Just one week after Rod Blagojevich's blowhard attorney, Ed Genson, said that the disgraced governor would not appoint a successor to Barack Obama in the US Senate, the Chicago Democrat picks Roland Burris, a former state attorney general and comptroller, to take Obama's seat.
Didn't Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) say the upper chamber would not seat anyone Blago appointed? He all but did that three weeks ago.
It's possible that we could have a constitutional confrontation on our hands, but my guess is that Reid won't risk the ire of blacks, and will allow Burris to be seated.
Burris was Illinois' first African American to hold statewide office. However, Burris, a Chicago Democrat who is a native of downstate Centralia, has lost four straight primary elections, most recently in 2002, when Blagojevich topped him to got the Democratic nod for governor that year.
Surely Burris hasn't been tainted by Blago sleaze, right?
I'm still doing some research, but since leaving public life, reluctantly, Burris became a lobbyist and "retained a friendship" with Blago.
More to come, that's to be sure.
Meanwhile, Obama's seat looks like a juicy pick-up target for the Republicans. Remember, Burris has lost four straight Democratic primaries. If he runs for the seat on his own, he'll have Blagojevich as a running mate.
Technorati tags: politics Illinois Democrats Chicago crime Blagojevich Illinois Politics legal Senate Harry Reid
3 comments:
It keeps getting better and better.
I can't stop laughing.
He's settin' up the entire IL government.
White said he won't certify the appointment; but will he?
Bobby Rush is conveniently in the audience and stands up to challenge people to look at the appointee, and not the appointer, while basically stating tht Burris' race is more important than any pesky legal matters.
Oh, and the fact that Burris is black makes anyone who speaks against Burris (a known Blago contributor) a racist.
The IL legislature shovels the BS deep and high stating a special election is too expensive; but, are willing to dick around their personal corruption gopher holes to keep from having their questionable deeds called into question while the state's credit rating goes deeper and deeper in the tank (eventually costing well over the estimated $30M).
The D's are doing everything they can to maintain party integrity at the same time Blago, fire axe in hand, is pounding away at the party foundation.
Furthermore, folks like my state Rep, Heater Steans' should be preparing themselves for the backlash from the people for her nay vote on the recall amendment (she stated enough legislation existed that any bad officials could be taken care of, without a recall).
Keep in mind, a recall doesn't require any sort of trial, whatsoever. Thumbs up or down by a vote of the people and you're either in, or out.
The people, if given the opportunity, could have taken care of this matter, already.
This is priceless!
Their are banana republics who must be awestruck by events here.
In a democracy ..., in the home state of one of our greatest presidents - who fought hard for equality and for the right of all people to be heard, the IL legislature is doing everything they can to keep the people from voting to oust a bad official.
If this isn't on comedy Central, it
should be. This impeachment thing
could take forever. And where did
they come with Blago's 8%
approval rating?
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