Quinn calls special election for Burris Senate seat

While jurors deliberate on the charges against his former running mate, Governor Pat Quinn signed the paperwork that authorizes a special election for the remaining two months of the onetime Barack Obama Senate seat.

Quinn's predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, was of course arrested after allegedly attempting to sell that seat to the highest bidder. Shortly before his removal from office, Blago appointed political hack Roland Burris for what was assumed to be the remainder of Obama's term.

Within hours of the hair-brained one's arrest, Illinois' other senator, Dick Durbin, called for a special election for that seat--but once he ascertained that a Republican could win that post--he clammed up. Of course on most occasions that is good news.

This is how Election Day will work here: When I exercise my franchise in November, I'll vote twice for US Senate--for Republican Mark Kirk near the top of the ballot for a term ending in 2017, and further down for Kirk for the last two months of the old Obama term. Democrat Alexi Giannoulias has been hesitant about declaring his intentions for the lame duck session, because of speculation that Burris might want to finish things up. What that would entail, I have no idea--after all, what has Burris done since being sworn in? But it appears that the federal judge who is trying to make sense of all this may end up putting the failed mob banker on the ballot for the mini-term along with Kirk.

With Burris out of the Senate later this year, it means we will be spared a reprise of his reciting a politicized version of "Twas the Night before Christmas" on the floor of the Senate.

That is very good news indeed.

And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid may have one less caucus member on his side if he tries to inflict lame duck damage before New Year's Day.

Related posts:

Burris debases Christmas and GOP on Senate floor

Roland Burris' incoherent Senate ramblings

Technorati tags: Blagojevich Illinois Politics Illinois Democrats chicago senate Roland Burris news Christmas Mark Kirk Republican Alexi Giannoulias crime Election Durbin special election