Lieberman critic takes over his party

FAIRFIELD, Conn., Nov. 17 (UPI) -- A former Democrat and non-fan of U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., claims to have seized control of the Connecticut for Lieberman Party.

John Orman, who teaches at Fairfield University, told the Stamford Advocate that he changed his registration after he checked with the Secretary of State's office, and discovered that Connecticut for Lieberman had no registered members. Then he convened a party meeting and adopted a set of by-laws.

Under Orman's rules, anyone with the surname Lieberman is allowed to run for office under the party's line -- along with any critic of the senator.

Connecticut for Lieberman was formed with the sole purpose of giving the senator a line to run on after he lost this year's Democratic primary to Ned Lamont. Lieberman's supporters collected 7,500 signatures on his nominating petitions and 29 of his friends and relatives formed the party.

Orman, who unsuccessfully tried to knock Connecticut for Lieberman off the ballot before the election, said he is upset that Lieberman has so quickly abandoned his new party after winning another term and asked to be identified as an Independent Democrat.