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Democrats: Burris to be barred by men with guns, if necessary.

I repeat. *Democrats.* Dem-o-crats. D E M O C R A T S...

By: Moe Lane (Diary)  |  January 1st, 2009 at 04:12 PM  | 

RESIZE: AAA

I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP:

WASHINGTON — As U.S. Senate leadership developed an elaborate set of contingency plans today to keep Roland Burris from taking over President-elect Barack Obama’s seat, the disputed appointee promised not to “create a scene” when the Senate convenes next week.

If Burris shows up Tuesday to claim the seat given to him by disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the outcomes range from a denial of entry to a limbo where he can hire staff but not vote.

[snip]

Should Burris appear in Washington without that certification, armed police officers stand ready to bar him from the Senate floor, said a Democratic official briefed on Senate leaders’ plans.

Note the use of the phrase “create a scene,” which is not actually the same as “make a scene.” It gives him the out of being able to enthusiastically participate in any scene that Senate Democrats themselves have created first.

H/T Via Ace of Spades HQ, which also linked to this article that notes that, indeed, it does make a difference if the Illinois Secretary of State doesn’t sign off on Blagojevich’s pick. Which is why Burris is even now suing said SoS in order to require him to sign off on the pick. Now, I’m not a lawyer, but as far as I can tell the primary argument against signing off on the Burris pick is that the guy who picked him is a notoriously corrupt suckweasel who’s on track to being yet another Illinois governor thrown in jail while still in office. I’m not sure that this qualifies as a legitimate cause for refusal, under the Illinois state constitution. I am pretty sure that the Illinois Supreme Court is going to be hard-pressed to make a statement on the subject before Tuesday – and, no, the US Senate is not going to wait for a mere state to resolve its petty provincial problems, either. All of this means that on Tuesday we may be treated to the sight of an elderly African-American being led off the Senate floor in handcuffs because his sitting there would be contrary to the collective wish of old, white Democrats – and as for the One? Well, he’s already washed his hands of the matter.

(pause)

This very well may be the single greatest act of vicious political revenge that I have seen in my lifetime. It’s a pity that Rod Blagojevich couldn’t have used his powers for good.

Moe Lane

PS: A special election would have solved the problem, but Illinois Democrats are too scared of democracy to really trust it. Just thought I’d point that out again.

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COMMENTS

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  • bk

     

  • Moe Lane

    N/T

  • Kenny Solomon

    ………Franken’s taking the Minnesota election the proper Democrat way….. by stealing it, not being put there by a wingnut Democrat the main body of nutjob Democrats don’t like.

  • bc3

    This is a great first assignment. He had thugs masquerading as U.S. marshalls weilding automatic weapons when they kidnapped Elian Gonzales to return the boy to Castro.

  • Bourbeau

    Of course, that’s democracy the way the Democrats decide it should work. If this were the Republicans, standing at the door preventing a black representative of the people of Illinois, the cries of outrage would be heard around the world. I have no sympathy for the people of Illinois; if you choose to lie with dogs, don’t cry when you wake up with fleas.

  • Kenny Solomon

    [snark] ;)

  • http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

    As you note, Moe, the legislature could have preempted this appointment by voting for a special election. However, rather than run the risk of a Republican victory, they thought they could ensure a non-controversial Democratic appointment by pushing Blago out and getting Quinn to appoint a new Senator.

    However, they didn’t count on Blago digging in his heels and refusing to resign, followed by this masterstroke of an appointment after the legislature failed to act.

    Thus now they’ve got their Democratic senator appointee – and a very messy situation as many observers have pointed out – including the Constitutional question as to whether they can deny Burris the seat and the imagery of rejecting the only black senator from being seated.

    And of course, there’s an increasing prospect that Blago won’t be impeached (or at least won’t get convicted) since the latter would require a 2/3rds vote, which would mean Republican support (correct me Illinois readers if I’m wrong) – and the Republicans have no incentive to give Blago the push. Nor is it clear that Blago will be convicted at trial – and surely he can delay a trial for quite a while, perhaps through the rest of his term.

    Sounds almost like a Biblical-type retribution for hubris on the part of Illinois Democrats – something in Proverbs or Psalms about digging a pit and falling into it yourself.

  • zuiko

    Is going to have the dogs and fire hoses there, just in case?

  • IJB

    And of course, there?s an increasing prospect that Blago won?t be impeached (or at least won?t get convicted) since the latter would require a 2/3rds vote, which would mean Republican support (correct me Illinois readers if I?m wrong) – and the Republicans have no incentive to give Blago the push.

    They have plenty of incentive not to look like idiots.

    So if Blago comes up for an Impeachment vote, of course the IL GOP will vote for it.

    They’d be roundly ridiculed and condemned if they didn’t, including by me (and likely most of the people on this board).

  • IJB
  • bs

    That is not their recent-years track record.

  • bs
  • janis

    Good enough for the former Senator, should be good enough for them, too.

  • cookcountyconservative

    This is fun!

    http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2009/01/the-inaugural-day-demonstration-for-roland-burris.html

  • IJB

    There’s no upside to that.

    The IL GOP has to vote “yes” on Impeachment. Anything else, and they come off like royal jackasses, and that’s the last thing they need in a state where they need to stage a comeback.

  • janis

    .

  • janis

    puts out some CYA statement, totally false and self-serving, of course, just like the Dems might do, and say “Given the implications to many facets of the Dem Party in this situation, we are choosing to allow the Democrats to decide how they wish to handle the Gov. Blagojevich issue for now.”

    Well? Can they vote “present” then? My point here is to just let the Dems run with this because they are doing just a bang-up job so far. It’d be a real shame to stop them from being themselves since they’re doing it with such gusto.

  • bs

    But in this context I wasn’t trying to provide an across-the-board assessment. :-)

  • bs

    Since the Dems are doing such a bang-up job of totally screwing up the entire thing, the IL GOP should just sit back and watch, and perhaps issue a press release with some sort of high-and-mighty words that state that they’d like to remain “above the fray”.

    For the GOP caucus to vote “present” in an impeachment vote would be sweet.

  • Kenny Solomon

    Governor Sarah Palin.

    ;)

    (High-speed pot stirring continues.)

  • janis

    At least two of us think it’s the most sensible thing to do, ergo they probably won’t do it. Rats! But it sure would be mighty tasty to watch the Dems struggle through this one all on their own.

  • janis

    She can’t be seen anywhere near anyone who’s even related to a politician in Chicago. She can’t even eat a Chicago-style hotdog. She can’t fly over Chicago on her way to somewhere else. She should just avoid the state of Illinois like the plague.

  • 6eorge Jetson

    While the national GOP would love to see this linger as long as possible, I don’t see how condoning Blago’s behavior helps an ILL state congressman in his/her next election.

  • 6eorge Jetson

    Pass the popcorn

  • dld1717

    http://www.nypost.com/seven/01012009/postopinion/editorials/what_illinois_wrought_146722.htm

    The Dems could of stopped Blago if they had done what Republicans wanted and to have a bill calling for a special election and instead the blocked it

  • http://jeffemanuel.net Jeff Emanuel

    Should be “Democrats: Black Senate appointee to be barred from chamber by men with guns.”

  • Moe Lane

    …will it be Jim Crow in the Democratic Senate?