« BACK  |  PRINT

RS

MEMBER DIARY

Senator Burris Barred from Senate Floor

By: Brian Darling (Diary)  |  January 6th, 2009 at 03:55 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s letter of appointment for Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) to be sworn in today in the Senate was rejected by Secretary of the Senate Nancy Erickson for violating a Senate rule requiring a signature of the Governor and Secretary of State.  Illinois Secretary of State, Jesse White, refuses to sign the official certification of Burris’s appointment to the Senate and Burris is exploring his legal rights to force the Secretary of State to sign the documenet.  It is unclear as to what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will do if Burris shows up with his paperwork in order.

Senator Roland Burris Banned from Senate Floor

Roll Call reports that Reid would approve of Burris’s appointment if Lt. Governor Pat Quinn, the governor if Blagojevich gets removed from office, chooses to appoint Burris.  It seems as if Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is playing a game with this appointment.  The rejection of the letter of appointment today was a way to buy some time in blocking the eventual seating of Burris.

If Burris shows up with a properly signed letter of appointment, I would expect that Reid would not seat Burris and referring the matter to the Senate Rules Committee.  The end goal would seem to be to await the removal from office of Governor Blagojevich and work with prospective Governor Pat Quinn to produce a certification of another individual to become Senator from Illinois.

Senator Dianne Feinstein told Congressional Quarterly that the rejection of Burris’s appointment sets a dangerous precedent and “affects gubernatorial appointments all over America.”  Senator Feinstein is correct and it is sad that not one Republican or Democrat stood up to the Senate Majority Leader to demand the seating of Senator Roland Burris.

Tags: , ,
Get Alerts

COMMENTS

POSTING RULES  |  LOGIN TO COMMENT  |  REGISTER TODAY
  • Scope

    http://start.localnet.com/article.php?article=D95HS3P00.html

    So very sorry Brian to not stay on message to the thread, but I just saw that news.

  • IJB

    As far as I’m concerned, any Republican that supports seating Burris should be rung out.

  • Scope

    http://start.localnet.com/article.php?article=D95HS3P00.html

    So very sorry Brian to not stay on message to the thread, but I just saw that news.

  • Scope

    This started happening to me today with all my posts? Is it a new bug?

  • Scope

    I just saw the Burriss Washington episode from today on Fox. If I am not mistaken, wasn’t it Bobby Rush (former Black Panther Party Leader) walking next to him? Can you imagine what would be said if Sarah Palin was on TV walking next to a KKK former leader?

  • jdub19

    I’d just rather RB fill the seat for 2 years instead of many of the younger D available.

    Plus, it’s a legit appointment, and he should be seated for that reason as well.

  • dmcmurdo

    The Burris issue is complicated and extremely interesting. Thinking it carefully through, it is hard but to conclude that (a) Mr. Burris is indeed entitled to the Senate seat but that (b) if the Senate declines to take up Mr. Burris’ complaint then Mr. Burris will be out of luck.

  • Scope

    I just saw the Burriss Washington episode from today on Fox. If I am not mistaken, wasn’t it Bobby Rush (former Black Panther Party Leader) walking next to him? Can you imagine what would be said if Sarah Palin was on TV walking next to a KKK former leader?

  • http://www.ssce.net/Web-Articles/Web-articles-indexed-authors.html#authors-l JLenardDetroit

    Moe Lane’s The Burris festivities….:

    This is still a STATE MATTER for Illinois….. The US Senate (Harry Reid) DOES HAVE AN ISSUE/POINT?.. The Secretary of State of the State of Illinois has not yet ?certified? the appointment, then this is still an issue of the State of IL! This is NOT the same as Adam Clayton Powell SCOTUS case!!! (Much, much, much more on this in-depth at: Who BlahGo (IL-Gov) should appoint to US Senate NOW, and why they should accept? Plus, Special Election, Mike Ditka, Special Prosecutor, and more? [UPDATED JAN 6, 2009]

    We have heard endlessly how the Democrats (the Madigan Liberal clique, of which Blago is not part) is opposing this pick (really, any Blago pick of course) and that the SOS of IL was/is on board with their UnConstitutional (IL Constitution and IL Law, let alone US Law/Constitution) attempts to prevent Burris from taking the seat?.

    We KNOW that Harry Reid does not give a darn about this as a State Right issue?.. Reid, and the others, will be more than Happy to Welcome (well, happy it?s a Liberal/Democrat, not that it is this particular clown being) Al Franken to the US Senate ?. the game will be CLEARLY up when/if they do indeed do so before the MN SOS certifies the Election?. Further, whether MN Dem?s push to have it certified before the REQUIRED 7 DAY PERIOD allowing Coleman to File Official Challenge (Contesting the Election)?..

    All I am saying is that we be clear in this issue, that Reid may be denying him PROPERLY if the State of IL has not got its act together. Burris can/will/should File suit against the IL SOS for not ?certifying the appointment? as required by IL law?. The IL SOS (from my understanding) does NOT have any choice in this matter but to certify whether the ?appointee? meets Constitutional and/or other IL legal requirements to be a US Senator (and Burris does) PERIOD. but until he is actually certified by the State of IL SOS his ?credentials? are indeed NOT IN ORDER and he can/should be barred from the US Senate?.

    Again, we all know this is a shame, and the Franken admittance ASAP will expose that but we must keep our discussions/arguments to be Factual and Complete.

    Don?t get me wrong? we certainly want to keep the issue in the fore-front?. These fools need to be continually called on this hypocrisy?.

    If further is wonderful that Bobby Rush is trying to portray this as ?RACIST? or a ?Racial? issue?.. how hilarious?..

    end edit/excerpt