ritter, who has become disillusioned about party politics.

Ritter said Cook was being criticized unfairly by some in the Republican Party.

"I think it's terrible that they want to challenge the law because it's not going the way they want," said Ritter.

Grebing said Cook's office researched the new election law as long ago as January and February. The law took effect in 1995.

"We looked at all the scenarios in the law," Grebing said. The research wasn't candidate specific.

Grebing said the secretary of state's office wanted to be clear on the law early on.

"When situations arose, we wanted to be able to make those decisions in the context of what the law says and not have an emotional situation where personalities are involved," Grebing said.

He said the law is clear that the filing period couldn't be reopened after May 20.

Grebing said Cook's office wasn't trying to give an edge to Democratic candidates.

He said her office went out of its way to help the ailing Emerson file for re-election by mail earlier this year.

Emerson was buried Thursday in Hillsboro in Jefferson County. But his congressional offices at Cape Girardeau, Rolla and Washington will continue to operate until a special election is held and a new congressman sworn in.

The congressional offices have been placed under the supervision of the House clerk's office. That office must approve any expenditures of funds, including payroll, while the office remains without a congressman.

The clerk's office, whose 270 employees handle much of the legislative paperwork in the House, routinely supervises offices where congressional seats are temporarily vacant.

"This is the sixth vacant office of the 104th Congress," said Gerry Vans, special assistant to the clerk. The other five resulted from resignations by congressmen over the past two years.

There were nine vacant offices each in the 103rd Congress and the 102nd Congress, Vans said.

Emerson's offices will continue to handle constituent case work, he said.

"Pretty much things click along, although there are tasks related to closing down," Vans said.

Decisions must be made about office paperwork -- what remains, what goes to the family and what is tossed out, he said.

As time goes on, Emerson staffers will begin leaving for new jobs or careers, he said.

The earliest a special election can be held is Sept. 10. But the special election might not be held until November to coincide with the general election.

Vans said it isn't unusual for congressional seats to remain vacant for several months.